Kim Jong-un

Pretending nothing is wrong in North Korea is a mistake. But if great power conflict is to be avoided, there are a few things that the U.S., China and South Korea must not do.

Kim Jong-un is too weak to expect a shift in North Korean policy. The only question is whether 2012 will be a year of provocations.

Kim Jong-un has been officially named North Korea’s supreme leader. But what role will his guardians play?

The sudden death of Kim Jong-il came as quite a shock. Will Kim-Jong-un garner the same power his father did? Future events may provide clues to the coming North Korean succession.

Those expecting China to push for big changes under Kim Jong-un are naive. China wants stability first.

The risk of a dangerous misunderstanding following the death of Kim Jong-il is real. The U.S. should propose secret talks with Beijing on how to move forward.

The death of Kim Jong-il has left the Asia-Pacific in a state of flux. Expect things to get complicated next year.

The death of Kim Jong-il has heightened the chances of the North Korean regime collapsing. The U.S. and China must be careful not to get sucked into the chaos.

The death of Kim Jong-il has increased the chances of a violent collapse of North Korea. Nuclear and chemical weapons, mistrust and an uncertain succession are a toxic mix.

Kim Jong-un’s biggest challenge in trying to consolidate power could be managing political-military tensions.

History isn’t encouraging over what to expect from Kim Jong-un. The U.S. and others should tread carefully.

China will be keeping as close an eye as any country on North Korea following Kim Jong-il’s death.