www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=a.AApdaT.5y4

 

Kim Jong-Il May Be Under House Arrest in North Korea, Jiji Says

By Taku Kato

Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is absent from Pyongyang and may be under house arrest or have suffered a decline in his health, Jiji Press reported, citing South Korean officials it didn't identify.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies are trying to confirm reports of his absence, the Japanese news agency said.

The reports say Kim may be at a villa in the east of the country, following what Jiji said was a power struggle among the leadership of the reclusive nation.

An unidentified South Korean intelligence official cited by Jiji casts doubt on the reports, saying the South's government isn't aware of unusual activity.

(Jiji Press, Internet edition, 01/26.)

I assume the lack of follow-up news articles on this means it's just a rumor. Intriguing none-the-less though.

Apparently, NK just agreed to initial steps on disarming itself.

Herc, are these two stories coincidence or connected? I have a theory on this.

My view is that Kim Gone ill was planning a second test, the Chinese got mad and had their army proxies in NK put Kim under arrest, and he gave in to sign this deal. Second theory (unlikely) is US gave a real hard ultimatum to Iran and NK, co-operate or get nuked, yes get nuked-note how concilliatory Ahmednijabad of Iran is.