North Korea has called the first meeting of its political bureau in 44 years—a sign that Kim Jong-il is preparing to hand over power to his youngest son. The meeting, which is scheduled for September, is only the third in North Korean history, with the first two coming in 1958 and 1966. “There will likely be a big reshuffle within the party to lay the groundwork for the power transfer,” says one Pyongyang expert. Kim’s 27-year-old son, Kim Jong-un, is expected to succeed him.
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