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FOX News Contributor KT McFarland on the issues facing the country under new leadership and whether the security concerns will grow around the world.
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Thank you very much Jeff for that now the top story the days we've been talking about has to -- the death of Kim Jong-Il and North Korea.
This puts it already tense situation in the Korean Peninsula but even more on edge and this morning we're joy and by national security expert and Fox News contributor KT McFarland -- Luckily enough for us right here in studio -- did CK -- always.
-- you spent a lot of time in this region in South Korea and over the years have worked on a number foreign policy issues so.
Your expertise is appreciated what do you make of it.
They're free thanks to worry about okay the new leader the heir apparent you know there's a third generation of cams to take this job as young he's inexperienced -- -- -- -- her -- He -- to be quite ruthless.
But the question is -- consolidate his power he hasn't had a long period of time to train -- got -- in your account.
So what's he gonna do who has his big group he's got to impress the military -- -- this twenties right as I twice and a and he's been made a general haulers had no military experience he's got to keep that military which is controls North Korea you know there's no independent business community.
There's now -- independent judiciary there's no other political parity it's the military they -- everything.
And so he's got to keep them happy might he be tempted.
To do something aggressive to win their support to show that he's got the chops to do it the second thing is South Korea are they going to react to anything a year ago.
When I'm Kim Jong-un was named the heir apparent right -- -- -- censorship.
And South Korean ship and -- bomb.
And South Korean island the South Koreans did not respond -- a cousin South Korea came under enormous criticism.
So is unlikely if there's another incident that he's gonna sit idly by now have to respond.
And the third thing to worry about -- we have a rare treat with South Korea a mutual defense treaty.
So any military provocation against them -- -- as a military provocation against us.
And we have 28000 troops right on that sap are Korean border so might worry about this is that that new young untested -- is gonna try to show -- -- -- -- -- -- And then things every one -- calculate its the most isolated yes country in the world nobody has -- that we as FaceBook let somebody has TV or radio.
We don't know and that's the thing that struck me about all this is we just know.
We hardly know anything about what -- goes on in North Korea or -- these guys are we get analysis from people like you about.
-- -- the sun is we're guessing even on how old the is exactly we didn't even know how old Kim Jong-Il was really when he -- people say 69 fine.
But we don't know a lot about what goes on there so how do we handle it we being.
The White House today what what's.
As much as we don't know about them they know less about which is also scare which is also scary because countries -- -- -- goes to war because I think you're gonna lose.
They they start military action because they miscalculate unresponsive the other side what do we do.
We got a lot of the leverage in the situation in the south and north Koreans it's a poor country they have nothing they don't make anything the world wants except.
Nuclear materials.
And missiles -- they sell those sure but the country that has the most influence of North Korea's China.
They give North Korea something -- -- by the 80% of their food.
They're fuel they're transportation so we work through the Chinese on the weekly and a South Koreans with the -- all the big nightmare scenario here.
Is not that there's a strong North Korea that there's a weak North Korea because a weak North Korea.
Does some things and it and has floods of refugees either into China or in the South Korea.
Now the other side of it and I'm sure people talked about this in 1994 when Kim Jong-Il took over for his father yes it is you do is there any possibility.
That there -- positives to come out of this that we don't know about.
-- here cap may be down the road that in my long experience working for Henry Kissinger probably the world's greatest negotiator.
His generation.
Weak countries don't negotiate weak leaders who are trying to consolidate their position they're not and a in a place domestically politically where they can take risks and chances my guess is -- -- in exactly the other direction.
That they become much more militant.
So they're gonna look to make a statement in your view I think that they -- that Kim -- -- you know how the twilight guys as late twenties so I don't express got -- military guys.
That he will look to show how strong hands and he's got to impress he's got an aunt.
And an uncle he's got to -- he's got about three generals it.
-- leadership committee of North Korea that he's got to impress things also got two Brothers.
He's the youngest of three or two older Brothers and may think seen -- -- me.
So it's a fluid situation we for example his father the 1 they're all morning in the streets for his passing it took him three years to consolidate its position.
And that's three tenths years -- -- much older and much more what he and strain yeah been groomed to take over and is still took in three years.
After his father -- sung died.
So Kim -- now he's only been working at this for about a year.
How Long Will it take him to consolidate what is -- afternoon to do.
It's kind of scary it is scary KT good to see you though you're great analysis is always this morning bank vulnerable have you back and banks.
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