Not Sure How to React to This

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has pancreatic cancer. The blurb really doesn't say much more than that, and it gives no source or documentation.

Now cancer of any kind is not something I'd wish on anybody... even Karl Rove or Darth Cheney. And Pancreatic Cancer, from what I've heard about it, is particularly nasty. And would Kim's successor (his third son was officially annointed with that position a few weeks ago) be any more sane, or easier to deal with? Based on the article at the last link, I'm not particularly optimistic; if anything, he looks like the kind to take his father's shenanigans to a whole new level, just to establish his bona fides.

So, even if the report is true, this might very well not be a good thing for the relations of the PRNK with the rest of the world.

Followup, a few minutes later: Here's a somewhat more informative report- though still no real idea why this conclusion has been announced- it just notes the same unsourced announcement from a South Korean broadcaster. However, if you read the article about appointing his son as successor, some sort of terminal condition would help fit the pieces together.

Followup, 7:45- Reuters has a more complete report, and it really doesn't look like losing this guy is going to help create any stability at all. I know what I think now: this is not good.