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North Korea is preparing to launch a satellite to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the country's founder. But the international community has condemned the move as an attempt to test the country's long-range missile capability.
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North Korea readies its first satellite launch as South Korean officials say there's evidence it is also preparing for its third nuclear test since 2009.
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In February, North Korea agreed to freeze uranium enrichment and missile tests and allow international nuclear inspectors — and then immediately announced a rocket launch. North Korea watchers are puzzled by the mixed messages and wonder who is calling the shots in a country with a new, untested leader.
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Hilary Clinton called what appeared to be a diplomatic breakthrough a "step in the right direction." The agreement comes months after the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
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North Korean state media are praising Kim Jong Il's chosen heir and bestowing him with titles — signs that party leaders in the communist state are standing behind the plan for him to succeed his father.
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Reliable details about North Korea's nuclear weapons are hard to come by, but the country is believed to have between four and 10 nuclear bombs. The country's political transition adds to the uncertainty surrounding the nuclear program.
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Kim Jong Un appears likely to inherit power from his father. But it's not clear whether he will be able to maintain tight control over most aspects of North Korean life, as his father and grandfather did.
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Kim Jong Il's son, the heir apparent, has little experience or preparation to lead. Analysts say that means he won't be in a position to get back to nuclear disarmament talks and make concessions. He also may be tempted to take provocative actions to establish his leadership credentials.
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The "Great Successor" who is in line to succeed his father as leader of North Korea is thought to be in his late 20s and to have gone to school in Switzerland. He may speak English. But as with many things in North Korea, much is a mystery.
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Derogatory content was posted on a website and Twitter account believed to be North Korea's state-sanctioned channels of communication on the birthday of North Korea's heir apparent.