Lignet - The Morning Brief
North Korea: Kim Turns to Purges to Solidify His Power
Kim Jong Un’s recent edicts commanding North Koreans to crush disloyal
elements among them suggests that instability remains high in North
Korea and that Kim may have failed to solidify his internal power base
since taking power last year. The edicts are also a sign that North
Korea remains essentially the same state that it was under Kim’s father
and grandfather, despite hopes that Kim’s education in Switzerland would
bring about a new direction in North Korean policy.
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Europe Trails US in Fight Against Foreign Trade Corruption
Europe has a long tradition of ignoring corrupt business practices as
they relate to foreign commerce to a degree that the U.S. justice system
has not tolerated. Despite passage of an anti-bribery law in Britain,
Europe’s business culture is slow to move in this direction, given the
EU’s overriding need to protect the competitive strength of its
companies at a time when it is overwhelmed by a stagnant economy and a
debt crisis.
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Kuwait: Unrest Will Continue After Low Turnout Election
Kuwait’s simmering political tensions are unlikely to be resolved in the
near future after the country’s second parliamentary election this year
and the fifth since mid-2006 saw record low voter turnout due to a
massive opposition boycott. Nevertheless, in the short term the new
pro-government parliament is likely to facilitate the passage of key
reforms to boost the country’s recovering economy and promote stability
in the oil-rich Gulf state.
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Japan: More Gridlock After Ruling Party Loses Next Election
The failure of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to revive the Japanese
economy following the earthquake and tsunami last year will likely lead
to his downfall in national elections on December 16, but gridlock will
continue to paralyze Japanese politics. The LDP, having led Japan for
all but the past three and half years, is likely to regain the top
office but will probably not gain enough seats in the legislature to
successfully push through its agenda of economic reform and a stronger
military.
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