Well it looks like everyone is getting on board now with the understanding that the North Korean government is more than just one person:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (front) visits a unit under the command of the Korean People's Army 4th Corps stationed in the southwestern sector of North Korea, in this undated picture released by the North's KCNA in Pyongyang February 26, 2012. REUTERS/KCNA

 New North Korean leader Kim Jung-unlooks unlikely to depart from the nuclear brinkmanship, threats to his region and repression of his father and grandfather, the top U.S. military commander for the Asia-Pacific region said on Tuesday.

“He’s a Kim, and he’s surrounded by an uncle and Kim Jong-il’s sister and others that I think are guiding his actions,” said AdmiralRobert Willard, head of U.S. Pacific Command.

“So in that sense, we would expect … more of the same. The strategy has been successful through two generations,” he told aU.S. Senate Armed services Committee hearing in Washington.

“It wouldn’t surprise us to see an effort to make the strategy work for a third,” added Willard.

The Hawaii-based admiral described the hereditary Kim strategy as one that “embraces nuclearization, missile development, WMD proliferation, provocations and totalitarian control over North Korean society.”  [Reuters]

After Kim Jong-il’s death some took it to mean that the regime was on the verge of collapse and that it would be more accommodating to demands to denuclearize.  As I said when Kim Jong-il died, the regime in North Korea is more then just one man.  There is an entire regime elite of people that are dependent on keeping the current form of government in place.  I don’t expect much to change in regards to North Korea’s foreign policy.  I think they will continue to play the brinkmanship game in return for international aid and the relevant governments that negotiate with North Korea will just play along because they don’t have any better ideas.