Iran has a trustworthy ally in North Korea

Does the embarrassingly tearful announcement about the death of North Korea's "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il make the world a safer place? Will his death increase the chances of a future reunification of North and South Korea? Has the nuclear threat of Northeast Asia been eliminated now that the totalitarian leader is in a better place? (Better, at least, than the place he provided for his people).

It is hard to say, since we are talking about a Stalinist country, but no real change can be expected. North Korea's leadership is not one man, it is a dynasty. Its policies are not individual but part of a legacy. In 1994, with the death of their "Great Leader" Kim Il Sung (the first link in the world's only Communist dynasty), there was hope that North Korea would soften and warm up to the West. But reality proved just the opposite: the son, Kim Jong Il, realized his father's vision and turned the country into a nuclear superpower.

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Following two nuclear tests, one in 2006 and one in 2009, Kim Jong Un, or the "Great Successor," has inherited a North Korea to be reckoned with. It is no wonder that South Korea and Japan are concerned. The first order of business in North Korea following the death of their leader was a missile test. Who was behind the test? The young successor Kim Jong Un or his dead father? In North Korea's case, everyone is behind it, including the grandfather. Like I said: It's a family business.

North Korea was and remains an enigma. Even after showing some degree of openness – it opened its doors to Western reporters and hosted Western leaders and even signed agreements – the black box that is North Korea has not yet been deciphered. Like his father, Kim Jong Il did his utmost to preserve this shroud of mystery. His son will likely keep it going as well. Iran will have a trustworthy ally.

However, it is safe to assume that the "little prince" will not have an easy go of it. He is not the eldest sibling; in fact he is the youngest, and was never seen as the natural heir until his ailing father presented him as such in 2009. Until then, the CIA was satisfied with one photo of him – in shorts from his days in a Swiss boarding school. North Korea's ruling old guard were not happy with the way he was appointed nor were they thrilled with the four-star general rank he was awarded. The 2010 sinking of a South Korean naval ship and the subsequent shelling of South Korea (which killed 50) were commanded by the young son – his general's stars had to be justified somehow. Until further notice, the new leader will not rule alone. His sister and her husband will assist him in the job, even if they do not want to.

The West will not see any big changes in North Korea. Not in its foreign policy, because Pyongyang does not want to change it, and not in its domestic policy, because Pyongyang cannot change it. North Korea will continue to be a nuclear superpower and South Korea will continue to be an economic superpower. Neither side of the 38th parallel has changed since the end of the Second World War, and nothing new is expected.

This has not been a good year for tyrants. This has been the year of the protesters. Could North Koreans also be coaxed to flood the streets? In 2009, a monetary reform was instituted, and it was unkind to the North Koreans. The reform spawned a small protest movement that eventually failed. It was small and unorganized and there were no cameras to document it. The country's 600,000 mobile phones did not televise a revolution.

A huge funeral is scheduled for Dec. 28. U.S. delegations are not welcome. Only one world leader is expected to attend. I will give you one guess (he is from China).

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