How Kim Jong-un’s Eric Clapton-loving, effeminate, older brother could be the solution to the North Korea nuke crisis
THE Eric Clapton-loving older brother of Kim Jong-un could be the solution to the North Korea missile crisis.
Kim Jong-chul, 35, is the third of Kim Jong-il's five children and was never seen as a likely ruler unlike his politically-savvy younger sibling - Kim Jong-un.
With Jong-un reportedly becoming more unpredictable after North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful test of a hydrogen bomb sparking world-wide condemnation - his replacement is now being debated.
Dr Leonid Petrov, one of the world's leading experts on North Korea, told that older brother Jong-chul is known for having a "soft personality" - which might be seen as a win-win for China who could potentially exercise more influence over North Korea and help ease tensions between the rogue state and the western world.
Jong-chul is also regarded as being much less of a threat than his other brother, Kim Jong-nam - who was reportedly fatally poisoned by two women in Malaysia in 2017.
Hel has also never spoken publicly which, according to Dr Petrov, puts him in a safer position than Jong-nam.
But Dr Petrov added that Jong-chul is "not interested in ruling" and instead attends Eric Clapton concerts.
He said: "He’s [Jong-chul] apolitical and instead prefers pop music and concerts, and travelling overseas accompanied by North Korean minders.”
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Jong-chul was passed over for the leader by his dad Kim Jong-il in 2009 with experts believing that his effeminate nature was the reason why Jong-il never thought he's be up for the top job.
Dr Petrov said there are rumours that Jong-chul has "feminine traits" and took hormones in order to make himself behave "more masculine".
Though he did miss out on the top job - Jong-chul is still hugely powerful and thought to have also played a role in disposing of suspected opponents.
Something of a playboy, he has been reportedly been seen in the West at rock concerts - in 2015 he was spotted at Eric Clapton concerts in the Royal Albert Hall in London.
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