Although it has been coming for months, if not years, the death of Kim Jong Il took the world by surprise yesterday.

He died aged 69, and his 20-something-year-old son is apparently ready to take up the reins of leadership of this woefully poor, hungry and isolated Asian nation. South Korea is on the alert for instability and has already been in touch with the West, in particular the United States, in case any flashpoints break out. One must not forget that the two Koreas are still at war, having signed a truce after the war in July 1953.

Kim Jong Il died on Saturday, after having suffered a stroke in 2008. He led the Communist nation since 1994, taking over from his father Kim il-Sung. But as other leaders around the world saw their power being eroded slowly but surely, the much reviled and lampooned leader seemed to retain the affection of his people despite widespread human rights abuses.

But Kim Jong Il used one weapon that other dictators did not, and that was isolation. Every country in the world is now, at least in part, hooked up to the worldwide web and if people know where to look, they can find the information they need, to see what the world is really like beyond their shores. The North Koreans cannot.

But as only the country’s second leader and the son of its founder, Kim Jong Il was more than just a national figurehead. State propaganda elevated him to a demi-god, credited with superhuman powers of wisdom, leadership and military prowess.

Kim Jong Un, who is thought to be in his late 20s, was named as his father’s successor just over a year ago, but whether or not he will continue down the same route of exploitation of famine and isolation, is still to be seen.

Not much at all is known about Kim Jong Un, and the world will be waiting to see what he does next. Will he continue to defy the West with North Korea’s nuclear programme?

China – North Korea’s closest ally and biggest trading partner – said it was “distressed” to hear the news of his death. But the West is much more wary about the possible fallout. And it is not alone, Japan is also monitoring the situation and has convened a special security meeting.

If North Korea becomes unstable, it would be bad news for everyone. There is an army of over a million, masses of weaponry and the farming industry is so backward that it cannot even cope in an ‘organised’ fashion, let alone in times of strife. As with everything in this turbulent world of today, we shall have to wait and see how it unfolds.