Kim worries that a trip so far from Pyongyang could expose him to a military coup or other attempts to unseat him back home, according to the Washington Post, which cites people familiar with the deliberations (paywall). He’s also reportedly fretting about safeguarding his security in Singapore and ensuring his plane would be able to get enough fuel for the round-trip flight.
Kim’s paranoia about losing power is believed to have played a role in the assassination of his older half-brother Kim Jong Nam early last year in a Malaysian airport. It was likely behind the execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013, and that of numerous other officials since he took power in 2011.
Having already purged many perceived enemies Kim may now have less reason to fear internal threats to his rule. A number of elite North Koreans also defected in recent years. But it’s hard for outsiders to know.
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