Story Highlights
- First-born, illegitimate son of former leader Kim Jong Il was not considered for leadership
- Educated overseas, he likely had no relationship with his brother, leader Kim Jong Un
(CNN) — In 2001, the North Korean regime, then headed by Kim Jong Il, was dealt an embarrassing if minor setback.
The leader's son, Kim Jong Nam, was caught sneaking into Japan on a fake diplomatic passport -- so that he could visit Tokyo Disneyland.
His choice of destination wasn't the only reason for red faces in Pyongyang.
More pertinently, it was that he had exposed that members of the regime used fake passports to travel overseas, according to Michael Madden, a frequent contributor to North Korean monitoring organization 38 North and visiting scholar at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
It was a rare window into the workings of the North Korean elite, seen through the prism of former leader Kim Jong Il's first-born son, an overweight playboy, but also a smart and open-minded man, according to Yoji Gomi, the author of the 2012 book "My Father, Kim Jong Il, and Me." Gomi interviewed Kim for the book.
Kim Jong Nam (R) with his father, former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (L), according to CNN-affiliate KBS.