By AP & IL Public Radio
Chicago, IL – The epitome of evil.
That's how a northern Illinois Congressman describes Kim Jong Il. The North Korean dictator died over the weekend.
Republican Don Manzullo chairs the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on East Asia. He says Kim's passing will create more tensions along the peninsula.
Manzullo points to the South Korean military already being placed on a heightened state of alert...over fears of what Kim's successor might do.
Manzullo says the U-S should take a wait and see approach for the time being. Roughly 30-thousand American troops are stationed along the Korean peninsula.
Meanwhile...the Congressman says there should also be room for optimism. Manzullo says he hopes the change in leadership creates a path toward democracy for North Korea.
Illinois U.S. Senator Mark Kirk says if North Korea invites the United States to the funeral, the U.S. should attend.
"We should sent a delegation because we should always try to build a new relationship with the regime even though it looks pretty bleak at this point."
Democratic Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin hopes Kim Jong Un's short time spent outside of North Korea will be beneficial.
"We're hoping that even that brief exposure to Western development, civilization will give him a different view of the world. But at this point, it's not clear that he'll be the undisputed leader and it's not clear as leader that he'll change his father's policies."
Korean-Americans in the Chicago area are having mixed reactions to the death of North Korea's long-time dictator.
News of Kim Jong Il's death after 17 years in power seems to be bringing both worry and hope to Korean-Americans.
Sik Son heads up Chicago's Korean American Resource and Cultural Center.
He says, with Kim Jong Il gone, he hopes politicians can focus on re-uniting North and South Korea.
"Having, um, you know - this kind of situation would be helpful to accelerate the process. But people also, you know, have concern."
But the leader's death could be good news for people who still have family in the North.
Augie Lee works with a local group trying to re-unite Korean-Americans with their North Korean relatives.
"My point of view is, I hopefully - after Kim Jong Il is passed away, that we have it more open for the family united program better than before."
He says that largely depends on what kind of leader Kim Jon Un - the dictator's son -turns out to be.
Kim Jong Il is believed to have died of a heart attack. He was 69.
