The world did some serious eye rolling on Wednesday after North Korea’s state-run news agency announced that Kim Jong-un had been “reelected” by the nation’s parliament to continue on as the leader.

The parliamentary session followed an election last month for which officials said 100 percent of North Koreans in Kim’s district went to the polls, and not a single one cast a dissenting ballot. That’s right—unanimous approval.

But don’t forget that the voters had no choice in who they voted for. Only one candidate’s name appeared on the ballot for each district, so the only choice the voters have is yes or no. Casting a “no” vote is tantamount to saying, please toss me and my family members into a prison that makes the Russian Gulag seem like a five-star hotel. So the election was not much of a nail-biter.

After the death of Kim Jong-il in 2011, Kim Jong-un took up the reins, and many analysts thought the transition would trigger a reversal in the country’s lunatic behavior. After all, the young Kim Jong-un had received a Western education, and was an outspoken fan of James Bond films and Michael Jordan. Optimistic Westerners said that what little information was available about Kim suggested that he might abandon the internal oppression and external belligerency that had marked the reigns of his father and grandfather.

But it is now clear that, under Kim Jong-un’s rule, nuclear North Korea is more aggressive, more unpredictable and more dangerous than ever.

The world rolls its eyes when these reports emerge, but no power is willing to bring an end to the suffering the Kim dynasty inflicts on its people. The reason for this lies just west of North Korea and has a red flag adorned with yellow stars. To understand more, read “Why China Refuses to Deal With North Korea.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91SVRpAVA6A&feature=youtu.be

Kim Jong-un attending parliament as the reelected First Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Pyongyang, April 9, 2014.