The year 2012 was a momentous one for the North Korean leadership, as power was successfully transferred from father to son for a second time in the country’s history. There were a number of major events, including a massive ceremony (and failed rocket launch) in April to mark the hundredth birthday of Kim Il Sung, a Party Conference and Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) meeting in April, the removal of Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho from all his positions in July, a highly unusual second SPA meeting in September, and a successful rocket launch in December, as well as major personnel