SEOUL – South Korean media reported that Kim Ok, the last wife of Kim Jong Il, was removed from all official positions on Wednesday. If the same reports are to be believed, her father Kim Hyo, a senior official in the Workers Party’s Finance and Accounting Department, also lost his job.

These reports have been widely relayed by many media outlets across the globe, but what does all this mean for those who strive for better understanding of North Korean politics? Frankly, not much.

To start with, we cannot be absolutely sure whether the reports are correct. Unlike his son,