photograph from Reuters.  News reports from South Korea say that Kim Jong Il, the despotic leader of North Korea, is suffering from pancreatic cancer and was diagnosed last summer.  Rumors of health problems have been swirling around him for months.

For background, you may find it interesting to read my astrological profile of Kim Jong Il from back in 2006, and here is the noon chart (no birthtime is available).  

Kim’s chart shows that he has a deeply revolutionary nature, with the Sun in the sign of Aquarius, sign of the rebel and the eccentric, in a challenging square to Uranus, the planetary ruler of Aquarius.  We call this a “double whammy” which connects Kim’s Sun, or his Essential Self, to the principle of radical change and innovation.  

Mars in his chart is in the expansive sign of Sagittarius, a symbol of a love of freedom and adventure and a dislike of being tied down.  However, his Mars is in a challenging square to Neptune which clouds and confuses (Neptune) his desires (Mars) and erodes his confidence and inspiration.  

It is these two astrological combinations that are being stressed right now by current planetary transits.  The triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune has been sitting right on his Sun for the past six months and making a square aspect to Uranus in his chart, activating his rebellious tendencies and creating significant disturbances in his energy system.  The presence of Neptune here exacerbates the tendency towards delusion and confusion.  It is no wonder he has ramped up the violence of his rhetoric over the past year under these influences.

The square of Neptune to Mars can cause depletion in the body’s vitality, and last year transiting Pluto was passing over Mars in Kim’s chart for a final time after a 2-year cycle which would have exacerbated his inner frustration and blocked him from finding an outlet for his distress while intensifying his desire to do so.

Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune have all retrograded away from Kim’s Sun and back towards Uranus in his chart.  As all three planets continue to irritate that rebellious Uranus, he is likely to become more and more restless.  We may see him continue to escalate his threats against the US, and even to spread his venom farther afield and include other nations that were previously his allies such as Russia and China.  

Beginning in October transiting Saturn (delays, disappointments and blocks) will form a square to Mars in his chart and set off the Mars/Neptune combination therein.  This will likely be the time that the international community steps forward to impose further restrictions on North Korea.