The speed and strength of Kim Jong Un in establishing his standing as a man of supreme power will depend on how much the North Korean power elite will support him in unity. Kim Jong Un will not be able to solidify his power foundation without gaining enthusiastic help from, or control of the power elite. In other words, unity and movement of the power elite are the key variables in establishing and stabilizing the Kim Jong Un regime.

With regards to this point, this study analyzes the characteristics, structure, and network of the power elite under the Kim Jong Un regime, and particularly focuses on examining the possibility of whether factions can be formed