Kim Chen In. Kim Jong Il is the son of the Red Army commander who became the leader of North Korea Kim Jong Il and Eun

Kim Jong Il is the long-time head of North Korea, who was officially called the Great Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He was also considered the Supreme Commander of the Korean Army and the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. The biography of Kim Jong Il from his first days is very ambiguous. According to North Korea, he was born on February 16, 1942 at the foot of the highest mountain, Paektusan, which is located in the province of Gangkyo-nando. And supposedly at the moment of his birth, the sky lit up with a bright star and a double rainbow, which symbolized the birth of the future leader of the Korean people.

With father Kim Il Sung and mother Kim Jong Suk | Cyfroteka

But Soviet sources claimed that the biography of Kim Jong Il begins exactly a year earlier, and in the Khabarovsk Territory. Moreover, according to Soviet encyclopedias, he not only spent his childhood in the USSR, but was also initially recorded in documents as Yuri Irsenovich Kim. But what all historians really agree on is the legendary personality of Kim Jong Il’s father. He was born into the family of the founder and first leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (which is more often called North Korea) Kim Il Sung and his wife Kim Jong Suk.

Kim Jong Il had a sister, Kim Gyong Hui, who later became the country's only female general, and a half-brother, Kim Pyong Il. It is believed that Kim Jong Il lived in the Soviet Union until the end of World War II, then spent a short time in Pyongyang. But when the Korean War began, the boy was taken to China. The future ruler of the DPRK received his higher education at Pyongyang University named after his father and became a certified specialist in the field of political economy.

Politician

From the very beginning, Kim Jong Il's work activity was connected with government work. He began working as an instructor in the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, then went through all the steps of the party ladder. Kim Jong Il's career growth ends with his election not just as a member of the Politburo, but as the unofficial successor of party chairman Kim Il Sung. Since then, the active politician has been called nothing less than “The Center of the Party” and his superhuman wisdom has been praised.

In the 80s, virtually all issues related to the internal politics of North Korea were resolved by Kim Jong Il himself, and his father, the ruler, dealt only with international relations. Later, Kim Il Sung relieved himself of the powers of the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and transferred them to his son. A year later, the 50-year-old military leader received the rank of generalissimo, and just a week later he had already risen to the rank of Marshal of the DPRK.

Leader of North Korea

In 1994, Great Leader Kim Il Sung died of a heart attack. A plenary meeting was held at which the Central Committee discussed possible candidates for a new ruler, but in fact it was a fiction, since long before Kim Il Sung’s death it was clear who would become his successor. Kim Jong Il received all the rights of the supreme ruler, except for the title of father. Instead of "Great Leader" they began to call him "Great Leader". True, he was able to officially take office only after three mourning years, in 1997.

Over the 15 years of leading the country, Kim Jong Il was repeatedly accused by the international community of human rights violations. The European, Japanese and American press mentioned such unacceptable measures as public executions, forced abortions, the creation of labor concentration camps, and the kidnapping of foreign citizens. But since the DPRK was and remains a completely closed country, and the North Korean press and television are under complete government supervision, it is impossible to either confirm or refute such accusations. Also in the country, as under his predecessor Kim Il Sung and successor Kim Jong Il, there was propaganda of the personality of the ruler. Kim Jong Il created a cult of personality around himself, probably even exceeding in level the similar cult around him.

Portraits of the Great Leader adorned every public institution, any criticism was punishable by imprisonment, his name was printed in bold in newspapers, his birthday became one of two public holidays, and the biography of Kim Jong Il became a compulsory school subject. Moreover, North Koreans generally believe that Kim Jong Il is a brilliant composer who wrote six wonderful operas in two years, as well as a scientist who created works on philosophy, culture, literature, history and politics. The book “On the Art of Cinema” by Kim Jong Il in the DPRK is recognized as a classic textbook for actors.

But that's not all. North Koreans are confident that the Great Leader is an unsurpassed architect who invented the concept of a skyscraper and created the plan for the “Juche Tower” in Pyongyang; an amazing chef who prepared the world's first hamburger; world record holder in golf; the most prominent expert in the field of Internet and mobile communications. However, since the head of North Korea for a very long time was the only person in the country who had the right to use a mobile phone and the worldwide network, the last statement was actually true.

Personal life

If his father Kim Il Sung had two wives, then Kim Jong Il married four times. According to data that is generally considered reliable, the Great Leader left three sons and a daughter, but according to unofficial information, the North Korean leader became a father 17 times, with nine of his children born out of wedlock. As in the case of human rights violations in the DPRK, this information cannot be verified. Therefore, it makes sense to talk only about the personal life of Kim Jong Il, which the head of North Korea himself presented as official.

Kim Jong Il's first wife, Song Hye Rim, was a famous film actress in the country. In 1971, she gave birth to her wife's son, Kim Jong Nam. Like most of his relatives, the boy studied in Switzerland. Although Kim Jong Nam is the eldest son and heir, he was never considered his father's successor as head of state. The fact is that the guy, even in his youth, managed to get into international scandals related to visa-free border crossings several times. Now the first-born Kim Jong Il lives in the Chinese region of Macau and runs his own business.

The ruler's second wife was Kim Yong Suk, the daughter of a high-ranking military man, whom Kim Il Sung personally chose for his son. According to some sources, she was the only official wife of the ruler, and the rest were only common-law spouses. Perhaps this explains the fact that she is often called the first wife of Kim Jong Il, although from a chronological point of view this is impossible. The husband openly showed that he had no feelings for the woman. However, Kim Yong Suk gave birth to a daughter, Kim Sol Song, who would later become her father's personal secretary and head the propaganda and party literature department.

Like Song Hye Rim, the third woman in the Great Leader's life was an actress. Her name was Ko Young Hee, and she not only acted in films, but also sang and danced on stage. Since she became the mother of two sons, Kim Jong Chol and Kim Jong Un, the youngest of whom would later become his father’s successor, Ko Yong Hee also became a cult figure in North Korea. But the cult of her personality could not carry much weight due to the woman’s origins - Ko Yong Hee’s grandfather once collaborated with the Japanese army. Therefore, in the press, her name was hidden behind the title, calling her “The Great Mother.”

The fourth wife of Kim Jong Il, who was more than 20 years younger than him, was the politician Kim Ok. There is a high probability that even before her marriage in 2007 she gave birth to a son from the Great Leader, but the government does not recognize this fact. After the death of his father, Kim Jong-un removed his stepmother and all her relatives from their positions. Now the last wife of Kim Jong Il, according to some sources, is undergoing treatment for joints, and according to others, she is under house arrest.

Death

As in the case of the biography of Kim Jong Il, his death also has two possible versions. It is known that the Great Leader has been very ill in recent years. He was diagnosed with diabetes, as well as a number of cardiovascular diseases. Also, according to unconfirmed reports, Kim Jong Il may have had a tumor, which the North Korean press called “a suddenly frolicking disease of unknown origin.” In any case, the head of the DPRK cared little about his health. Until his last days, he smoked a lot, and only the strongest cigars and cigarettes, and also regularly drank cognac.

Ultimately, illness took its toll and Kim Jong Il died on the morning of December 17, 2011, and the people were informed of his death only two days later. Differences in versions of death concern the place of his death. According to official data, Kim Jong Il, despite his serious condition, continued to work and made an inspection trip around the country on a personal armored train, in which he met the last day of his life. But other informants claim that he had not recently left his home in Pyongyang and died there. The official cause of Kim Jong Il's death is considered to be a heart attack - the same diagnosis as his father.

The embalmed body of the long-time ruler of North Korea was displayed in an open coffin under a glass cover, and a few days later it was placed in the Kumsusan memorial mausoleum. Funeral events were held throughout the country, in which everyone could take part. Those residents of the country who did not express such a desire, according to information from official sources, were brought to trial and received up to six months in labor camps.

Childhood and family

The son of Kim Jong Il, according to unofficial data, was born from a dancer of Japanese-Korean origin Ko Yong Hee. For a long time, the name of the third chosen one of the Great Kim was classified due to the insufficient purity of blood and low origin for her position. In the press, the woman was called the Great Mother, the Pious Wife and other indirect and very poetic titles, but after her death in 2004, the information became public. The cause of the death of a fairly young woman remains unknown; all that can be said for sure is that Kim Jong Il’s ex-girlfriend and mother of his three children died in 2004 or 2005 in Paris, where she lived after the end of her relationship with the Korean dictator.

The young man received his education in Switzerland. Together with servants and bodyguards, he lived not far from an elite school under a different name, and teachers came to his house. Returning to his homeland in 2002, the future politician graduated in absentia from the university named after his grandfather, “the great leader of the Juche ideas,” and received a degree in physics. From 2002 to 2005, Chen Eun also studied at the Military Academy, also named after his grandfather, where the young man was awarded his first military rank.

At the beginning of 2010, the young man was awarded the rank of General, and in September of the same year, a photograph of Jong-un first graced the front page of the country's main newspaper, Nodong Sinmun: the politician stood next to his parent at the Labor Party congress.

For a year, the young general and Brilliant Comrade Kim accompanied his father to all public events, speeches, military parades and exercises, and on official visits.

On December 17, 2011, the country's leader died of a heart attack. It is known that the Great Leader suffered from a number of vascular and immune diseases and complications associated with them, as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but he smoked a lot, preferring strong cigarettes and cigars, loved to drink a glass or two of cognac, did not take care of himself at all and did not follow doctors' orders.

The life of Kim Jong-un and his wife

Press reports about the death of the Great Leader appeared only two days later, and at the same time the name of the new leader, the successor to the revolutionary popular ideas of Juche, was announced. At the end of December, the country's central agency published a photograph of Jong-un, with great pride calling him a Great Person, born for the common good in heaven, which became the third time in history that this highest title was awarded; For the first time, the Great Leader Kim (Il Sung) was so named; after his death, the title and control of the country were inherited by the Supreme Leader Kim (Chen Ying).

The history of the origin of the titles of the first person of the state begins during the reign of Kim the Grandfather, the Great Leader. Praising the virtues of a national leader through titles reached its peak in the 1980s, when titles began to be highlighted in bold type in publications.

After officially taking office as leader of the country on December 29, 2011, Kim received a title that reflects all the positions he held, but in the press he is most often called Senior Comrade, as well as Beloved and Respected Comrade Kim.

As a senior leader

The foreign policy pursued by the young leader does not contradict the line initiated by the founder of the dynasty, but, according to political scientists and historians, it is more rigid and uncompromising. After the launch of the Gwangmyongsong satellite, the leader of the state made a speech, replicated by Western media, in which he declared the right to explore outer space in the interests of the development of North Korean science and economy.

At the end of 2015, it became known that North Korea had a hydrogen bomb; the information was later officially confirmed. In 2016 and 2017, the Koreans conducted three more tests of ballistic missiles, after which the Great Leader issued a statement that the tests showed successful results and Korean scientists had achieved the required level of the latest weapons, which has no equal in any other country in the world. At the end of 2017, the nuclear test site was closed, but official sources report that measures to keep nuclear weapons operational will continue to be carried out in the future.

In the internal policy of the state, changes affected mainly socio-economic development, namely construction, information technology and agriculture. The amount of foreign investment attracted to the DPRK has increased significantly since 2012, which has accelerated the growth of the number of enterprises in various segments of small and medium-sized private businesses and has a positive impact on the standard of living of citizens.

Some reforms concerning the personal and cultural life of citizens led to an increase in the popularity of the Korean leader, especially among women. Until 2013, ladies did not have the right to appear in public places in jeans and trousers; By special decree, Comrade Kim lifted the ban on wearing trousers, as well as colored tights and shoes with heels. Also, the female population of the DPRK was allowed to ride bicycles.

Personal life of Kim Jong-un

One of the South Korean newspapers wrote that in 2010, Comrade Kim saw a girl on TV, then she was a singer and performed with the Eunhasu orchestra. The media first mentioned the wedding of Comrade Kim and Lee Sol-jun in 2012, but exactly when the celebration took place is unknown.

The first child in the family of the heir to the Juche ideas appeared in 2010 or 2011, the second in 2012 or 2013. According to Western media, in February 2017, the North Korean leader became a father for the third time.

The health of Comrade Kim is almost the main topic in the media, talking in different tones about the illnesses of the Korean leader. It is known that Jong-un inherited diabetes and joint problems from his father, which is why he is forced to constantly wear orthopedic shoes and adhere to a diet. However, Jong-un also inherited his stubborn character from his parent; although he wears orthopedic shoes, he smokes and can afford a glass of cognac and does not want to normalize his weight, which in 2018 was more than 120 kilograms with a height of 162 cm (“official “The height of the head of the DPRK is 175 cm, but in May 2018, journalists found out that he wears shoes with special insoles that increase his height by 13 cm).

Comrade Kim is interested in pop culture, loves music and enjoys following events in the world of sports.

Kim Jong-un now

In the spring of 2018, Kim made a speech at the next congress of the Labor Party, in which he announced his intention to make a breakthrough in the economy, to carry out a set of “highly technical measures for Jucheization, modernization and increasing knowledge intensity,” which, in his opinion, will lead to an even greater increase in the well-being of citizens .

In June 2018, a historic meeting between Comrade Kim and the President of the United States took place, during which preliminary agreements were reached on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but the second meeting of the heads of state in February 2019 was unsuccessful and no documents were signed.

Kim Jong Il (Kor. 김정일; according to Kontsevich, Kim Jongyil, Yuri Irsenovich Kim; February 16, 1941 or 1942 - December 17, 2011) - head of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (fourth army size in the world), Chairman of the State Defense Committee of the DPRK, son of the “Great Leader” Kim Il Sung. Unlike his father, he had the title “Great Leader” (위대한 령도자), previously, before his father’s death, he had the title “Beloved Leader” (친애하는 지도자). He is often also called "Commander" (장군).

Childhood

Kim Jong Il was born on February 16, 1941 (according to the official biography - February 16, 1942) in the family of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Suk. The official biography states that Kim Jong Il was born in the Paektusan secret guerrilla camp in a log hut on the highest and most revered mountain in North Korea - Paektusan (Samjiyon County), and at that moment a double rainbow and a bright star appeared in the sky. According to Soviet and Chinese documents, he was born on February 16, 1941 in the USSR in the village of Vyatskoye, in the Khabarovsk Territory, and was named Yuri Irsenovich Kim at birth. He spent his childhood in the village of Vyatskoye, where the 88th separate rifle brigade of the PKKA was located, one of the battalions of which was commanded by his father - at that time a captain of the Red Army, and later the president of the DPRK.

At the end of World War II, in November 1945, Kim Jong Il was transported to Pyongyang, where his father had already returned a month earlier. During the Korean War (1950-1953), he was again taken out of the country, this time to China. It is believed that he received most of his education there, although the official biography states that he completed his schooling in the 1950s and 1960s at a school for children of party workers in Pyongyang, and then, in 1964, graduated from Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, with a major in political economy.

Carier start

In 1961 he joined the Workers' Party of Korea. According to North Korean sources, Kim Jong Il began working in the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on June 19, 1964 (but there is no final confirmation of this) under the leadership of his uncle, holding the positions of instructor, deputy head, and then head of the department of the Central Committee. In September 1973, he was elected Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and in April (according to other sources, in February) 1974 - a member of the Political Committee (Politburo) of the WPK Central Committee and successor to Party Chairman Kim Il Sung. In the 1970s, the Korean press began to call him "Party Center" (당중앙; previously this was not the title of one person, but another name for the Central Committee).

In October 1980, at the VI Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong Il was elected a member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the Central Committee, Secretary of the Central Committee, and a member of the Central Military Committee of the party. Propaganda began to praise his superhuman wisdom with the same force with which it only praised the deeds of his father. Since February 1982, he has been a deputy of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. According to some reports, Kim Jong Il led the work of the intelligence services. He was accused of masterminding the 1983 terrorist attack in Burma (now Myanmar), which killed 17 South Korean officials, and the 1987 bombing of a South Korean airliner, which killed 115 people. There is no evidence of Kim Jong Il's guilt, but international analysts believe that Kim Il Sung continued to control foreign policy throughout the 1980s, giving his son more control over domestic affairs.

On December 24, 1991, at a plenary meeting of the WPK, Kim Il Sung announced the transfer of his powers as the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army to Kim Jong Il. Almost a year later, on April 13, 1992, Kim Il Sung was awarded the title of Generalissimo, and a week later Kim Jong Il received the title of Marshal of the DPRK. In April of the following year, Kim Jong Il became Chairman of the DPRK Defense Committee.

Head of State

Kim Il Sung died of a heart attack on July 8, 1994. The “Eternal President” was buried in a mausoleum specially created for him, and three years of mourning began in the country. The death of his father was a strong blow for Kim Jong Il. A former cook for the North Korean leader said:

"While my father was alive, Kim Jong Il responded to his slightest call. As soon as a call from his father sounded, he immediately went to his office. I think Kim Il Sung's influence on him was so great that it may have been too heavy a burden. He told me and some of his other employees that for almost a whole month after his father's death he sat alone with a loaded pistol."

On July 12, 1994, at a closed plenum of the Central Committee of the WPK, a decision was made to transfer all power in the country to Kim Jong Il. On October 6, Kim Jong Il was officially given the title "Great Leader" for the first time, while his father was called "Great Leader." Since the death of his father, Kim Jong Il has actually led the country and the WPK, oversees the economy, culture and national defense, manages the implementation of the country's nuclear program, and determines policy towards South Korea. On October 8, 1997, a Special Message from the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Central Military Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was published, in which the people were informed of the election of the "great leader" Comrade Kim Jong Il to the post of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. A year later, on September 5, 1998, Kim Jong Il was elected to the post of Chairman of the Defense Committee of the DPRK, whose post provides leadership and command of the political, military and economic forces of the country as a whole.

Human rights

North Korea during the reign of Kim Jong Il was periodically accused of human rights violations such as public executions, slavery, forced abortions, kidnappings of Japanese and South Korean citizens, and the creation of concentration camps. The media was under complete control of the government, propaganda worked around the clock on television and radio; listening to foreign broadcasts was strictly prohibited.

Cult of personality

Under Kim Jong Il, North Korea continues the policy of praising and deifying his personality, which was also characteristic of the reign of his father. According to observers, a cult has been established in the DPRK, similar to the personality cult of Stalin in the USSR.

Portraits of Kim Jong Il adorn all public institutions, and any criticism of the leader is punishable by imprisonment in a concentration camp.

Since the 1980s The biography of Kim Jong Il, like the biography of his father, became an official subject for study in schools. All books or articles begin with quotes from his works, and the name of the leader in North Korean printed publications is typed in a special bold font.

North Korean television every day demonstrates the people's love for their leader; propaganda talks about Kim Jong Il's superpowers to manipulate time and space. Poems are composed in his honor, fireworks go off, the country's artists address their performances to him, and the leader's birthday is the second public holiday in North Korea.

It is believed in the country that Kim Jong Il is a wonderful composer, and six operas, the authorship of which is attributed to him, were written in two years. His works “On the Juche Ideas”, “On Some Issues that Arise in the Study of Juche Philosophy”, “On the Art of Cinematography”, “On Literature Based on the Juche Principle” are considered classics. The country believes that he is the great architect who created the plan for the Juche Tower in Pyongyang.

Personal life

Kim Jong Il was married three times and had three sons (Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Chol and Kim Jong Un).

Lifestyle

When Kim Jong Il gets up in the morning, he usually trains his memory. He himself said about this: “Memory becomes better if you use your head more often. I get up early in the morning and train my memory.” When asked by ITAR-TASS how he spends his free time, Kim Jong Il said:

“I love to go into the midst of people, spend time with them. I am interested in how the inhabitants of our country live and work, I take care of them, I have intimate conversations with them, I share grief and joy with them - this is the most fruitful and gratifying thing for me. And "I also love reading and music. Books and music are “food” for our business, this is our life."

Some of Kim's titles

당중앙 Party Center
친애하는 지도자 Favorite Leader
존경하는 지도자 Dear Leader
현명한 지도자 Wise Leader
Leader
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
조국통일의 구성 The Pledge of the Unity of the Motherland
민족의 운명 The fate of the nation
백두광명성 Bright Star of Baekdusan
Father of the People
령도자가 갖추어야 할 풍모를 완벽하게 지닌 친애하는 지도자 Beloved Leader who fully embodies the beautiful appearance that a leader should have
Sun of the Nation
Commander
Iron all-conquering Commander
사회주의 태양 The Sun of Socialism
21세기의 향도성 Guiding star of the 21st century
21세기의 세계 수령 World Leader of the 21st century
주체의 차란한 태양 Bright Juche Sun
21세기의 차란한 태양 Bright sun of the 21st century
Great Leader

Death

Kim Jong Il died on December 17, 2011 on his train. Death occurred despite all the necessary measures taken by doctors. Kim Jong Il was treated for a long time for heart and cardiovascular diseases. According to the media of the DPRK itself, he died from “physical and mental exhaustion, working for the benefit of the people,” but the official cause of death was a heart attack. Kim Jong-un, the third son of Kim Jong-il, was appointed as the successor to the head of the DPRK.

Awards

Hero of the DPRK (1975, 1982 and 1992)
Order of the State Banner, 1st class
Order of Kim Il Sung (1978, 1982 and 1992)
Medal "Gold Star"
Medal "50 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" (May 5, 1995)
Medal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation “90 years of the Great October Socialist Revolution” (2008)
National Order of Merit of Guinea (Knight of the Grand Cross)
Order of the Anna Pavlova Charity Foundation
Order of the Foundation "For outstanding contribution to the revival and prosperity of the world"
Jubilee medal "60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" (March 2005)
Medal of the city of Trieste. (February 23, 1997)
Order "For Contribution to World Culture"
Order "Star of Patron"
Order of Dmitry Donskoy, 1st degree
Commemorative medal of Piskarevsky cemetery

Awards

Kim Il Sung Prize (February 1973)
International Kim Il Sung Prize
Laureate of the International Award “Good Angel of Peace”.

Ranks

Honorary Doctor of the Far Eastern State University (October 27, 2005)
Honorary Academician of the International Academy of Culture and Art
Honorary Academician of the International Academy of Patronage
Honorary Academician of the International Academy of Social Sciences

Interesting Facts

During 2003-2004. Kim Jong Il, according to a list compiled by the American magazine Parade, was the worst dictator of our time.
On May 28, 2008, a South Korean news service reported the death of Kim Jong Il, with the cause listed as murder. However, the news was later denied. However, the Nikkei index has already grown by about 3%.

Kim Jong-un is one of the bloodiest dictators in the world, who poses a number of geopolitical threats to the planet. The name Kim Jong-un is associated with pompous military parades, statues of leaders, missile launches, weapons of mass destruction and Asian “Stalinism”, which horrifies world leaders.

The main business of the life of the leader of the DPRK was the creation of powerful nuclear weapons, with the help of which Kim Jong-un intends to turn his enemies into radioactive ash. At the same time, in his native country, the leader is considered a “great reformer” who changed people’s lives for the better by providing the people with rights and freedoms that Koreans had never even dreamed of before.

Kim Jong-un's uncompromising nature and abundance of threats and statements have made the North Korean leader the butt of jokes in other countries. The Internet is filled with memes with Kim Jong-un, the residents of the Comedy Club wrote a number about the meeting of the North Korean dictator with and, and starred in the action comedy “The Interview”, where Kim Jong-un is declared the main villain.

The biography of Kim Jong-un consists of complete mystery. According to official information, the leader of the DPRK was born on January 8, 1982 in Pyongyang, but intelligence sources claim that Jong-un is a couple of years younger and was born no earlier than 1984. The parents of the future politician were the North Korean leader and the ruler’s favorite, ballerina Ko Yong-hee. Jong-un became the second potential heir to his father - Jong-il's first-born was Jong-nam, who was born to the head of the DPRK by actress Song Hye-rim, like Jong-un's mother, who was not officially married to the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Jong-un's education, like his childhood life, is reliably hidden from society. It is known that Jong-un studied at the Swiss international school in Bern, but the leadership of the educational institution assures that the DPRK leader did not cross the threshold of this school. According to North Korean intelligence services, Jong-un received his knowledge individually at home and did not receive a single diploma from European universities.

Kim Jong-un appeared on the political horizon of the DPRK in 2008, when rumors began to circulate about the fatal illness of his father Jong Il, who led the country at that time. Then the North Korean throne was prophesied to the adviser to the North Korean leader, Chas Song Thaek, who at that time actually held the governing apparatus of the DPRK in his hands and was Kim Jong Il’s brother-in-law. But the “cards” lay out differently - thanks to his mother, who back in 2003 convinced the entire leadership of the republic that Jong-un was his father’s favorite son and his only successor, in 2009 it was he who became the leader of the race for the post of leader of the DPRK.

Shortly before his father's death, Kim Jong-un received the title "Brilliant Comrade" and was appointed head of the North Korean State Security Service. On November 24, 2011, he was officially proclaimed the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Korean People's Army, and a few days later he was elected chairman of the Central Committee of the country's ruling Labor Army. The first time after his appointment as the leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong-un appeared in public only in April 2012 during the Parade dedicated to the centenary of his grandfather.

Policy

The policies of the youngest North Korean leader, who came to power at the age of 26, are filled with sheer uncompromisingness and audacity.

Kim Jong-un is not particularly humane in the internal politics of the DPRK. During his reign, he executed more than 70 people, which became a record among all the rulers of the country. The leader of the country likes to organize public executions of officials who, in his opinion, are carrying out activities against him.

Accusations of corruption were also a frequent reason for executions. Some foreign media even admire Kim Jong-un’s policies, calling on the authorities of their own countries to fight corruption just as effectively.

At the same time, Kim Jong-un is actively engaged in reforms in the DPRK, in which he has achieved considerable success. His reform achievements include the closure of camps for political prisoners, changes in the so-called “serfdom”, as a result of which people had the opportunity to create agricultural production units from several families, and not from entire collective farms, and to give the leader only part of their harvest, and not the whole , as it was before.

Kim Jong-un also decentralized industry in the DPRK, transferring “many” powers to enterprise directors. From now on, managers can hire their own staff, set their salaries and choose the direction for marketing their products. In addition, the North Korean leader managed to maintain “friendship” with his practically only strategic partner – China, which is North Korea’s main trading partner.

As a result of Kim Jong-un's reforms, the standard of living of citizens increased, the introduction of new technologies and the development of the country's economy began.

Personal life

The personal life of Kim Jong-un, like his entire biography, has no officially confirmed data. According to media reports, the DPRK leader has been married to dancer Ri Sol Ju since 2009. Sources also claim that the wife gave the North Korean leader two children, the first of whom was allegedly born in 2010, and the second in 2012.

It is known that Jong-un has health problems that are caused by his excess weight. Among the North Korean leader's chronic diseases, the medical card lists diabetes and hypertension, which have been tormenting him for several years.

In addition to “geopolitical games,” nuclear weapons and the internal politics of North Korea, the young ruler is interested in Western pop culture and basketball. During his leisure time, Kim Jong-un can devote time to watching American films with participation, and also likes to organize large-scale entertainment events.

Nuclear program

Kim Jong-un regularly poses a loud challenge to the whole world, proving his power with the “forbidden” nuclear method. Bypassing all UN Security Council resolutions, Jong-un continues his father’s work and develops the country’s nuclear potential, threatening to destroy anyone who tries to stand in his way.

His most high-profile actions during his reign were the DPRK’s entry into the “club of space powers” ​​in 2012, the third nuclear test in North Korean history in 2013, and the release of an artificial satellite into Earth orbit, which, as the North Korean leader promises, Kim Jong-un will do all of The world has been brought to the brink of nuclear war.

Kim Jong-un regularly conducts horrific tests that are not regulated by international law, and prioritizes the development of North Korean “nuclear weapons” of mass destruction, despite the harsh sanctions imposed on the DPRK by all the leading countries of the world.

According to the North Korean leader, the nuclear program is the only way for a small country like North Korea, which also does not develop vast reserves of expensive minerals, to achieve recognition of its own interests on the world stage.

North Korea's nuclear program, although it has become the butt of jokes, has already begun to raise concerns among other nuclear powers. Kim Jong Un said North Korea has developed warheads that can reach distant targets using long-range missiles.

Experts in the United States believe that this statement may already be true, although the press does not have reliable information about the new tests. Western experts also believe that Pyongyang’s statement that the country has already created missiles capable of reaching the continental United States is true.

Kim Jong-un now

On February 13, 2017, Kim Jong Un's exiled half-brother Kim Jong Nam was VX at Terminal 2 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

In May of the same year, North Korea announced an assassination attempt on its leader. The CIA and the South Korean National Intelligence Service hired a North Korean logger working in Russia to kill Kim Jong-un with a “biochemical weapon,” the Koreans say. This weapon is described as both radioactive and poisonous at the same time.

Since September 2017, North Korea has not started new ballistic missile tests, explaining this by health problems of the leader. In addition, in 2014 the leader is already six weeks. A number of publications have put forward theories about the seriousness of Kim Jong-un's illness and even suggested that he was dying due to an unknown “biochemical weapon” that was reported in May.

In November 2017, the US President wrote a series of tweets following his participation in the APEC summit in Vietnam dedicated to Kim Jong-un. Trump complained that at the meeting the North Korean leader called his American colleague names, calling him old, although Trump himself did not allow himself insults, although he could have called the Korean small and fat (remember, Kim Jong-un’s height is 175 cm). At the same time, the media recalled that Trump had repeatedly insulted Kim Jong-un, calling him crazy and a suicidal astronaut.

Awards

• 2009 - Brilliant Comrade
• 2011 - Supreme leader of the DPRK, leader of the party, army and people
• 2012 - “Genius among geniuses” in military strategy
• 2012 - Marshal of the DPRK

December 17, 2011, while traveling in his famous armored train, at the age of 69 from a heart attack North Korean leader Kim Jong Il dies. The official announcement of the departure of the leader of the DPRK was made public only on Monday, December 19.

He has ruled the country since 1994, when he was first officially given the title "great leader" after the death of his father. Behind 17 years of leadership of the most closed state in the world with nuclear weapons and demonstrative toughness towards the West.

Official mourning in the country will last from December 27 to 29. People are crying in the streets for the death of Kim Jong Il, some are hysterical.

According to official biography, Kim Jong Il was born on February 16, 1941. There are different versions about the place of birth. North Korean propaganda beautifully tells that Kim Jong Il was born in a log hut on the most revered mountain of the DPRK - Paektusan, and at that moment a double rainbow and a bright star appeared in the sky.

According to the second version, according to Soviet and Chinese documents, Kim Jong Il was born in the USSR in the Khabarovsk Territory, and was named Yuri Irsenovich Kim at birth. One of the battalion commanders was the captain of the Red Army, and later the President of the DPRK, his father Kim Il Sung. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

One way or another, at the end of World War II, in 1945, Kim Jong Il was transported to Pyongyang. The future leader of the DPRK began his career in 1961 by joining the Workers' Party of Korea.

In the photo: Kim Jong Il (left), his father Kim Il Sung and his sister Kim Kyung Hui. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

The process of transfer of power from his father to Kim Jong Il lasted for several years. It included frequent mentions of Kim Jong Il in internal Party propaganda, the release of special songs and stories about his wisdom, and the widespread hanging of his portraits. All this took a decade and ended around 1980. How the desired image was created can be seen in the following photographs.

Kim Jong Il at work, undated photograph. (AFP Photo | Getty Images):

Kim Jong Il at an amusement park in Pyongyang, October 2, 1977. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

Kim Jong Il oversees military training. Photo without date. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

Kim Jong Il on the set of a film, March 1979. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

Official photograph undated. Discussion of the new Pyongyang area between Kim Jong Il (left) and his father. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

A still from a television broadcast of a meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea, 1980. (APTN Photo | AP):

Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il at the football stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, 1989. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

Kim Jong Il became the country's leader after his father's death in 1994 and was officially given the title of "great leader" for the first time.

Photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il visiting a school for orphans in Pyongyang, January 1, 1997. (Photo by Korean News Service | AP):

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, Moscow, August 4, 2001. (Photo by ITAR-TASS | Presidential Press Service | AP):

Kim Jong Il suffered from diabetes and heart disease. He hardly cared about his health - he smoked a lot, preferring strong cigars, and often drank cognac. (Photo by KNS | AFP | Getty Images):

In 2008, the leader’s health deteriorated sharply after he suffered a stroke. He started to look bad.

In the photo: former US President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Il, North Korea, August 4, 2009. (Photo by Korean Central News Agency | AP):

This is one of the last photographs of Kim Jong Il. Taken during the visit of Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (left) to Pyongyang, North Korea, October 24, 2011. (Photo by Xinhua, Yao Dawei | AP):

The future leader of the country, the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, September 11, 2011. (Photo by KCNA | Reuters):

Death in an armored train. Kim Jong Il died in his famous armored train on December 17 from a heart attack or, as authorities announced, “from excessive mental and physical fatigue.” The official announcement of the departure of the leader of the DPRK was made public by radio and television announcers only on Monday, December 19, 2011. (Photo by KRT via Reuters TV | Reuters):

The North Korean head of state traveled in an armored train both domestically and abroad, as he avoided flying by plane for safety reasons. In the summer of 2011, Kim Jong Il paid an official visit to Russia, traveling on his train through the Far East and Transbaikalia.

National mourning. The body of the late Kim Jong Il has been temporarily placed in a mausoleum in Pyongyang. There is also the mummified body of his father, the founder of the DPRK, Kim Il Sung. Still from local television, December 20, 2011. (Photo by Korean Central TV of the North | Reuters):

Official mourning in the country will last from December 27 to 29, 2011. (Photo by Ahn Young-joon | AP):

On December 19, North Korea closed stores and lowered flags. For the entire period of mourning, any entertainment events and programs are prohibited. Pyongyang, December 19, 2011. (Photo by Kyodo | Reuters):

Photos of the deeply grieving people of North Korea. Pyongyang, December 19, 2011. (Photo by Kyodo | Reuters):

Businesses have been temporarily shut down and school classes have been cancelled. Pyongyang, December 19, 2011. (Photo by Kyodo | Reuters):

People on the streets are crying for the deceased Kim Jong Il, some are literally hysterical. (Photo by Kyodo | Reuters):

Everyone is crying - men, women, old people and children. Pyongyang, December 19, 2011. (Photo by Kyodo | Reuters):

Kim Jong Il's funeral is scheduled for December 28, it will be held in Pyongyang. Foreign delegations will not be invited to them. (Photo by Jason Lee | Reuters):

Meanwhile, the world media recently reported on the catastrophic situation in the DPRK due to famine. Frosts have affected more than 75% of the cultivated areas, and livestock are dying en masse from malnutrition and disease. (Photo by David Guttenfelder | AP):

One of the facts: in the most closed country in the world, Internet access is still closed to most of the residents. Pyongyang, North Korea. (Photo by David Guttenfelder | AP):

Not everyone mourns Kim Jong Il. For example, this is how a 57-year-old Korean immigrant now living in Los Angeles, California, reacts to the news on December 19, 2011. (Photo by Jae C. Hong | AP):

This is how a South Korean citizen reacts to the news, December 19, 2011. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon | Reuters):

The situation in North Korea is being closely monitored by its closest neighbors - Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Following the news of Kim Jong Il's death, the South Korean armed forces are on maximum alert. The Japanese government immediately created a special headquarters that will collect information about what is happening in the DPRK, as far as possible given the closeness of North Korea to the outside world. “Anything can happen in this country,” says the Japanese Prime Minister.

In the photo: a South Korean army soldier looks towards North Korea, December 19, 2011. (Korea Photo | AP):

The successor of the deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (right) was his youngest son of Kim Jong-un(left). On December 19, North Korean media called him a "great leader." This means that he accepted the powers of the head of the country, because. this "title" is used only in relation to the highest leader of the country. (Photo by Vincent Yu | AP):

However, Western media doubt Kim Jong-un's ability to currently govern North Korea and predict a power struggle for the country. According to various estimates, the late father simply did not have time to transfer sufficient powers to Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang, North Korea. (Photo by David Guttenfelder | AP)