Kim Jong Un: everything you need to know

The North Korean leader is causing
confusion with his bizarre blend of diplomacy and tyranny

In Depth

The dictator remains a controversial figure across the globe
thanks to a series of high-profile executions, the expansion of his
nation’s prison camps network, and the continuation of an
illegal weapons programme.

But his recent comments and meetings with former adversaries
suggest there may be more depth to the young leader than first
appeared.

So who is Kim Jong Un and what has shaped his leadership?

Early life

Kim is the son of Ko Young Hee, an opera singer, and Kim Jong
Il, the leader of North Korea from 1994 until his death, in
2011.

Little is known in the West about the current North Korean
leader’s upbringing, with anecdotal claims from defectors the only
source of information. Even the date and location of his birth have
been disputed.

Leadership

The young Kim found favour with his parents over his two older
brothers. His father reportedly “saw in the youth a temperament
similar to himself”, and began preparing him for succession to
leadership in 2010, says Biography.com.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Kim “effected a
friendlier public demeanour than his father had, drawing
comparisons to his grandfather”, Kim Il Sung, before taking
power.

“But hopes that the youngest Kim would forge a new direction for
the country were soon dashed. He quickly moved to solidify his
position, executing those who challenged his rule and demoting
officials who had accrued influence under his father,” the website
continues.

How is he different to his predecessors?

Kim Il Sung laid the groundwork for modern-day North Korea
during his reign as the nation’s first supreme leader, from 1948
until his death in 1994, creating a hermit state built on a
cult of personality surrounding its ruling family.

Despite widespread human rights abuses, North Korea experienced
surprising prosperity, thanks largely to the expansion of heavy
industry, though it never matched the economic growth rate of the
South.

Upon his death, North Korea sunk into an intense economic
depression and suffered a deadly famine that killed millions
and destroyed the prospect of a competitive North Korean
economy.

As a result, much of the relatively short reign of his son, Kim
Jong Il, was characterised by attempts to paper over starvation.
The country became increasingly reclusive during his tenure,
expanding its cult of personality and limiting all contact with the
outside world.

In 2002, North Korea began working on an illegal nuclear weapons
programme, despite having signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty in 1994. The move marked the start of a trend of
nuclear development that frequently violates international
agreements.

The reign of Kim Jong Un, however, has brought a mixture of
diplomacy and brutality. More brash than his predecessors, he
has expanded the country’s prison network, ramped up its
illegal nuclear programme, executed politicians loyal to his
father, had his half-brother assassinated in Malaysia,
and provoked the international community by firing missiles over Japan.

Meanwhile, his diplomatic strategy has left many confounded. Kim has recently emerged as a
powerful player, meeting with or due to meet leaders from China,
Russia, Syria, South Korea and the US.

At a historic summit in April, he greeted South Korean President
Moon Jae-in on the border of the two countries, and became the
first North Korean leader to enter South Korean territory since
1953. 

The duo released a statement saying they strive for the full
denuclearisation of the Korena Peninsula, and suggested working
with the US and China to formally end the Korean War, since peace
was never officially declared following the 1953
armistice.

In an article on The National Interest website, North Korea
expert Ken Gause concludes that Kim has probably decided that
the only way to ensure his nation’s success on the diplomatic front
is “to force its way to the negotiating table from a position of
strength”.