DPRK Today ( Korean : 조선의 오늘 / 朝鮮의 오늘 ) was a Chinese-based propaganda site sponsored by the government of North Korea . It has gained notoriety for threatening nuclear attacks on neighbouring South Korea and for having published an article endorsing US President Donald Trump during his election campaign in 2016 .
123-444: On September 18, 2020, DPRK Today partnered with pro-North Korea propaganda site CEPS-BR (Songun Policy Studies Center - Brazil). DPRK Today has been offline since 11 January 2024, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a "fundamental turnaround" of North Korea's policy towards reunification and South Korea. This North Korea -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about
246-664: A Moranbong Band concert. The concert contained several elements of pop culture from the West , particularly the United States. Kim used this event to introduce his wife to the public, an unprecedented move in North Korea. In the same year, Kim Jong Il's personal chef Kenji Fujimoto visited North Korea and said, "Stores in Pyongyang were brimming with products and people in the streets looked cheerful. North Korea has changed
369-476: A United Nations Human Rights Council report suggested that Kim could be put on trial for crimes against humanity . According to reports, he has ordered the purge and execution of several North Korean officials including his uncle, Jang Song-thaek , in 2013. He is also widely believed to have ordered the assassination of his half-brother , Kim Jong-nam , in Malaysia in 2017. He has presided over an expansion of
492-544: A considerable win. In December 2023, during a speech at the 9th plenum of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea , Kim called for a "fundamental turnabout" in North Korea's stance towards South Korea, calling the South the "enemy". He stated "the party's comprehensive conclusion after reviewing decades-long inter-Korean relations is that reunification can never be achieved with those ROK riffraffs that defined
615-401: A construction boom in Pyongyang, bringing colour and creative architectural styles to the city. While in the past there was a concentration on building monuments, Kim Jong Un's government has constructed amusement parks, aquatic parks, skating rinks, a dolphinarium and a ski resort. Kim has been actively promoting a consumer culture, including entertainment and cosmetics. He has also overseen
738-490: A gesture of defiance not only to the West, but also to China. The business magazine Caixin reported that North Korea accounted for 40% of China's foreign aid budget and required 50,000 tonnes of oil per month as a buffer state against Japan, South Korea, and the United States, with whom trade and investment is now worth billions. North Korea is seen in China as expensive and internationally embarrassing to support. However,
861-404: A good relationship, stating that he was favored to be his father's successor. Fujimoto also said that Jong Un was favored by his father over his elder brother, Kim Jong Chul, reasoning that Jong Chul is too feminine in character, while Jong Un is "exactly like his father". Furthermore, Fujimoto stated that "if power is to be handed over then Jong Un is the best for it. He has superb physical gifts,
984-639: A group of twelve lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties introduced a bill into the South Korean National Assembly to allow for the establishment of a "unification tax". The bill called for businesses to pay 0.05% of corporate tax, individuals to pay 5% of inheritance or gift taxes, and both individuals and companies to pay 2% of their income tax towards the cost of unification. The bill initiated legislative debate on practical measures to prepare for unification, as proposed by President Lee Myung-bak in his Liberation Day speech
1107-407: A lot since Kim Jong Un assumed power. All of this is because of leader Kim Jong Un." According to analysts, Kim Jong Un has used his resemblance to his grandfather to harness Kim Il Sung's personality cult and popular nostalgia for earlier times. In 2013, Kim copied his grandfather's style when he gave his first New Year's address, a break from the approach of his father, Kim Jong Il, who never made
1230-449: A new government would be. Some analysts had predicted that when Kim Jong Il died, Jang Song Thaek would act as regent , as Kim Jong Un was too inexperienced to immediately lead the country. Following his father's death, Kim Jong Un was hailed as the "great successor to the revolutionary cause of Juche ", "outstanding leader of the party, army and people", and "respected comrade who is identical to Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il", and
1353-514: A newly composed "song of praise" to Kim Jong Un, in a similar fashion to that of praise songs relating to Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. Later, in June, Kim was reported to have visited China secretly to "present himself" to the Chinese leadership. The Chinese foreign ministry has strongly denied that this visit occurred. In September 2009, it was reported that Kim Jong Il had secured support for
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#17327879041271476-476: A news website is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about media in China is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1982, 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician who has been supreme leader of North Korea since December 2011 and the general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He
1599-576: A peaceful reunification of the country: The agreement outlined the steps to be taken towards achieving a peaceful reunification of the country. However, the North-South Coordination Committee was disbanded the following year after no progress had been made towards implementing the agreement. In January 1989, the founder of Hyundai , Jung Ju-young , toured North Korea and promoted tourism in Mount Kumgang . After
1722-544: A potential threat to China sovereignty and an imposition of a China containment policy . A unified Korea could also more strongly pursue its territorial disputes with China and might inflame nationalism among Koreans in China . Some have claimed the existence of contingency plans for the PRC intervening in situations of great turmoil in North Korea (with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Northeast Project on
1845-548: A rare Workers' Party of Korea conference in Pyongyang, the first time North Korean media had mentioned him by name and despite him having no previous military experience. Despite the promotion, no further details, including verifiable portraits of Kim, were released. On 28 September 2010, he was named vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and appointed to the Central Committee of
1968-466: A stamp saying "Embassy of Brazil in Prague". Kim Jong Un's passport records the name "Josef Pwag" and a date of birth of 1 February 1983. For many years, only one confirmed photograph of him was known to exist outside North Korea, apparently taken in the mid-1990s, when he was eleven. Occasionally, other supposed images of him surfaced but were often disputed. It was only in June 2010, shortly before he
2091-844: A stop to the American economic embargo against the North. In June 2000, the leaders of North and South Korea met in Pyongyang and shook hands for the first time since the division of Korea. Despite the continuation of the Sunshine Policy under the Roh administration, it was eventually declared a failure by the South Korean Ministry of Unification in November 2010 over issues of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, stymied further negotiations, and again strained relations between
2214-402: A televised address during his 17 years in power. He has also appeared more accessible and open than his father, hugging and linking arms with young and old. In his public appearances, he appears more active than his father or grandfather, for example, weeding, riding a horse, driving a tank, riding a rollercoaster, or using information technology. In April 2012, when a satellite launch failed,
2337-488: A total of 22 North Korean athletes participating in various other competitions including figure skating, short track speed skating, cross-country skiing and alpine skiing. In April 2018, at a summit in Panmunjom , Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a deal committing to finally seal peace between both Koreas by the end of the year. Both leaders also symbolically crossed each other's borders, marking
2460-717: A twelve-year hiatus, the prime ministers of the two Koreas met in Seoul in September 1990 to engage in the Inter-Korean summits or High-Level Talks. In December, the two countries reached an agreement on issues of reconciliation, nonaggression , cooperation, and exchange between North and South in "The Agreement on Reconciliation, Nonaggression, Cooperation, and Exchange Between North and South", but these talks collapsed over inspection of nuclear facilities . In 1994, after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter 's visit to Pyongyang ,
2583-404: A young age. It is thought that Kim's official birth year was changed for symbolic reasons; 1982 marked the seventieth birthday of his grandfather Kim Il Sung, and forty years after the official birth of his father Kim Jong Il. Kim Jong Un is the second of three children of Ko Yong Hui and Kim Jong Il; his elder brother, Kim Jong Chul , was born in 1981, while his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong ,
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#17327879041272706-406: Is a big drinker and never admits defeat." Also, according to Fujimoto, Jong Un smokes Yves Saint Laurent cigarettes, loves Johnnie Walker whisky and has a Mercedes-Benz 600 luxury sedan. When Jong Un was 18, Fujimoto described an episode where Jong Un once questioned his lavish lifestyle and asked, "we are here, playing basketball, riding horses, riding jet skis, having fun together. But what of
2829-404: Is an unsuitable partner for reunification. He said the relations between the two Koreas currently were "states hostile to each other and the relations between two belligerent states" and no longer ones that are "consanguineous or homogeneous", continuing by saying it is "unsuitable" to discuss the issue of reunification "with this strange clan [South Korea], who is no more than a colonial stooge of
2952-640: Is believed to have been born in 1987. He is a grandson of Kim Il Sung, who was the founder of and led North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. Kim is the first leader of North Korea to have been born a North Korean citizen, his father having been born in the Soviet Union and his grandfather having been born during the Japanese colonial period . All of Kim Jong Il's children are said to have lived in Switzerland , as well as
3075-464: Is described by North Korea as a "...peaceful reunification proposal to found a federal state on the condition that the north and the south recognize and tolerate each other's existing ideologies." It was stated that the DFRK should be a neutral country which does not participate in any political, military alliance or bloc, embracing the whole of the territory and people of the country. On January 1, 2011,
3198-696: Is laid out as follows: In accordance with the three principles and the ten point programme, Kim Il Sung elaborated on the proposed state , called Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo (DFRK), on October 10, 1980, in the Report to the Sixth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on the Work of the Central Committee . Kim proposed a confederation between North and South Korea, in which their respective political systems would initially remain. It
3321-407: Is the surest way to reduce tension on the peninsula." China's current relationship with North Korea and position on a unified Korea is seen as dependent on a number of issues. A unified Korea could prevent North Korea's nuclear weapons program from destabilizing East Asia as well as the Chinese government. The 2010 United States diplomatic cables leak mentioned two unnamed PRC officials telling
3444-521: Is the third son of Kim Jong Il , who was the second supreme leader of North Korea, and a grandson of Kim Il Sung , the founder and first supreme leader of the country. From late 2010, Kim was viewed as the successor to the North Korean leadership. Following his father's death in December 2011, state television announced Kim as the "Great Successor". Kim holds the titles of General Secretary of
3567-587: The Beijing Review provided China's view on Korean unification: "With regard to the situation on the Korean peninsula, China's position is clear: it is squarely behind the proposal of North Korea for tripartite (between the two Koreas and the United States) talks to seek a peaceful and independent reunification of Korea in the form of a confederation, free from outside interference. China believes this
3690-414: The 2018 Winter Olympics ; in all other sports, there were a separate North Korea team and a separate South Korea team . The nature of unification, i.e. through North Korean collapse, South Korean collapse, or the formation of two systems under a united federation, is still a topic of intense political debate and even conflict among interested parties, which include both Koreas, China, Japan, Russia, and
3813-702: The Chinese identity of the Goguryeo kingdom potentially used to justify intervention or even annexation ). Similarly to China , reunification of Korea poses complications for future Korea-Japan relations, especially with regards to the disputed territorial status of the Liancourt Rocks and historical issues such as the Comfort women . A reunified Korea will likely positioned itself as an economic competitor to Japan. As relations between North Korea and
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3936-674: The Empire of Japan annexed Korea and ruled over it until its defeat in World War II. The Korean independence agreement officially occurred on 1 December 1943, when the United States, China, and the United Kingdom signed the Cairo Declaration , which stated: "The aforesaid three powers, mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea, are determined that in due course Korea shall become free and independent". In 1945,
4059-536: The Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il portraits that have normally been put, suggestion a desire for Kim to make his mark on the country's politics. The congress marked the consolidation of WPK control over the army, as well as a further decrease in the army's power; the number of military delegates dropped from 719 in the 7th Congress to 408. Politburo members increased from 28 to 30, though incumbent military elite membership decreased from eight to six. The influence of
4182-523: The Korean War broke out in 1950. On 25 June 1950, troops from North Korea invaded South Korea. Mao Zedong encouraged the confrontation with the United States and Joseph Stalin reluctantly supported the invasion. After three years of fighting, which involved both Koreas, China and United Nations forces led by the US, the war ended with an armistice agreement at approximately the same boundary. After
4305-690: The Korean conflict in the future. Prior to the First World War and Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945), all of Korea had been unified as a single state for centuries, notably under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties (the latter of which was declared the Korean Empire in 1897). After the end of World War II in 1945 and during the beginning of the Cold War , Korea had a unified government,
4428-713: The National Defence Commission . Kim has changed North Korea's internal power dynamics, increasing the influence of the WPK while decreasing the power of the military. In May 2016, he organized WPK's 7th Congress in May 2016, its first congress since 1980. In the congress, Kim became the Chairman of the WPK, which replaced the First Secretary of the WPK. The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) amended
4551-598: The People's Republic of Korea . However, this would be brief and serve as the last government, as Korea was divided into two countries along the 38th parallel (now the Korean Demilitarized Zone ) in 1948. After World War II, North Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union , and later administered by the Workers' Party of Korea under Kim Il Sung . South Korea was occupied by the United States, later becoming independent under Syngman Rhee . Both governments of
4674-665: The Sunshine Policy of greater engagement with the North, though relations have subsequently deteriorated. Further deterioration has also been seen in 2024, with Kim Jong Un officially "ruling out unification" with South Korea, and subsequently demolishing the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang . The current division of the Korean Peninsula is the result of decisions taken at the end of World War II . In 1910,
4797-703: The United Nations developed plans for trusteeship administration of Korea. The division of the peninsula into two military occupation zones was agreed: the Soviet Civil Administration in the North and the United States Army Military Government in Korea in the South. At midnight on 10 August 1945, two army lieutenant colonels selected the 38th parallel as a dividing line. Japanese troops north of
4920-590: The University of Lyon , France , compared the picture of Kim taken at the Liebefeld Steinhölzli school in 1999 with a picture of Kim Jong Un from 2012 and concluded that the faces show a conformity of 95%, suggesting that it is most likely that they are the same person. The Washington Post reported in 2009 that Kim Jong Un's school friends recalled he "spent hours doing meticulous pencil drawings of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan". He
5043-704: The constitution in June 2016, abolishing the National Defence Commission (NDC) except in times of war, and replacing it with the State Affairs Commission (SAC), which was named the "supreme policy-oriented leadership body of State power". Kim became the chairman of the State Affairs Commission on 29 June 2016. These amendments marked the decrease of the military's influence, with the newly established SAC including more civilian and less military members than
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5166-518: The détente between the United States and China , the North and South Korean governments made in 1972 the July 4 South–North Joint Statement to improve the relations between the two countries on July 4, 1972. It had a representative of each government secretly visit the other's capital city, and both sides agreed to a North-South Joint Communiqué, outlining the steps to be taken towards achieving
5289-569: The nonproliferation treaty , kicked out UN inspectors , and restarted its nuclear program. In early 2005, the North Korean government confirmed that the country had successfully become a nuclear armed state . In North Korea, the Three Charters for National Reunification have served as the sole guidelines for reunification. They contain the Three Principles for National Reunification , Ten Point Programme for Reunification of
5412-413: The 'unification by absorption' and 'unification under liberal democracy ' as their state policy", which he said is in "sharp contradiction with what our line of national reunification was: one nation, one state with two systems". Kim cited South Korean constitution 's claims over the entire Korean Peninsula and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol 's policy towards the north as evidence that South Korea
5535-552: The 12th Supreme People's Assembly appointed Kim Jong Un First Chairman of the National Defence Commission . In July 2012, Kim Jong Un was promoted to wonsu (translated as marshal ), the highest active rank in the military. The decision was jointly issued on by the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, the National Defence Commission, and the Presidium of
5658-446: The 1960s, developing the national economy in parallel with the country's nuclear weapons program . A set of comprehensive economic measures, the " Socialist Corporate Responsible Management System [ ko ] ", were introduced in 2013. The measures increase the autonomy of enterprises by granting them "certain rights to engage in business activities autonomously and elevate the will to labor through appropriately implementing
5781-689: The Banner of Songun . That speech became the basis of a hymn dedicated to him, " Onwards Toward the Final Victory ". In November 2012, satellite photos revealed a half-kilometer-long (1,600 ft) propaganda message carved into a hillside in Ryanggang Province , reading, "Long Live General Kim Jong Un, the Shining Sun!" Kim Jong Un has been promoting a policy of byungjin , similar to his grandfather Kim il Sung's policies from
5904-412: The Central Military Commission, and supreme leader of the country, following his father's demise. On 27 March 2012, Kim was elected to the 4th Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea. On 11 April, that conference wrote the post of general secretary out of the party charter and instead designated Kim Jong Il as the party's "Eternal General Secretary". The conference then elected Kim Jong Un as leader of
6027-613: The Country and the plan of founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo . They were formulated by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il into the Three Charters for National Reunification in his public work " Let Us Carry Out the Great Comrade's Instructions for National Reunification ", in 1997. North Korean President Kim Il Sung proposed the Three Principles of National Reunification in 1972 as
6150-630: The DPRK's main enemy. Kim Jong Un was elected General Secretary of the WPK, which replaced the WPK Chairman. Previously, the title general secretary was awarded "eternally" to Kim Jong Il in 2012. The congress also saw the WPK reassert its commitment to communism. The Control Commission was abolished, with the Central Auditing Commission taking up its duties. The Congress was also unique in that its backdrop did not include
6273-518: The Deputy Foreign Minister of South Korea that the younger generation of Chinese leaders increasingly believed that Korea should be reunified under South Korean rule, provided it were not hostile to China. The report also claimed that senior officials and the general public in the PRC were becoming increasingly frustrated with the North acting like a "spoiled child," following its repeated missile and nuclear tests, which were seen as
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#17327879041276396-620: The KPA Party Committee and the General Political Bureau (GPB) was decreased; with the committee's ranking now equal to provincial party committees, while it was above them previously. The GPB was also no longer equal to the Central Committee, while the Central Military Commission was given effective command of the armed forces. "Military-first policy" was also removed from the charter, being replaced by "people-first politics". Under Kim, North Korea has changed
6519-449: The Korean Peninsula. Reunification has remained a long-term goal for the governments of both North and South Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made calls in his 2012 New Year's Day speech to "remove confrontation" between the two countries and implement previous joint agreements for increased economic and political cooperation. The South Korean Ministry of Unification redoubled their efforts in 2011 and 2012 to raise awareness of
6642-638: The Korean People's Army on 24 December 2011, and formally appointed to the position on 30 December 2011 when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea "courteously proclaimed that the dear respected Kim Jong Un, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army". On 26 December 2011, the leading North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that Kim Jong Un had been acting as chairman of
6765-542: The Korean War with a peace treaty . Introduced by the Millennium Democratic Party of South Korea under President Kim Dae-jung , as part of a campaign pledge to "actively pursue reconciliation and cooperation" with North Korea, the Sunshine Policy was intended to create conditions of economic assistance and cooperation for reunification, rather than sanctions and military threats . The plan
6888-428: The Korean peninsula. They declared as follows reflecting the firm will to put an end to division and confrontation, to open up a new era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity and more actively improve and develop the north-south ties. A brief outline of the three main points of the agreement are as follows: A unified Korean team marched in the opening ceremonies of the 2000 , 2004 , and 2006 Olympics, but
7011-407: The NDC. During the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election , Kim Jong Un became the first North Korean leader to not participate as a candidate for the SPA. The constitution was further amended in 2019 by the SPA. References to Juche and Songun were replaced by Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism , and the constitution stipulated that the mission of North Korea's armed forces was to "defend unto death
7134-425: The North Korean government along with Premier Kim Tok Hun and Supreme People's Assembly president Choe Ryong Hae . Kim Jong Un commands the armed forces, Kim Tok Hun heads the cabinet and handles domestic affairs, and Choe Ryong Hae heads the legislature. However, under the constitution, Kim Jong Un is the highest-ranking of the three, with the constitution explicitly naming his post the "supreme leader who represents
7257-431: The North and South Korean national teams competed separately. There were plans for a truly unified team at the 2008 Summer Olympics , but the two countries were unable to agree on the details of its implementation. In the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba , Japan , the two countries formed a unified team. A Unified Korea women's ice hockey team competed under a separate IOC country code designation (COR) in
7380-429: The October 4th Declaration, improving on inter-Korean relations on the basis of the June 15 Joint Declaration. The eight points of the declaration signed on the 4th of October 2007 are as follows: In April 2018, at the north-south summit talks at the "House of Peace" in Panmunjom, Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in signed the Panmunjom Declaration , declaring that there would be no longer war and a new era of peace has opened on
7503-442: The Party Central Committee headed by the great Comrade Kim Jong Un"; this made Kim the first North Korean leader to be named in the constitution while currently holding power. The chairman of the State Affairs Commission was amended to be the "supreme leader who represents the state", effectively making Kim Jong Un the head of state; previously the president of the Presidium of the SPA was the de facto head of state. The chairman also
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#17327879041277626-401: The ROK as the most hostile country. He also rejected the maritime Northern Limit Line , saying that "If the Republic of Korea invades our ground territory, territorial air space, or territorial waters by even 0.001 mm, it will be considered a provocation of war". He called for the removal of physical symbols such as the Arch of Reunification , which he called an "eyesore". The SPA also voted on
7749-417: The South Korean National Intelligence Service reported that the North Korean government has begun using the term "Kimjongunism", in an effort to establish an independent ideological system centered on Kim. Analyst Ken Gause described this as Kim "now ready to put his stamp firmly on the regime". According to the North Korean constitution, Kim Jong Un is part of a triumvirate heading the executive branch of
7872-453: The Soviet Union warmed, the latter returned to warm public support for Kim Il Sung's peaceful reunification proposals. Soviet attention in Northeast Asia gradually began to focus on a new plan for " collective security in Asia" first proposed in an Izvestia editorial in May 1969 and mentioned specifically by Soviet general secretary Leonid Brezhnev in his address to the International Conference of Communist and Workers' Parties in Moscow
7995-413: The Supreme People's Assembly, the Korean Central News Agency subsequently announced. The only higher rank is Taewonsu (roughly translated as Grand Marshal or Generalissimo ) which was held by Kim's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, and which was awarded posthumously to his father, Kim Jong Il, in February 2012. The promotion confirmed Kim's role as top leader of the North Korean military and came days after
8118-516: The U.S. despite the rhetorical word [we used to use] — 'the fellow countrymen." Kim also instructed the WPK on reforming organizations related to inter-Korean relations, including the WPK's United Front Department . Kim further confirmed a shift in policy in January 2024, when he gave a speech to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) calling for the constitution to be amended to remove references to cooperation and reunification, as well as specify DPRK's territorial borders and add an article specifying
8241-447: The United States as the original aggressor in the Korean War. There were attempts to normalize relations with Japan as well as the United States with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in open support. North Korea actually favored the United States military's position on the front lines because it helped prevent an outbreak of war. Eventually, aid and oil were supplied, and even cooperation with South Korean business firms. However, one of
8364-661: The United States. Relations between the two Koreas have been strained, with conflict between the two coming to a head such as in the enforcement of the colonial era National Security Law in South Korea which led to the arrest of South Korean pro-reunification activist Roh Su-hui , suspected torpedoing of the ROKS Cheonan and the bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island , both in 2010, the rocket launches in April and December of 2012 and North Korea's third nuclear test in 2013. Kim Jong Un's sudden accession and limited experience governing have also stoked fears about power struggles among different factions leading to future instability on
8487-443: The Workers' Party , in an apparent nod to become the successor to Kim Jong Il. On 10 October 2010, Kim Jong Un was alongside his father when he attended the ruling Workers' Party's 65th-anniversary celebration. This was seen as confirming his position as the next leader of the Workers' Party. Unprecedented international press access was granted to the event, further indicating the importance of Kim Jong Un's presence. In January 2011,
8610-466: The Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs . He is also a member of the Presidium of the WPK Politburo , the highest decision-making body in the country. In July 2012, Kim was promoted to the highest rank of Marshal in the Korean People's Army , consolidating his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces . North Korean state media often refer to him as "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un" or "Marshal Kim Jong Un". He has promoted
8733-465: The abolition of three inter-Korean cooperation organizations; the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland , the Korean People's Cooperation Administration, and the Kumgangsan International Tourism Administration. On March 1, 2024, the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol plans to develop a new vision of unification with North Korea to include the principle of liberal democracy. South Korea plans to update its vision of unification for
8856-445: The autonomy and incentives for economic actors. This set of reforms known as the "May 30th measures" reaffirms both socialist ownership and "objective economic laws in guidance and management" to improve living standards. Other objectives of the measures are to increase the availability of domestically manufactured goods on markets, introduction of defence innovations into the civilian sector and boost international trade. There has been
8979-400: The central force that should drive reunification. They are as follows: The Ten Point Programme for Reunification of the Country was written by Kim Il Sung in 1993 and contains the idea of reunification with South Korea under a pan-national unified state. It emphasises once again the need for an independent reunification, and more specifically, the removal of US forces from the peninsula. It
9102-467: The collapse of the North Korean regime and unification by Seoul would also present a number of problems for China. A sudden and violent collapse might cause a mass exodus of North Koreans fleeing or fighting poverty into China, causing a humanitarian crisis that could destabilize northeast China . The movement of South Korean and American soldiers into the North could result in their being temporarily or even permanently stationed on China's border, seen as
9225-802: The construction of tourist attractions in the country. Kim has attempted to ease North Korea's food shortages, though the food situation deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2023, during a WPK plenary session, he called for boosting agricultural production, saying that it is "important to concentrate on increasing the yield at all the farms". As with all reporting on North Korea, reports of purges and executions are difficult to verify. Allegations in 2013 that Kim Jong Un had his ex-girlfriend, singer Hyon Song Wol , executed for violating pornography laws turned out to be false. In May 2016, analysts were surprised to find that General Ri Yong Gil , reported by South Korea to have been executed earlier in
9348-418: The consumer economy, construction projects and tourist attractions in North Korea . Kim expanded the country's nuclear weapons program , which led to heightened tensions with the United States and South Korea , as well as China . In 2018 and 2019, Kim took part in summits with former South Korean president Moon Jae-in and former U.S. president Donald Trump , leading to a brief thaw between North Korea and
9471-414: The continued and maximized isolation of the North will lead to the country's collapse after which the territory could be absorbed by force into South Korea. In November 2000, outgoing US President Bill Clinton wanted to visit Pyongyang. However, the intended visit never happened because of the controversy surrounding the results of the 2000 US presidential election . Around April or May 2001, Kim Dae-jung
9594-653: The country, giving " on-the-spot guidance " at various sites. North Korean state media often refers to him as "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un" or "Marshal Kim Jong Un". On 9 January 2012, a large rally was held by the Korean People's Army in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to honor Kim Jong Un and to demonstrate loyalty. On 15 April 2012, during a military parade to commemorate Kim Il Sung's centenary, Kim Jong Un made his first public speech, Let Us March Forward Dynamically Towards Final Victory, Holding Higher
9717-437: The families of those elite officials who wield power in Pyongyang , while he noted that the top ten families would receive $ 30 million each, and the top thousand families would get $ 5 million. Another sum of $ 121.8 billion would go to the country's general population to start their life again post-reunification, and it's envisioned that the proceeds for the fund is to be raised from private groups and business moguls. In 1984,
9840-442: The first time a South Korean president crossed the North border and vice versa. Kim stated that the North will start a process of denuclearization , which was supported by then U.S. President Donald Trump . In 2019, Moon Jae-in proposed reunification of the Korean peninsula by 2045. The peace talks led to nothing, as North Korea continued forward with their nuclear program, despite former U.S. President Donald Trump showcasing it as
9963-610: The first time in 30 years. This is the first revision of the Unification Formula of the national community , South Korea's unification policy unveiled in August 1994 under the administration of late President Kim Young-sam . Support for reunification in South Korea has been falling, especially among the younger generations. In the 1990s, the percent of people in government polls who regarded reunification as essential
10086-401: The following month: For us, the burning problems of the present international situation do not push into the background more long-range tasks, especially the creation of a system of collective security in those parts of the world where the threat of the unleashing of a new World War and the unleashing of armed conflicts is centered... We think that the course of events also places on the agenda
10209-471: The formation of a Korean Economic Community could be a way to ease in unification of the peninsula. Lee Myung-bak, departing from the Saenuri Party's traditional hardline stance, outlined a comprehensive diplomatic package on North Korea that includes setting up a consultative body to discuss economic projects between the two Koreas. He proposed seeking a Korean economic community agreement to provide
10332-485: The government admitted this publicly, the first time it had ever done so. In May 2014, following the collapse of an apartment building in Pyongyang , Kim Jong Un was said to be very upset at the loss of life that resulted. A statement issued by the country's official news agency the Korean Central News Agency used the rare expression "profound consolation and apology". An unnamed government official
10455-551: The great power guarantors of the North and South. In the 1990s, despite issues surrounding the controversial US-South Korean joint Team Spirit military exercises, the Clinton administration still managed to help turn around the situation regarding peace with North Korea through Jimmy Carter 's support. It promised light water reactors in exchange for the availability of North Korea for inspection of its facilities and other concessions. North Korea reacted positively, despite blaming
10578-418: The issue, launching a variety show ( Miracle Audition ) and an Internet sitcom with pro-unification themes. The Ministry already promotes curriculum in elementary schooling, such as a government-issued textbook about North Korea titled "We Are One" and reunification-themed arts and crafts projects. In Kim's 2018 New Year's address, a Korean-led reunification was repeatedly mentioned and an unexpected proposal
10701-510: The leaders of the two Koreas agreed to meet with each other, but the meeting was prevented by the death of Kim Il Sung that July. In June 2000, North and South Korea signed the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration , in which both sides made promises to seek out a peaceful reunification with the co-existence of two systems: During the 2007 high-level inter-Korean talks held in Pyongyang between Kim Jong Il and Roh Moo Hyun, both sides agreed to
10824-430: The legal and systemic basis for any projects agreed to in the body. In 2017, former Inha University professor Shepherd Iverson proposed creating a $ 175 billion reunification investment fund aiming to bribe the elite officials on top of DPRK's hierarchy to ensure a diplomatic way to resolve the Korean conflict by conducting an internal regime change . In the proposal a sum of up to $ 23.3 billion would be paid in total to
10947-460: The line were to surrender to the Soviet Union, and the troops south of the line would surrender to the United States. The partition was not originally intended to last long, but Cold War politics resulted in the establishment of two separate governments in the two zones in 1948, and rising tensions prevented co-operation. The desire of many Koreans for a peaceful unification was dashed when
11070-755: The list of lawmakers, but he was later elevated to a mid-level position in the National Defense Commission , which is a branch of the North Korean military . From 2009, it was understood by foreign diplomatic services that Kim was to succeed his father Kim Jong Il as the head of the Korean Workers' Party and de facto leader of North Korea. He has been named "Brilliant Comrade". His father had also asked embassy staff abroad to pledge loyalty to his son. There have also been reports that citizens in North Korea were encouraged to sing
11193-530: The lives of the average people?" On 15 January 2009, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that Kim Jong Il had appointed Kim Jong Un to be his successor. On 8 March 2009, BBC News reported that Kim Jong Un was on the ballot for 2009 elections to the Supreme People's Assembly , the rubber stamp parliament of North Korea. Subsequent reports indicated that his name did not appear on
11316-642: The mother of the two youngest sons, who lived in Geneva for some time. First reports said that Kim Jong Un attended the private International School of Berne in Gümligen in Switzerland under the name "Chol-pak" or "Pak-chol" from 1993 to 1998. He was described as shy, a good student who got along well with his classmates, and was a basketball fan. He was chaperoned by an older student, thought to be his bodyguard. His elder brother Kim Jong Chul also attended
11439-595: The names of several offices and institutions in what has been named by Yonhap News Agency as an effort to present itself as a "normal state". The Ministry of People's Armed Forces was renamed to the Ministry of Defence in January 2021, while state media began referring to Kim as "president of the State Affairs Commission" rather than "chairman" in English language articles starting from February 2021. In November 2021,
11562-546: The party under the newly created title of First Secretary. Kim Jong Un also took his father's post as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as his father's old seat on the Politburo Presidium . In a speech made prior to the Conference, Kim Jong Un declared that "Imbuing the whole society with Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the highest programme of our Party". On 11 April 2012, the 5th Session of
11685-463: The peninsula, are not willing to see their living conditions decline in order to accommodate a reunification with the North. Moreover, about 50% of men in their 20s see North Korea as an outright enemy that they want nothing to do with. Some scholars, like Paul Roderick Gregory , have suggested that a complete abandonment of Korean reunification may be necessary, in exchange for the North to dismantle its nuclear weapons program and permanently ending
11808-452: The policy of byungjin , similar to Kim Il Sung's policy from the 1960s, referring to the simultaneous development of both the economy and the country's nuclear weapons program. He has also revived the structures of the WPK, expanding the party's power at the expense of the military leadership. Kim rules North Korea as a totalitarian state, and his leadership has followed the same cult of personality as his father and grandfather . In 2014,
11931-464: The previous year. The proposal for a unification tax was not warmly welcomed at the time. Lee has since reiterated concerns regarding the imminence of unification, which, combined with North Korean behavior, led to the tax proposal gaining wider acceptance. Practical measures to prepare for unification are becoming an increasingly frequent aspect of political debate, as concern regarding imminent and abrupt unification increases. It has been suggested that
12054-458: The regime reportedly began purging around 200 protégés of both Jong Un's uncle-in-law Jang Song Thaek and O Kuk Ryol , the vice chairman of the National Defence Commission, by either detention or execution to further prevent either man from rivaling Jong Un. On 17 December 2011, Kim Jong Il died. Despite the elder Kim's plans, it was not immediately clear after his death whether Kim Jong Un would in fact take full power, and what his exact role in
12177-473: The regular classes of the 6th, 7th, 8th and part of the final 9th year, leaving the school abruptly in the autumn of 2000. He was described as a well-integrated and ambitious student who liked to play basketball. However, his grades and attendance rating are reported to have been poor. The ambassador of North Korea in Switzerland, Ri Chol , had a close relationship with him and acted as a mentor. One of Kim's classmates told reporters that he had told him that he
12300-443: The remaining fears was North Korea, with their necessary uranium deposits, having the potential to achieve a high level of nuclear technology. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger , another supporter of Korean unification, proposed a six-party conference to find a way out of the Korean dilemma , composed of the two Koreas and four connected powers (the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and Japan). North Korea denounced
12423-541: The replacement of Chief of General Staff Ri Yong Ho by Hyon Yong Chol . On 9 March 2014, Kim Jong Un was elected to a seat in the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's unicameral legislature . He ran unopposed, but voters had the choice of voting yes or no. There was a record turnout of voters and, according to government officials, all voted "yes" in his home district of Mount Paekdu . The Supreme People's Assembly subsequently elected him first chairman of
12546-534: The school with him. Later, it was reported that Kim Jong Un attended the Liebefeld Steinhölzli state school in Köniz , near Bern , under the name "Pak-un" or "Un-pak" from 1998 until 2000 as the son of an employee of the North Korean embassy in Bern. Authorities confirmed that a North Korean student attended the school during that period. Kim first attended a special class for foreign-language children and later attended
12669-527: The socialist distribution system". Another priority of economic policies that year was agriculture, where the pojon (vegetable garden) responsibility system was implemented. The system reportedly achieved a major increase in output in some collective farms. North Korean media described the economy as a "flexible collectivist system" where enterprises were applying "active and evolutionary actions" to achieve economic development. These reports reflect Kim's general economic policy of reforming management, increasing
12792-567: The state". Since 1998, the NDC chairmanship has been constitutionally defined as "the highest post in the state", and a constitutional amendment enacted by the regime explicitly named the NDC (first) chairman as "the supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea". However, analysts are divided about how much actual power Kim has. In July 2012, Kim Jong Un showed a change in cultural policy from his father by attending
12915-466: The succession plan, after a propaganda campaign. It is believed by some that Kim Jong Un was involved in the Cheonan sinking and the bombardment of Yeonpyeong to strengthen his military credentials and facilitate a successful transition of power from his father. Kim Jong Un was made a daejang , the equivalent of a four-star general in the United States , on 27 September 2010, a day ahead of
13038-489: The task of creating a system of collective security in Asia. The United States officially supports Korean reunification under a democratic government, but questions still remain as to the continued relevance of US military presence on the peninsula. Mike Mansfield proposed that Korea be neutralized under a great-power agreement, accompanied by the withdrawal of all foreign troops and the discontinuation of security treaties with
13161-445: The two Koreas. Opponents of the Sunshine Policy argue that dialogue and trade with North Korea did nothing to improve prospects for peaceful reunification, despite the transfer of large funds to the North Korean government by President Kim Dae-jung , but allowed the North Korean government to retain its hold on power. Others believe that South Korea should remain prepared for the event of a North Korean attack. Hardliners also argue that
13284-474: The two countries, though the negotiations ultimately broke down without progress on reunification of Korea or nuclear disarmament. He has claimed success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea , as the country did not report any confirmed cases until May 2022, although several South Korean observers have questioned this claim. North Korean authorities and state-run media have stated that Kim Jong Un
13407-477: The two new Korean states claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea. The Korean War , which began in June 1950, ended in a stalemate in July 1953. Even after the end of the Korean War, reunification proved a challenge as the two countries increasingly diverged at a steady pace. The relations between North and South Korea warmed somewhat in early 2000s and again in late 2010s when South Korea pursued
13530-410: The year, was, in fact, alive and well. Reunification of Korea Inactive or defunct Inactive or defunct [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Korean reunification is the hypothetical unification of North Korea and South Korea into a singular Korean sovereign state . The process towards reunification of the peninsula while still maintaining two opposing regimes
13653-411: Was born on 8 January 1982, but South Korean intelligence officials believe that the actual date is a year later, in 1983. The US government lists his birth year as 1984, based on the passport he used while studying in Switzerland. Ko Yong Suk, Kim's aunt who defected to the United States in 1997 also confirmed the 1984 birthdate, claiming that Kim was the same age as her own son who was a playmate from
13776-448: Was divided into three parts: increased cooperation through inter-Korean organizations (while maintaining separate systems in the North and South), national unification with two autonomous regional governments, and finally the creation of a central national government. In 1998, Kim approved large shipments of food aid to the North Korean government, lifted limits on business deals between North Korean and South Korean firms, and even called for
13899-533: Was expecting to welcome Kim Jong Il to Seoul. Returning from his meeting in Washington D.C., with newly elected President Bush, Kim Dae-jung described his meeting as embarrassing while privately cursing President Bush and his hardliner approach. This meeting negated any chance of a North Korean visit to South Korea. After the Bush administration labeled North Korea as part of the " axis of evil ", North Korea renounced
14022-544: Was followed by newsreel footage of him attending the conference. Kim Jong Un's eldest half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, had been the favorite to succeed, but reportedly fell out of favor after 2001, when he was caught attempting to enter Japan on a fake passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland . Kim Jong-nam was killed in Malaysia in 2017 by suspected North Korean agents. Kim Jong Il's former personal chef, Kenji Fujimoto , revealed details regarding Kim Jong Un, with whom he had
14145-407: Was given official posts and publicly introduced to the North Korean people, that more pictures were released of Kim, taken when he was attending school in Switzerland. The first official image of him as an adult was a group photograph released on 30 September 2010, at the end of the party conference that effectively anointed him, in which he is seated in the front row, two places from his father. This
14268-473: Was made chairman of the Kim Jong Il funeral committee. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) described Kim Jong Un as "a great person born of heaven", a propaganda term only his father and grandfather had enjoyed. The ruling Workers' Party of Korea also said in an editorial, "We vow with bleeding tears to call Kim Jong Un our supreme commander, our leader." He was publicly declared Supreme Commander of
14391-554: Was made for the North's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics that were held in Pyeongchang County of South Korea, a significant shift after several years of increasing hostilities, the 2018–19 Korean peace process . Subsequent meetings between North and South led to the announcement that the two Koreas would march together with a unified flag in the Olympics' Opening Ceremony and form a unified ice hockey team, with
14514-414: Was named as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces as well as the "supreme representative of all the Korean people". In January 2021, the WPK held its 8th Congress , where Kim delivered a nine-hour-long report in which he admitted failures in carrying out the economic plan and lambasted leading officials' shortcomings. He also praised the country's nuclear capability and addressed the United States as
14637-691: Was obsessed with basketball and computer games , and was a fan of Jackie Chan action movies. Most analysts agree that Kim Jong Un attended Kim Il Sung University , a leading officer-training school in Pyongyang, from 2002 to 2007. Kim obtained two degrees, one in physics at Kim Il Sung University and another as an Army officer at the Kim Il Sung Military University . In late February 2018, Reuters reported that Kim and his father had used forged passports—supposedly issued by Brazil and dated 26 February 1996—to apply for visas in various countries. Both 10-year passports carry
14760-539: Was over 80%. By 2011 that number had dropped to 56%. According to a December 2017 survey released by the Korea Institute for National Unification , 72.1% of South Koreans in their 20s believe reunification is unnecessary, with younger South Koreans saying they are more worried about issues related to their economy , employment, and living costs . Polls show a majority of South Koreans, even those in age groups traditionally seen as being more eager to reunify
14883-510: Was quoted by the BBC as saying Kim Jong Un had "sat up all night, feeling painful". While the height of the building and the number of casualties was not released, media reports described it as a 23-story building and indicated that more than a hundred people may have died in the collapse. Kim Jong Un frequently performs symbolic acts that associate him with the personality cult of his father and grandfather. Like them, Kim Jong Un regularly tours
15006-726: Was started by the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration in June 2000, was reaffirmed by the October 4th Declaration in October 2007 and the Panmunjom Declaration in April 2018, and the joint statement of United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Singapore Summit in June 2018. In the Panmunjom Declaration, the two countries agreed to work to officially end
15129-709: Was the son of the leader of North Korea. According to some reports, Kim was described by classmates as a shy child who was awkward with girls and indifferent to political issues, but who distinguished himself in sports and had a fascination with the American National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan . One friend claimed that he had been shown pictures of Kim with Kobe Bryant and Toni Kukoč . In April 2012, new documents came to light indicating that Kim Jong Un had lived in Switzerland since 1991 or 1992, earlier than previously thought. The Laboratory of Anatomic Anthropology at
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