Samjiyŏn is a city in Ryanggang Province , North Korea . It takes its name from three lakes in the city, which are collectively known as the Samjiyŏn . Samjiyŏn is situated near Mount Paektu , and tour groups fly to the city's airport to see the mountain, which holds significance in North Korean mythology. Samjiyon is the least populated city in North Korea.
156-476: Many houses and buildings in Samjiyŏn have been upgraded in recent decades, and many new buildings, including a recreational centre for youths, were finished in 2005. Popular activities in Samjiyŏn are skiing and various activities for schoolchildren, who use the surrounding area of Mt. Paektu for various scouting-like operations in conjunction with school-led vacations or outings. In December 2019, Kim Jong-un opened
312-664: 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
468-480: A famine in which at least half a million people died, weakened his control of the country. Instead of recommending structural reforms, Kim began to criticize the WPK's lack of control over the economy, lambasting its local and provincial branches for their inability to implement central-level instructions. At a speech celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kim Il Sung University , he said: "The reason why people are loyal to
624-657: A feudal state . With Kim Jong Il's official appointment as heir apparent at the 6th Congress, power became more centralized in the Kim family. WPK officials began to speak openly about his succession, and beginning in 1981 he began to participate in (and lead) tours. In 1982, he was made a Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and wrote On the Juche Idea . While foreign observers believed that Kim Jong Il's appointment would increase participation by
780-409: A 36-year hiatus. The congress announced the first Five-Year Plan since the 1980s and gave Kim Jong Un the new title of chairman, which replaced the previous office of First Secretary. In January 2021, the 8th WPK Congress was convened, where Kim Jong Un was given the title of general secretary, replacing the title of chairman. The congress also marked the consolidation of WPK control over the army and
936-511: A Grand Political Festival of the World's Humankind", was signed by 30 of the 79 attending parties. The WPK also sees itself as part of the worldwide leftist and socialist movements; during the Cold War , the WPK and North Korea had a policy of "exporting revolution", aiding leftist guerrillas worldwide. Additionally, its party rules say its ultimate aim is to "realize a communist society in which
1092-639: A Japanese interviewer to define Juche Juche 's primary objective for North Korea is political, economic and military independence. Kim Il Sung, in his "Let Us Defend the Revolutionary Spirit of Independence, Self-reliance, and Self-defense More Thoroughly in All Fields of State Activities" speech to the Supreme People's Assembly in 1967, summarized Juche : The government of the republic will implement with all consistency
1248-476: 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
1404-489: A coherent ideology did not develop until the 1960s. Similar to Stalinism , it led to the development of an unofficial (later formalized) ideological system defending the central party leadership. Until about 1972, Juche was called a "creative application" of Marxism–Leninism and "the Marxism–Leninism of today", and Kim Il Sung was hailed as "the greatest Marxist–Leninist of our time". However, by 1976 Juche had become
1560-523: A completed expansion of the existing township, described by state media as a "modern" city with residences and industrial parks. The city was known as a county until the decision of an upgraded its status in December 2019. The modernization of Samjiyon City is to also help boost tourism to North Korea. The city is scheduled to open for international tourists in December 2024. Samjiyŏn is divided into 10 dong (neighborhoods) and 6 ri (villages): Samjiyŏn
1716-401: 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
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#17327979440511872-498: A decade later it was defined as a system whose "fundamental principle was the realization of sovereignty". Although WPK theoreticians were initially hostile towards the terms "nation" and "nationalism" because of the influence of the Stalinist definition of "state", by the mid-1960s their definition that a nation was a "a stable, historically formed community of people based on common language, territory, economic life, and culture"
2028-571: A decrease in the army's power, with the number of military delegates in both the congress and the Politburo decreasing. It was reported in June 2021 that the party set up the post of 'First Secretary', with speculation that Jo Yong-won or Kim Tok Hun , the Premier of North Korea would fill the position. Starting from 2021, Kim Jong Un has started reviving communism and communist terminology within
2184-404: 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,
2340-407: 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
2496-449: 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
2652-615: A new, 78 kilometres (48 mi) standard-gauge line from the Pukbunaeryuk Line at Hyesan to Samjiyŏn is underway since 2008, with 80% of the roadbed and 70% of lineside structures being complete as of June 2015; the new terminus station is to be at Chunghŭng-ri, Samjiyŏn city. The current presidential train station is located near Ŭihwa-ri in Poch'ŏn county, Ryanggang, in a very narrow gorge, making aerial attack difficult. The facilities of this station are much more sophisticated than
2808-463: 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
2964-548: 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
3120-524: A reaction to foreign occupation, involvement and influence (primarily by the Chinese and Soviets) in North Korean affairs, and may be described "as a normal and healthy reaction of the Korean people to the deprivation they suffered under foreign domination." However, there is nothing uniquely Marxist or Leninist in this reaction; the primary reason for its description as "communist" is that it occurred in
3276-566: A reshuffling of the CMC (and the military leadership in general) to appease the old guard and younger officials. He did not reshuffle the WPK Central Committee or the government, however, during the 1990s the changes to its membership were caused mostly by its members dying of natural causes . Beginning in 1995, Kim Jong Il favoured the military over the WPK and the state. Problems began to mount as an economic crisis , coupled with
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#17327979440513432-571: A result, several industries in North Korea were on the brink of disaster. Mao Zedong began the Cultural Revolution shortly thereafter, an event criticized by the WPK as "left-wing opportunism" and a manifestation of the " Trotskyist theory of a permanent revolution ." Relations between the CPSU and the CCP stabilized during the 1960s, with the WPK making it clear it would remain neutral in
3588-515: A self-proclaimed socialist state. The WPK (and the North Korean leadership in general) have not explained in detail how their policies are Marxist, Leninist or communist; Juche is defined as "Korean", and the others as "foreign". You requested me to give a detailed explanation of the Juche idea. But there is no end to it. All the policies and lines of our party emanate from the Juche idea and they embody this idea. — Kim Il Sung, when asked by
3744-441: A separate ideology; Kim Jong Il called it "a unique ideology, the contents and structures which cannot simply be described as Marxist–Leninist." At the 5th Congress , Juche was elevated to the same level as Marxism–Leninism. It gained in prominence during the 1970s, and at the 6th Congress in 1980 it was recognized as the WPK's only ideology. During the following decade, Juche transformed from practical to pure ideology. On
3900-466: 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
4056-402: 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,
4212-572: A unified Korea under a communist government; the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would be Seoul, not Pyongyang. Kim Il Sung was the appointed head of government of the new state, with Kim Tu-bong heading the legislative branch. A year later on 24 June 1949, the Workers' Party of Korea was created with the merger of the WPNK and the Workers' Party of South Korea . Kim Il Sung
4368-471: A war against imperialist enemies , he emphasized a domestic response and summed up the party's (and state's) attitude towards military confrontation: "We do not want war, nor are we afraid of it, nor do we beg peace from the imperialists." According to Juche , because of his consciousness man has ultimate control over himself and the ability to change the world. This differs from classical Marxism, which believes that humans depend on their relationship to
4524-404: 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 ,
4680-406: 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
4836-492: Is a sham ideology, developed to extol Kim Il Sung as a political thinker comparable to Mao Zedong . According to Myers, North Korean military-first policy , racism and xenophobia (exemplified by race-based incidents such as the attempted lynching of black Cuban diplomats and forced abortions for North Korean women pregnant with ethnic Chinese children) indicate a base in far-right politics (inherited from Imperial Japan during its colonial occupation of Korea) rather than
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4992-628: Is always benevolent and rules for the benefit of the masses (working class). For the Great Leader system to function, a unitary ideology must be in place; in North Korea, this is known as the Monolithic Ideological System . The Kim dynasty began with Kim Il Sung, the first leader of the WPK and North Korea. The official ideology is that the North Korean system functions "well" because it was established by Kim Il Sung, whose successors follow his bloodline . Every child
5148-431: Is an anthropocentric ideology in which "man is the master of everything and decides everything". Similar to Marxist–Leninist thought, Juche believes that history is law-governed but only man drives progress: "the popular masses are the drivers of history". From the perspective of Juche , the struggle for humanity as a whole to make their own history is restrained by the ruling classes in class society. Additionally, only
5304-640: 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
5460-533: Is educated in "the revolutionary history of the Great Leader" and "the revolutionary history of the Dear Leader" (Kim Jong Il). Kim Il Sung's first choice as successor was Kim Yong-ju , his brother, but he later decided to appoint his son Kim Jong Il instead; this decision was formalized at the 6th Congress. Kim Jong Il appointed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un , as his successor at the 3rd WPK Conference in 2010, and his son succeeded him in early 2011. Because of
5616-694: Is not a revolution in some foreign country but our Korean revolution. Therefore, every ideological action must benefit the Korean revolution. To fulfil the Korean revolution, one should be perfectly cognizant of the history of our national struggle, of Korea's geography, and our customs. From then on, he and the WPK stressed the roles of "revolutionary tradition" and Korea's cultural tradition in its revolution. At party meetings, members and cadres learned about North Korea's national prestige and its coming rejuvenation. Traditional customs were revived, to showcase Korean-ness. By 1965, Kim Il Sung stated that if communists continued opposing individuality and sovereignty ,
5772-407: Is one of Juche 's central tenets. Juche stresses equality and mutual respect among nations, asserting that every state has the right to self-determination . In practice, the beliefs in self-determination and equal sovereignty have turned North Korea into a perceived " hermit kingdom ". As interpreted by the WPK, yielding to foreign pressure or intervention would violate chaju and threaten
5928-628: Is served by the Korean People's Air Force along with the national flag carrier Air Koryo which operates scheduled flights and charter services between Samjiyŏn and P'yŏngyang , Wŏnsan and Ch'ŏngjin . In 2005, the airport was closed due to major renovations, which were partially underwritten by the Hyundai corporation. Samjiyŏn city is served by the narrow-gauge Samjiyŏn Line of the Korean State Railway . Construction of
6084-709: Is the current party leader, serving as General Secretary of the WPK . On 13 October 1945, the North Korean Bureau of the Communist Party of Korea (NKB–CPK) was established, with Kim Yong-bom as its first chairman. However, the NKB–CPK remained subordinate to the CPK Central Committee, which was headquartered in Seoul and headed by Pak Hon-yong . Two months later, at the 3rd Plenum of
6240-635: Is the name given to the caste system established on 30 May 1957 by the WPK Politburo when it adopted the resolution, "On the Transformation of the Struggle with Counter-Revolutionary Elements into an All-People All-Party Movement" (also known as the 30 May Resolution). This led to a purge in North Korean society in which every individual was checked for his or her allegiance to the party and its leader. The purge began in earnest in 1959, when
6396-534: The Eastern Bloc ), with a high-ranking WPK official calling the marriages "a crime against the Korean race" and Eastern Bloc embassies in the country beginning to accuse the regime of fascism . In May 1963, a Soviet diplomat described Kim Il Sung's political circle as a "political Gestapo ". Similar remarks were made by other Eastern Bloc officials in North Korea, with the East German ambassador calling
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6552-536: 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
6708-434: The Korean People's Army and the WPK to help him consolidate power. The following year, on 17 December 2011, Kim Jong Il died . After Kim Jong Il's death, the North Korean elite consolidated Kim Jong Un's position; he was declared in charge of the country when the official report of his father's death was published on 19 December. On 26 December 2011, the official newspaper Rodong Sinmun hailed him as supreme leader of
6864-664: 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
7020-674: The National Security Act and is sanctioned by the United Nations , the European Union , Australia , and the United States . Officially, the WPK is a communist party guided by Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism , a synthesis of the ideas of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il . The party is committed to Juche , an ideology attributed to Kim Il Sung which promotes national independence and development through
7176-551: The New People's Party of Korea , a party primarily composed of communists from China. A special commission of the two parties ratified the merger on 28 July 1946, and it became official the following day. One month later (28–30 August 1946), the party held its founding congress , establishing the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPNK). The congress elected the former leader of the New People's Party of Korea Kim Tu-bong as
7332-590: 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
7488-704: 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
7644-657: The far-left . North Korea considers humanity the driving force of history. "Popular masses are placed in the centre of everything, and the leader in the centre of the masses". Traditional Marxism considers class struggle the driving force of historical progress . However, Marxism also sees class struggle as eventually coming to an end, when class distinctions begin to disappear in a communist society. From this point on, humanity can begin to "more and more consciously, make his own history" as human society ceases to be driven by social forces such as class struggle, but instead becomes "the result of his own free actions." Juche
7800-414: The general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He 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
7956-474: The means of production more than on themselves. The Juche view of a revolution led by a Great Leader, rather than a group of knowledgeable revolutionaries, is a break from Lenin's concept of a vanguard party . Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels did not clarify the difference between the state and law, focusing on class divisions within nations. They argued that nation and law (as it existed then) would be overthrown and replaced by proletarian rule . This
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#17327979440518112-441: The socialist era. However, for the masses to succeed they need a Great Leader . Marxism–Leninism argues that the people will lead, on the basis of their relationship to production. In North Korea a singular Great Leader is considered essential, and this helped Kim Il Sung establish a one-person autocracy . This theory makes the Great Leader an absolute , supreme leader . The working class thinks not for itself, but through
8268-715: The "Great Successor". Kim holds the titles of General Secretary of 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
8424-551: The "Sun of the Nation", "The Iron All-Victorious General" and "Marshal of the All-Mighty Republic" in WPK and state publications; official propaganda stated that "burning loyalty to the leader" was one of the main characteristics of any Korean. Kim Il Sung and his guerilla faction had purged the WPK of its opposing factions during the 1950s and the 1960s, to the dismay of both the CCP and the CPSU. The domestic faction
8580-564: 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
8736-446: 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
8892-610: The Administrative Council) and Yang Hyong-sop (President of the Academy of Social Sciences and chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly ). These individuals were appointed solely because of their ties to the Kim family , and presumably retain their positions as long as the Kim family controls the WPK and the country. The reason for Kim's support of nepotism (his own and that of the guerrilla faction) can be explained by
9048-689: 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
9204-433: The CMC rather than elected by a plenum of the Central Committee. Although it was believed that Kim Jong Il would call a congress shortly after his appointment (to elect a new WPK leadership), he did not. The WPK would not be revitalized organizationally until the 3rd Conference in 2010. Until then, Kim Jong Il ruled as an autocrat ; only in WPK institutions considered important were new members and leaders appointed to take
9360-412: 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
9516-630: 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
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#17327979440519672-439: The Great Leader; he is the mastermind of the working class and its only legitimate representative. Class struggle can only be realized through the Great Leader; difficult tasks in general (and revolutionary changes in particular) can only be introduced through—and by—him. Thus, in historical development the Great Leader is the leading force of the working class; he is a flawless, incorruptible human being who never makes mistakes,
9828-577: The Juche Idea , the primary text on Juche , was published in Kim Jong Il's name in 1982. Juche is, according to this study, inexorably linked with Kim Il Sung and "represents the guiding idea of the Korean Revolution ... we are confronted with the honourable task of modelling the whole society on the Juche idea". In the work, Kim Jong Il says that Juche is not simply a creative application of Marxism–Leninism but "a new era in
9984-620: 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
10140-494: The Kim family and the guerilla faction. Beginning in the late 1980s, "a high (and increasing) proportion of North Korean high officials have been sons of high officials." Since the 1960s, Kim Il Sung had appointed family members to positions of power. By the early 1990s, a number of leading national offices were held by people in his family: Kang Song-san ( Premier of the Administrative Council and member of
10296-638: 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
10452-505: 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
10608-723: The NKB, Kim Yong-bom was replaced by Kim Il Sung , an event which was probably orchestrated by the Soviet Union. The North Korean Bureau became the Communist Party of North Korea in spring 1946, with Kim Il Sung being elected its chairman. On 22 July 1946, Soviet authorities in North Korea established the United Democratic National Front , a popular front led by the Communist Party of North Korea. The Communist Party of North Korea soon merged with
10764-425: 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
10920-442: 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
11076-500: The Sino–Soviet conflict, thus resulting in the 1966 launch of the Juche program aimed at national self-determination at all levels. This, in turn, strengthened Kim Il Sung's position in the WPK. Beginning in the 1960s, Kim Il Sung's cult of personality reached new heights. It had been no greater than Stalin's or Mao's until 1972, when his birthday on 15 April became the country's main public holiday and statues of him began to be built nationwide. Kim became known as "Great Leader",
11232-518: 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
11388-612: 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
11544-688: The WPK Secretariat), Pak Song-chol ( Vice President ), Hwang Jang-yop and Kim Chung-rin (members of the WPK Secretariat), Kim Yong-sun (Head of the WPK International Department and member of the WPK Secretariat), Kang Hui-won (Secretary of the WPK Pyongyang Municipal Committee and Deputy Premier of the Administrative Council), Kim Tal-hyon ( Minister of Foreign Trade ), Kim Chan-ju ( Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Chairman of
11700-492: The WPK established a new supervisory body headed by Kim Il Sung's brother, Kim Yong-ju. The people of North Korea were divided into three "forces" (hostile, neutral or friendly), and the force in which a person was classified was hereditary. Hostile forces cannot live near Pyongyang (the country's capital) or other major cities, or near North Korea's border with other countries. Songbun affects access to educational and employment opportunities and, particularly, eligibility to join
11856-526: The WPK is organizationally similar to other communist parties, in practice it is far less institutionalized and informal politics plays a larger role than usual. Institutions such as the Central Committee , the Secretariat , the Central Military Commission (CMC), the Politburo and the Politburo's Presidium have much less power than what is formally bestowed on them by the party rules . Kim Jong Un
12012-426: The WPK nor the central government could run the country, and began shifting control to the military. A constitutional amendment in 1998 redirected supreme state power in North Korea to the leadership of the military, rather than the WPK. On 8 July 1997, the three-year mourning period for Kim Il Sung ended. Later that year, on 8 October, Kim Jong Il was appointed to the newly established office of General Secretary of
12168-580: The WPK, with the ideology being again written to the party rules. He also increasingly replaced Songun with "people-first politics" in the party rules. The WPK maintains a leftist image, and normally sends a delegation to the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties , where it has some support; its 2011 resolution, "Let us jointly commemorate the Birth Centenary of the Great Leader comrade President Kim Il Sung as
12324-400: The WPK. By 1962 Kim Il Sung and the WPK favored the CCP over the CPSU in the ideological struggle, and "for a few years North Korea almost unconditionally supported the Chinese position on all important issues." The primary conflict between the WPK and the CPSU during this period was that Kim Il Sung did not support the denunciation of Stalinism , the creation of a collective leadership , and
12480-443: 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,
12636-494: The Workers' Party of Korea. After celebrations for Kim Jong Il's 70th birth anniversary, the Politburo announced on 18 February the 4th Party Conference (which was scheduled for mid-April 2012, near the 100th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung) "to glorify the sacred revolutionary life and feats of Kim Jong Il for all ages and accomplish the Juche cause, the Songun revolutionary cause, rallied close around Kim Jong Un". Kim Jong Un
12792-421: The Workers' Party of Korea. There was considerable discussion by foreign experts about why Kim Jong Il was appointed General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, instead of succeeding his father as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. In a clear breach of the WPK rules, Kim Jong Il was appointed WPK General Secretary in a joint announcement by the 6th Central Committee and
12948-615: The area immediately around the station. During the annual presidential visit in July or August, the entire civilian population is employed to clean the transportation system and local environment. The Samjiyon Grand Monument consists of four groups of sculptures called On the Battlefield , Fatherland , Longing , and Forwards . Samjiyŏn has been a holiday resort and destination for two presidents of North Korea. Both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il have established palaces and compounds in
13104-472: The area, accessed by a specially developed and exclusive railway station for the presidential train . Samjiyon has a subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification Dwc/Dwb ) with cool summers and cold, dry winters. It has one of the three speed skating ovals in the country. 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
13260-445: 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
13416-600: The behaviours of the people of North Korea. The Ten Principles have come to supersede the national constitution or edicts by the Workers' Party, and in practice serve as the supreme law of the country. Tomatoes, which are completely red to the core, are considered worthy Communists; apples, which are red only on the surface, are considered to need ideological improvement; and grapes are completely hopeless. — The three main classifications in North Korean society (core, wavering, and hostile), are metaphorically described as tomatoes, apples, and grapes, respectively. Songbun
13572-724: The conflict. The war had the effect of weakening Soviet influence over Kim Il Sung and the WPK. Around this time, the main fault lines in early WPK politics were created. Four factions formed: the domestic faction (WPK cadres who had remained in Korea during Japanese rule), the Soviet faction (Koreans from the Soviet Union), the Yan'an faction (Koreans from China) and the guerrilla faction (Kim Il Sung's personal faction). However, Kim Il Sung would be unable to further strengthen his position until
13728-423: The congress. In it he claimed that North Korea was "a base of democracy", in contrast to South Korea, which he believed to be dictatorial. On 28 April 1948 a special session of the Supreme People's Assembly approved the constitution proposed and written by WPNK cadres, which led to the official establishment of an independent North Korea. It did not call for the establishment of an independent North Korea, but for
13884-802: 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
14040-418: 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
14196-501: The country's ability to defend its sovereignty. This may explain why Kim Jong Il believed that the Korean revolution would fail if North Korea became dependent on a foreign entity. In relations with fellow socialist countries China and the Soviet Union Kim Il Sung urged cooperation, mutual support and dependence, acknowledging that it was important for North Korea to learn from other countries. Despite this, he abhorred
14352-653: 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
14508-736: The current third site. However, on inspecting the completed facilities, Kim Il-sung deemed it unsuitable, as it was in view of China's mountains. Ordering a third rebuild, the second station was taken over by the Samjiyŏn Precision Machinery Factory (the No. 95 Munitions Factory) after completion of the current, third site, in 1992. This third station is located directly on the Paektu Mountain Tourist Road , which gives direct access to Kim Il-sung's palace compound. 20 civilian personnel and two military squads protect
14664-491: The development of human history ". The WPK's break with basic Marxist–Leninist premises is spelt out clearly in the article, " Let Us March Under the Banner of Marxism–Leninism and the Juche Idea ". Despite Juche 's conception as a creative application of Marxism and Leninism , some scholars argue it has little direct connection to them. Policies may be explained without a Marxist or Leninist rationale, making
14820-413: The efforts of the popular masses. Although Juche was originally presented as the Korean interpretation of Marxism–Leninism , the party now presents it as a freestanding philosophy. The WPK recognizes the ruling Kim family as the ultimate source of its political thought. The fourth party conference, held in 2012, amended the party rules to state that Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism was "the only guiding idea of
14976-555: The end of the war. Relations worsened between the WPK and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) when Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev , began pursuing a policy of de-Stalinization . During the Sino–Soviet conflict , an ideological conflict between the CPSU and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Kim Il Sung manoeuvred between the two socialist superpowers; by doing so, he weakened their influence on
15132-562: The fact that he did not want the party bureaucracy to threaten his—and his son's—rule as it did in other socialist states. It was first generally believed by foreign observers that Kim Il Sung was planning for his brother, Kim Yong-ju , to succeed him. Kim Yong-ju's authority gradually increased, until he became co-chairman of the North-South Coordination Committee. From late 1972 to the 6th WPK Congress , Kim Yong-ju became an increasingly remote figure in
15288-453: The familial succession and the appointment of family members to high office, the Kim family has been called a dynasty and a royal family . Dae-Sook Suh , the author of Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader , notes that "What he [Kim Il Sung] has built in the North, however, resembles more a political system to accommodate his personal rule than a communist or socialist state in Korea. It is not
15444-400: The first WPNK chairman, with Kim Il Sung its appointed deputy chairman. However, despite his formal downgrade in the party's hierarchy, Kim Il Sung remained its leader. Party control increased throughout the country after the congress. From 27 to 30 March 1948, the WPNK convened its 2nd Congress . While Kim Tu-bong was still the party's formal head, Kim Il Sung presented the main report to
15600-485: 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
15756-430: The idea that North Korea could (or should) depend on the two nations and did not want to dogmatically follow their example. Kim Il Sung said that the WPK needed to "resolutely repudiate the tendency to swallow things of others undigested or imitate them mechanically", attributing the success of North Korea on the WPK's independence in implementing policies. To ensure North Korean independence, official pronouncements stressed
15912-441: The identification of specific influences from these ideologies difficult. Some analysts say it is easier to connect Juche with nationalism, but not a unique form of nationalism. Although the WPK claims to be socialist-patriotic , some analysts state its socialist patriotism would be more similar to bourgeois nationalism ; the chief difference is that socialist patriotism is nationalism in a socialist state . Juche developed as
16068-492: The instructions of the Central Committee is not because of party organizations and workers, but because of my authority." Kim Jong Il said that his father had told him to avoid economics, claiming that it was better left to experts. After this speech, the WPK's responsibility to control the economy was given to the Administrative Council (the central government). By late 1996, Kim Jong Il concluded that neither
16224-573: The line of independence, self-sustenance, and self-defence to consolidate the political independence of the country ( chaju ), build up more solidly the foundations of an independent national economy capable of insuring the complete unification, independence, and prosperity of our nation ( charip ) and increasing the country's defence capabilities, so as to safeguard the security of the fatherland reliably by our own force ( chawi ), by splendidly embodying our Party's idea of Juche in all fields." The principle of political independence known as chaju
16380-755: 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
16536-467: 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
16692-642: 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
16848-439: The movement would be threatened by dogmatism and revisionism . He criticized those communists who, he believed, subscribed to "national nihilism by praising all things foreign and vilifying all things national" and tried to impose foreign models on their own country. By the 1960s, Juche was a full-fledged ideology calling for a distinct path for North Korean socialist construction and non-interference in its affairs; however,
17004-595: 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,
17160-404: The nearby civilian Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Station . Officially called Hyesan No.1 Railway Station , it is commonly known as Wangdŏk Station due to the original 1985 station having been built only 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Wangdŏk. The first station was built in 1985, but as it was easily viewed from China, in 1989 it was destroyed and moved to a second site, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of
17316-498: The need for the people to unite under the WPK and the Great Leader. Economic independence ( charip ) is seen as the material basis of chaju . One of Kim Il Sung's greatest fears involved North Korean dependence on foreign aid; he believed it would threaten the country's ability to develop socialism, which only a state with a strong, independent economy could do. Charip emphasizes an independent national economy based on heavy industry ; this sector, in theory, would then drive
17472-709: The need to "reflect the demands of the revolutionary development of the Party, which is facing critical changes in bringing about the strong and prosperous state and Juche development." The conference met on 28 September, revising the party rules and electing (and dismissing) members of the Central Committee, the Secretariat, the Politburo, the Presidium and other bodies. Kim Jong Un was confirmed as heir apparent; Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho and General Kim Kyong-hui (Kim Jong Il's sister) were appointed to leading positions in
17628-520: The oldest active party in Korea . It also controls the Korean People's Army , North Korea's armed forces. The WPK is the largest party represented in the Supreme People's Assembly and coexists with two other legal parties that are completely subservient to the WPK and must accept the WPK's " leading role " as a condition of their existence. The WPK is banned in the Republic of Korea ( South Korea ) under
17784-458: The party and the state. On 30 December a meeting of the Politburo officially appointed him Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army , after he was nominated for the position by Kim Jong Il in October 2011 (the anniversary of Kim Jong Il's becoming general secretary). Despite the fact that he was not a Politburo member, Kim Jong Un was named to the unofficial position of the supreme leader of
17940-477: The party experienced its first open inner struggle in decades with the purge of Jang Song-thaek . The party has seen somewhat of a revival under Kim Jong Un, with more frequent meetings. There have been two conferences, after a gap of 44 years, and a congress between 2010 and 2016. After staging a huge military parade in celebration of the party's 70th anniversary on 10 October 2015, the Politburo announced that its 7th Congress will be held on 6 May 2016 after
18096-546: 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
18252-421: The party". Under Kim Jong Il, who governed as chairman of the National Defence Commission , communism was steadily removed from party and state documents in favor of Songun , or military-first politics. The military, rather than the working class, was established as the base of political power. However, his successor Kim Jong Un reversed this position in 2021, replacing Songun with "people-first politics" as
18408-400: The party's political method and reasserting the party's commitment to communism. The WPK is organized according to the Monolithic Ideological System , conceived by Kim Yong-ju and Kim Jong Il. The highest body of the WPK is formally the party congress; however, before Kim Jong Un's tenure as party leader, a congress rarely occurred. Between 1980 and 2016, no congresses were held. Although
18564-489: The party. Kim Jong Il remained WPK General Secretary, controlling the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD) and other institutions. While the central WPK leadership composition was not renewed in a single stroke until 2010, the WPK retained its important role as a mass organization . On 26 June 2010, the Politburo announced that it was summoning delegates for the 3rd Conference, with its official explanation of
18720-567: The people's ideals are fully realized" and further state it upholds "the revolutionary principles of Marxism–Leninism". Brian Reynolds Myers , Jasper Becker , and Dae-Sook Suh argue that the WPK's ideology is xenophobic, racist, and nationalist. Although the term " Juche " was first used in Kim Il Sung's speech (given in 1955), " On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work ", Juche as
18876-406: The place of dying officials. The 10th Supreme People's Assembly convened on 5 September 1998, amended the North Korean constitution . The amended constitution made the National Defense Commission (NDC), previously responsible for supervising the military, the highest state organ. Although the new constitution gave the cabinet and the NDC more independence from WPK officials, it did not weaken
19032-600: The policy "Goebbelsian" (a reference to Joseph Goebbels , Hitler's minister of propaganda ). Although this was said during a low point in relations between North Korea and the Eastern Bloc, it illustrated a perception of racism in Kim Il Sung's policies. In his book The Cleanest Race (2010), Brian Reynolds Myers dismisses the idea that Juche is North Korea's leading ideology. He views its public exaltation as being designed to deceive foreigners; it exists to be praised rather than followed. Myers writes that Juche
19188-452: 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,
19344-496: The political system he built that will survive him; it is his son [Kim Jong Il], whom he has designated heir, who will succeed his reign." The ruling Kim family has been described as the head of a de facto absolute monarchy or "hereditary dictatorship". The Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System are a set of ten principles and 65 clauses which establish standards for governance and guide
19500-458: 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
19656-416: The regime. At the 6th Congress, he lost his Politburo and Central Committee seats, and rumours that Kim Il Sung had begun grooming Kim Jong Il in 1966 were confirmed. From 1974 to the 6th Congress, Kim Jong Il (called the "Party centre" by North Korean media) was the second most powerful man in North Korea. His selection was criticized, with his father accused of creating a dynasty or turning North Korea into
19812-473: 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
19968-477: 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
20124-461: The rest of the economy. Kim Jong Il said: Building an independent national economy means building an economy which is free from dependence on others and which stands on its own feet, an economy which serves one's own people and develops on the strength of the resources of one's own country and by the efforts of one's people. Kim Il Sung considered military independence ( chawi ) crucial. Acknowledging that North Korea might need military support in
20280-482: The restoration of capitalism. The revival of the term "state" in the Soviet Union under Stalin led to the revival of the term "nation" in North Korea under Kim Il Sung. Despite official assertions that the Soviet Union was based on "class" rather than "state", the latter was revived during the 1930s. In 1955, Kim Il Sung expressed a similar view in his speech, "On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work": What we are doing now
20436-400: The same time, I mean nationalist and internationalist. Whatever the name and however elaborate his claim, Kim's Juche idea is nothing more than xenophobic nationalism that has little relevance to communism. — Dae-Sook Suh , author of Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader During the 1960s the WPK began forcing ethnic Koreans to divorce their European spouses (who were primarily from
20592-534: 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
20748-527: 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
20904-506: The sole remaining living member of the Presidium (the highest body of the WPK when the Politburo and the Central Committee are not in session). While no member list of the WPK Central Military Commission (CMC, the highest party organ on military affairs) was published from 1993 to 2010, there were clear signs of movement in the military hierarchy during 1995. For the WPK's 50th anniversary, Kim Jong Il initiated
21060-454: The state would still exist if the Soviet Union reached the communist mode of production but the socialist world was encircled by capitalist forces. Kim Il Sung took this position to its logical conclusion, arguing that the state would exist after North Korea reached the communist mode of production until a future world revolution . As long as capitalism survived, even if the socialist world predominated, North Korea could still be threatened by
21216-450: 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
21372-466: 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
21528-449: The theory of peaceful coexistence between the capitalist and socialist worlds. Kim Il Sung believed peaceful coexistence to be synonymous with capitulation and knew that de-Stalinization in North Korea would effectively end his unlimited power over the WPK. The result of the souring of relations between the CPSU and the WPK was that the Soviet Union discontinued aid to North Korea. China was meanwhile unwilling to increase its aid, and, as
21684-474: 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
21840-430: The workers, nationalism changed from a reactionary to a progressive idea. Kim Il Sung differentiated "nationalism" from what he called "genuine nationalism"; while genuine nationalism was a progressive idea, nationalism remained reactionary: True nationalism (genuine nationalism) is similar to patriotism . Only a genuine patriot can become a devoted and true internationalist . In this sense, when I say communist, at
21996-407: The working class can overcome these restraints and achieve a society where humanity can independently and creatively make their own history. Juche is in line with historical materialism , viewing mankind's ability to drive their own history as the culmination of a long-term historical process, whose foundations were laid by capitalism's ushering in of the working class, and thus Juche is unique to
22152-531: The year, was, in fact, alive and well. Workers%27 Party of Korea The Workers' Party of Korea ( WPK ), also called the Korean Workers' Party ( KWP ), is the sole ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. Founded in 1949 from a merger between the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party of South Korea , the WPK is
22308-453: The younger generation, in On the Juche Idea he made it clear that his leadership would not mark the beginning of a new generation of leaders. The WPK could not address the crisis facing Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il's leadership at home and abroad, in part because of the gerontocracy at the highest level of the WPK and the state. With the death of O Jin-u on 25 February 1995, Kim Jong Il became
22464-411: 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
22620-544: 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
22776-407: 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
22932-413: 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
23088-414: 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
23244-483: Was not the most ardent supporter of a military reunification of Korea; that role was played by the South Korean communists, headed by Pak Hon-yong. After several meetings between Kim Il Sung and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin , North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, thus beginning the Korean War . With American intervention in the war the DPRK nearly collapsed, but it was saved by Chinese intervention in
23400-691: 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
23556-417: Was promoted to the rank of " Marshal of the Republic " in July 2012. At the 4th Party Conference on 11 April, Kim Jong Il was declared Eternal General Secretary and Kim Jong Un was elected to the newly created post of First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Presidium. The conference amended the party rules to say Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism "the only guiding idea of the party". In December 2013,
23712-510: 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
23868-488: Was revised and the characteristic of a "shared bloodline" was added to the definition. During the 1980s a common economic life was removed from the definition, with shared bloodline receiving increased emphasis. The WPK revised the meaning of nationalism in response to the democratic transition in South Korea and the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Previously defined in Stalinist terms as a bourgeois weapon to exploit
24024-626: Was the first to go (in 1953–55), followed by the Yan'an faction in 1957–58 and the Soviet Koreans (along with anyone else deemed unfaithful to the WPK leadership) in the 1957–62 purge. According to historian Andrei Lankov , "Kim Il Sung had become not only supreme but also the omnipotent ruler of North Korea—no longer merely 'first amongst equals, as had been the case in the late 1940s". After purging his WPK opposition, Kim Il Sung consolidated his power base with nepotism and hereditary succession in
24180-441: Was the mainstream view of Soviet theoreticians during the 1920s; however, with Stalin at the helm in 1929, it was under attack. He criticized Nikolai Bukharin 's position that the proletariat was hostile to the inclinations of the state , arguing that since the state (the Soviet Union) was in transition from capitalism to socialism the relationship between the state and the proletariat was harmonious. By 1936, Stalin argued that
24336-709: 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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