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This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim. A Korean name consists of a Family name followed by a Given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea Kim is the most common family name in Korea. The name is common in both modern-day North Korea and South Korea.
Kim Il-Sung
김일성
Kim Il-sung
Incumbent
Assumed office 
28 December 1972
Preceded by None
In office
30 June 1949 – 8 July 1994
Preceded by None
Succeeded by Kim Jong-il
In office
9 September 1948 – 28 December 1972
Preceded by None
Succeeded by Kim Jong-il
Born April 15, 1912(1912-04-15)
Pyongyang, Japanese Korea
Died July 8, 1994 (aged 82)
Pyongyang, DPRK
Nationality North Korean
Political party Workers' Party of Korea
Spouse Kim Jong-suk (d. The President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( North Korea) was established in the North Korean 1972 constitution. The position of Eternal President of the Republic (공화국의 영원한 주석 is established by a line in the preface to the North Korean constitution. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea is the General secretary of the North Korean ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu This is a list of Premiers of North Korea. Kim Il-sung ( 9 September 1948 - 28 December 1972) Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK is the ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK commonly known as North Korea Kim Jong-suk (December 24 1917 – September 22 1949 was Kim Il-sung 's first wife and Kim Jong-il 's mother 1949)
Kim Song-ae
Children Kim Jong-il, Kim Man-il, Kim Kyong-jin, Kim Pyong-il, Kim Yong-il
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 김일성
Hancha 金日成
McCune-Reischauer Kim Ilsŏng
Revised Romanization Gim Il-seong
North Korea

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Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of North Korea from its founding in early 1948 until his death, when he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il. Kim Sŏng-ae (born 1928 was the second wife of the late North Korean leader president Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu Kim Pyong-il (born 10 August 1954) is the half-brother of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and the son of former leader Kim Not to be confused with Kim Jong-il, the leader of North Korea. A Korean name consists of a Family name followed by a Given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language Romanization systems along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language Romanization system in South Korea. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The Politics of North Korea take place within a nominally democratic multi-party framework in practice North Korea functions as a Dominant-party state. The Constitution of North Korea currently in force dates from September 5, 1998 and lays out the framework of the national government and the functions of the The Juche Idea (주체사상 Juche Sasang) is the official state Ideology of North Korea and the Political system based on it The position of Eternal President of the Republic (공화국의 영원한 주석 is established by a line in the preface to the North Korean constitution. The National Defence Commission of North Korea (NDC is defined by the 1998 constitution as “the highest guiding organ of the military and the managing organ of military matters The National Defence Commission of North Korea (NDC is defined by the 1998 constitution as “the highest guiding organ of the military and the managing organ of military matters Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu The North Korean Government is the executive branch of the state according to the constitution This is a list of Premiers of North Korea. Kim Il-sung ( 9 September 1948 - 28 December 1972) Not to be confused with Kim Jong-il, the leader of North Korea. The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA is the Unicameral Parliament of North Korea (DPRK The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA is the Unicameral Parliament of North Korea (DPRK Kim Yong-nam (born February 4 1928 is a top North Korean official The administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels The Central Court is the highest court and has judges appointed by the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA Political parties in North Korea are heavily tied to the function of the government The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK is the ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK commonly known as North Korea Elections in North Korea are held every five years At the national level North Koreans elect a Legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA Legislative elections were held in North Korea on 3 August 2003. Parliamentary elections were due to be held in North Korea on 5 August 2008. Korean reunification is a possible future Reunification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government The human rights record of North Korea is extremely difficult to fully assess due to the secretive and closed nature of the country The Foreign relations of North Korea are often tense and unpredictable Sŏn'gun, often spelled Songun, is North Korea 's “Military First” policy which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in the affairs of state and allocates Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death. This is a list of Premiers of North Korea. Kim Il-sung ( 9 September 1948 - 28 December 1972) The President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( North Korea) was established in the North Korean 1972 constitution. He was also the General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea where he exercised autocratic power. The term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions parties churches or associations The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK is the ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK commonly known as North Korea An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler As leader of North Korea, he ended up switching from a Marxist-Leninist ideology to his self-developed Juche idea and established a personality cult. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted The Juche Idea (주체사상 Juche Sasang) is the official state Ideology of North Korea and the Political system based on it A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise North Korea officially refers to him as the "Great Leader" and he is designated in the constitution as the country's "Eternal President". The position of Eternal President of the Republic (공화국의 영원한 주석 is established by a line in the preface to the North Korean constitution. His birthday and the day of his death are public holidays in North Korea. This is a list of Public holidays in North Korea as of 2007 See also Korean calendar for a list of traditional holidays

Contents

Early years

Kim Il Sung's birthplace in Mangyondae
Kim Il Sung's birthplace in Mangyondae

Much of the early records of his life come from his own personal accounts and official North Korean government publications, which often conflict with independent sources. Nevertheless, there is some consensus on at least the basic story of his early life, corroborated by witnesses from the period. Kim was born to Kim Hyŏng-jik and Kang Pan-sŏk, who gave him the name Kim Sŏng-ju, and had two younger brothers, Ch’ŏl-chu and Yŏng-ju. Kim Hyŏng-jik ( July 10 1894 – June 5 1926) was the father of the late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung and the grandfather He was born in Nam-ri, Kophyŏng District, Taedong County, South P'yŏngan Province (currently the Mangyŏngdae area of P'yŏngyang), then under Japanese occupation. South P'yŏngan ( P'yŏngan-namdo) is a province of North Korea. Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. The ancestral seat (pon’gwan) of Kim's family is Chŏnju, North Chŏlla Province, and what little that is known about the family contends that sometime around the time of the Korean-Japanese war of 1592-98, a direct ancestor moved north. A bon-gwan is the place of origin of a clan in Korea which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share a same Family name (clan name Jeonju is a city in South Korea, and the capital of Jeollabuk-do, or North Jeolla Province Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The claim may be understood in light of the fact that the early Chosŏn government's policy of populating the north resulted in mass resettlement of southern farmers in Phyŏngan and Hamgyŏng regions in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. At any rate, the majority of the Chŏnju Kim, today live in North Korea, and extant Chŏnju Kim genealogies provide spotty records. Moreover, a persistent rumour alleges that during the North Korean occupation of Seoul in the Korean War, the North Koreans collected all the available Chŏnju Kim genealogies and took them to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia,

The exact history of Kim's family is somewhat obscure. The family was neither very poor nor comfortably well-off, but was always a step away from poverty. Kim was raised in a Protestant Christian family with strong ties to the church: his maternal grandfather was a Protestant minister, his father had gone to a missionary school, and both his parents were reportedly very active in the religious community. According to the official version, Kim's family participated in Japanese opposition activities and in 1920 they fled to Manchuria, where he became fluent in Chinese. The more objective view seems to be that his family settled in Manchuria like many Koreans at the time to escape famine. Nonetheless, Kim’s parents apparently did play a minor role in some activist groups, though whether their cause was missionary, nationalist, or both is unclear. [1]

Kim’s father died in 1926, when Kim was fourteen years old. Kim attended Yulin Middle School in Jilin, where he rejected the feudal traditions of older generation Koreans and became interested in communist ideologies; his formal education ended when he was arrested and jailed for subversive activities. ( Postal map spelling: Kirin; Manchu: Girin ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based At seventeen, Kim had become the youngest member of an underground Marxist organization with less than twenty members, led by Hŏ So, who belonged to the South Manchurian Communist Youth Association. The police discovered the group three weeks after it was formed in 1929, and jailed Kim for several months. [2][3]

He joined various anti-Japanese guerrilla groups in northern China, and in 1935 he became a member of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, a guerrilla group led by the Communist Party of China. The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was an anti-Japanese guerrilla army in the Northeast part ( Manchuria) of China after the occupation of Manchuria by Japan in 1931 The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Kim was appointed the same year to serve as political commissar for the 3rd detachment of the second division, around 160 soldiers. [1] It was here that Kim met the man who would become his mentor as a communist, Wei Zhengmin, Kim’s immediate superior officer, who was serving at the time as chairman of the Political Committee of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. Wei reported directly to Kang Sheng, a high-ranking party member close to Mao Zedong in Yan'an, until Wei's death on March 8, 1941. Kang Sheng ( Chinese: 康生 1898&ndash December 16, 1975) Communist Party of China (CPC official was the head of the People's Republic Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Yan'an ( is a city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [4]

Also in 1935 Kim took the name Kim Il-sung, meaning "become the sun. "[5] By the end of the war, this name would be legendary in Korea, and some historians have claimed that it was not Kim Sŏng-ju who originally made the name famous. Soviet propagandist Grigory Mekler, who claims to have prepared Kim to lead North Korea, says that Kim assumed this name while in the Soviet Union in the early 1940s from a former commander who had died. [6] On the other hand, some Koreans simply did not believe that someone as young as Kim could have anything to do with the legend. [7] Historian Andrei Lankov has claimed that the rumor Kim Il Sung was somehow switched with the “original” Kim is unlikely to be true. Andrei Nikolaevich Lankov ( Russian: Андрей Николаевич Ланьков born 26 July, 1963 in Leningrad) is a historian of Several witnesses knew Kim before and after his time in the Soviet Union, including his superior, Zhou Baozhong, who dismissed the claim of a “second” Kim in his diaries. Zhou Baozhong ( Chinese: 周保中 1902–1964 was a commander of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army resisting the Pacification of Manchukuo by the [8]

Kim was appointed commander of the 6th division in 1937, at the age of 24, controlling a few hundred men in a group that came to be known as “Kim Il Sung’s division. ” It was while he was in command of this division that he executed a raid on Poch’onbo, on June 4. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Although Kim’s division only captured a small Japanese-held town just across the Korean border for a few hours, it was nonetheless considered a military success at this time, when the guerrilla units had experienced difficulty in capturing any enemy territory. This accomplishment would grant Kim some measure of fame among Chinese guerrillas, and North Korean biographies would later exploit as a great victory for Korea. Kim was appointed commander of the 2nd operational region for the 1st Army, but by the end of 1940, he was the only 1st Army leader still alive. Pursued by Japanese troops, Kim and what remained of his army escaped by crossing the Amur river into the Soviet Union. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 [9] Kim was sent to a camp near Khabarovsk, where the Korean Communist guerrillas were retrained by the Soviets. Khabarovsk (Хаба́ровск xʌ'barɘfsk) is the administrative center and the largest city of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. Kim became a Captain in the Soviet Red Army and served in it until the end of World War II. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya

The Communist Party of Korea had been founded in 1925, but had soon been disbanded due to internal strife. Communist Party of Korea (조선공산당 was a Communist party in Korea. In 1931, Kim had joined the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the When he returned to Korea, in September 1945, with the Soviet forces, he was installed by the Soviets as head of the Provisional People's Committee. He was not, at this time, the head of the Communist Party, whose headquarters were in Seoul in the U.S.-occupied south. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the During his early years as leader, he assumed a position of influence largely due to the backing of the Korean population which was supportive of his fight against Japanese occupation.

One of Kim's most enduring accomplishments was his establishment of a professional army, the North Korean People's Army (NKPA), formed from a cadre of guerrillas and former soldiers who had gained combat experience in battles against the Japanese and later Nationalist Chinese troops. The Korean People's Army (short KPA is the Military of North Korea. From their ranks, using Soviet advisers and equipment, Kim constructed a large army skilled in infiltration tactics and guerrilla warfare. Before the outbreak of the Korean War, Joseph Stalin equipped the NKPA with modern heavy tanks, trucks, artillery, and small arms (at the time, the South Korean Army had nothing remotely comparable either in numbers of troops or equipment). Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Kim also formed an air force, equipped at first with ex-Soviet propeller-driven fighter and attack aircraft. Later, North Korean pilot candidates were sent to the Soviet Union and China to train in MiG-15 jet aircraft at secret bases. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout [10]

Korean War

Main article: Korean War

By 1948, it was apparent that, due to political and ideological polarization between the two emerging Korean governments, immediate peaceful re-unification would not be possible. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the After the South formally declared independence as the Republic of Korea, the people of northern Korea chose Kim Il Sung as the prime minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), forming a new country that would henceforth be commonly known as "North Korea". South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː The Communist Party merged with the New People's Party to form the Workers Party of North Korea (of which Kim was vice-chairman). The Workers Party of North Korea (북조선로동당 ( 1946 – 1949) was a Communist party in North Korea, a predecessor of the current Workers In 1949, the Workers Party of North Korea merged with its southern counterpart to become the Workers Party of Korea (WPK) with Kim as party chairman. The Workers Party of South Korea (남조선로동당 was a Communist party in South Korea from 1946 to 1949. The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK is the ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK commonly known as North Korea

U. S. occupied South Korea (ROK) usurped power from locally controlled "People's Committees" and reinstalled many of the former land owners and police that had held office when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. These moves were met with heavy resistance and open rebellion in some parts of South Korea such as the southern islands. [11]. After several altercations at the border, it appeared that civil war might be inevitable. North Korean troops crossed the border on 25 June 1950 intending to unify the country under a communist government. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Evidence suggests that the North's bid to reunify the country was met with a wide range of popular support across the south. [12] Archival material suggests[13][14][15] that the decision was Kim's own initiative rather than a Soviet one. Evidence suggests that Soviet intelligence, through its espionage sources in the U. S. government and British SIS, had obtained information on the limitations of U. The Secret Intelligence Service ( SIS) colloquially known as MI6 is the United Kingdom 's external Intelligence agency. S. atomic bomb stockpiles as well as defence program cuts, leading Stalin to conclude that the Truman administration would not intervene in Korea. [16]

The People's Republic of China acquiesced only reluctantly to the idea of Korean reunification after being told by Kim that Stalin had approved the action,[13][14][15] and did not provide direct military support (other than logistics channels) until United Nations troops, largely U. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security S. forces, had nearly reached the Yalu River late in 1950. The Yalu River ( Chinese) or the Amnok River ( Korean) is a River on the border between China and North Korea. North Korean forces captured Seoul and occupied most of the South, but were soon driven back by the U. S. led invasion. By October, U. S. forces had retaken Seoul and on October 19 captured P’yŏngyang, forcing Kim and his government to flee to China.

On 25 October 1950, after sending various warnings of their intent to intervene if UN forces did not halt their advance, Chinese troops in their thousands crossed the Yalu River and entered the war as allies of the NKPA. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The UN troops were forced to withdraw and Chinese troops retook P’yŏngyang in December and Seoul in January 1951. In March U. N. and U. S. forces began a new offensive, retaking Seoul. After a series of offensives and counter-offensives by both sides, followed by a gruelling period of largely static trench warfare, the front was stabilized along what eventually became the permanent "Armistice Line" of 27 July 1953. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. North Korea was devastated by U. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, S. bombardment with few buildings left standing. By the time of the armistice, upwards of 3. 5 million Koreans had died in the conflict.

Leader of North Korea

Restored as leader of North Korea, Kim embarked on the reconstruction of the country devastated by the war. He launched a five-year national economic plan to establish a command economy, with all industry owned by the state and all agriculture collectivised. A planned economy or directed economy is an Economic system in which the Government or Workers' councils manages the Economy. Collective farming is an organization of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise The nation was founded on egalitarian principles intent on eliminating class differences and the economy was based upon the needs of workers and peasants. The economy was focused on heavy industry and arms production. Both South and North Korea retained huge armed forces to defend the 1953 ceasefire line, although no foreign troops were permanently stationed in North Korea.

During the 1950s, Kim was seen as an orthodox Communist leader. He rejected the USSR's destalinization and began to distance himself from his sponsor, including the removal of any mention of his Red Army career from official history. The Cold War ensued as the USSR and the United States struggled indirectly for influence around the world Kim was seen by many as an influential anti-revisionist leader in the communist movement. In 1956, anti-Kim elements encouraged by de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union emerged within the Party to criticize Kim and demand reforms. [17] After a period of vacillation, Kim instituted a purge, executing some found guilty of treason and forcing the rest into exile. [17] When the Sino-Soviet split developed in the 1960s, Kim initially sided with the Chinese but never severed his relations with the Soviets. The Sino-Soviet split was a gradual divergence of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China (PRC and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR When the Cultural Revolution broke out in China after 1966, Kim veered back to the Soviet side. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into At the same time, he established an extensive personality cult, and all North Koreans began to address him as "Great Leader" (widaehan suryŏng 위대한 수령). A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise Kim developed the policy and ideology of Juche (self-reliance) rather than becoming a soviet satellite state. The Juche Idea (주체사상 Juche Sasang) is the official state Ideology of North Korea and the Political system based on it

In the mid-1960s, Kim became impressed with the efforts of Hồ Chí Minh to reunify Vietnam through guerrilla warfare and thought something similar might be possible in Korea. For the city named after him see Ho Chi Minh City. Hồ Chí Minh (name Infiltration and subversion efforts were thus greatly stepped up against U. S. occupying forces and the leadership that they supported. Efforts that culminated in an attempt to storm the Blue House and assassinate President Park Chung-hee. Cheong Wa Dae (translation The House of the Blue Roof Tiles or the Blue House, Office of the President of the Republic of Korea) is the executive office Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic North Korean troops thus took a much more aggressive stance toward U. S. forces in and around South Korea, engaging U. S. Army troops in firefights along the Demilitarized Zone. The Korean Demilitarized Zone ( Korean: 한반도의 군사 분계선 is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a Buffer The 1968 capture of the crew of the spy ship USS Pueblo was a part of this campaign. Initial operations The ship was launched at the Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Kewaunee Wisconsin, on 16 April 1944

A new constitution was proclaimed in December 1972, under which Kim became President of North Korea. By this time, he had decided that his son Kim Jong-il would succeed him, and increasingly delegated the running of the government to him. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu The Kim family was supported by the army, due to Kim Il-sung's revolutionary record and the support of the veteran defense minister, O Chin-u. At the Sixth Party Congress in October 1980, Kim publicly designated his son as his successor.

Later years

Kim Il-sung's official portrait
Kim Il-sung's official portrait

From about this time, however, North Korea encountered increasing economic difficulties after many successful decades of economic development. The economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping in China from 1979 onward meant that trade with socialist North Korea held decreasing interest for China. Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer The collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, during 1989–1991, completed North Korea's virtual isolation. These events along with economic sanctions imposed by the U. S. led to mounting economic difficulties. North Korea experienced slower industrialization, a higher infant mortality rate, and lower life expectancy than South Korea for several decades. Thus, by the 1990's the lack of trading partners after the collapse of the Soviet Union, U. S. sanctions, and damaging floods, caused North Korea to face years of hardship.

North Korea repeatedly predicted that Korea would be re-united before Kim's 70th birthday in 1982, and there were fears in the West that Kim would launch a new Korean War. But, by this time, the disparity in economic and military power between the North and the South (where the U. S. military presence continues) made such a venture impossible.

As he aged, Kim developed a large growth on the back of his neck, a calcium deposit, or hok in Korean, usually resulting from childhood malnutrition. Calcinosis is the formation of Calcium deposits in any Soft tissue. Its location near his brain and spinal cord made it inoperable. Because of its unappealing nature, North Korean photographers always shot from the same slight-left angle, which became a difficult task as the growth reached the size of a baseball. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each [18][19]

In 1994, Kim began investing in nuclear power to offset energy issues brought on by economic problems. This was the first of many "nuclear crises", although the U. S. had nuclear weapons in South Korea as early as 1953, and threatened to use them during the Korean War. On 19 May 1994, Kim ordered spent fuel to be unloaded from the already disputed nuclear research facility in Yongbyon. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Despite repeated chiding from Western nations, Kim continued to conduct nuclear research and carry on with the uranium enrichment program. In June 1994, former President Jimmy Carter travelled to Pyongyang for talks with Kim. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 To the astonishment of the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kim agreed to stop his nuclear research program and seemed to be embarking upon a new opening to the West. The International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its

Death

By the 1990s, North Korea was nearly isolated from the outside world, except for limited contacts with China. Its economy was virtually bankrupt, crippled by huge expenditure on armaments and sanctions, with an agricultural sector unable to feed its population due to a lack of arable land, but North Korean media continued to lionize Kim. Kim Il-sung died suddenly of a heart attack in Pyongyang on July 8, 1994, bequeathing the country's mounting crisis to Kim Jong-il. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu His funeral in Pyongyang was attended by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom were weeping and crying Kim Il-sung's name during the funeral procession. Kim Il-sung's body was placed in a public mausoleum at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace. A mausoleum ( plural: mausolea is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons The Kumsusan Memorial Palace, sometimes referred to as the Kim Il-sung Mausoleum, is a large building located northeast of downtown Pyongyang, the capital city of Now his preserved and embalmed body lies under a glass coffin. His head rests on a pillow and he is covered by a red flag acting as a blanket. Video of the funeral at Pyongyang was broadcast on several networks, and can now be found on various internet sites. [20]

Family life

Kim Il-sung with his wife Kim Jong-suk and son Kim Jong-Il.
Kim Il-sung with his wife Kim Jong-suk and son Kim Jong-Il. Kim Jong-suk (December 24 1917 – September 22 1949 was Kim Il-sung 's first wife and Kim Jong-il 's mother Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu

Kim Il-sung married twice. His first wife, Kim Jong-suk, bore him two sons and a daughter. Kim Jong-suk (December 24 1917 – September 22 1949 was Kim Il-sung 's first wife and Kim Jong-il 's mother Kim Jong-il is his oldest son, and the other son (Kim Man-il, or Shura Kim) died in 1947 in a swimming accident. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu Kim Jong-suk died at the age of 31 while giving birth to a stillborn baby girl. Kim married Kim Sŏng-ae in 1962, and it is believed he had three or four children with her: Kim Yŏng-il, Kim Kyŏng-il and Kim Pyong-il. Kim Sŏng-ae (born 1928 was the second wife of the late North Korean leader president Kim Il-sung. Kim Pyong-il (born 10 August 1954) is the half-brother of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and the son of former leader Kim Kim Pyong-il was prominent in Korean politics until he became ambassador to Hungary. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic

Kim was reported to have other illegitimate children, as he was well known for cheating on his wife. They included Kim Hyŏn-nam (born 1972, head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Workers' Party since 2002)[21] and Chang-hyŏn (born 1971, adopted by Kim Jong-il's sister Kim Kyŏng-hŭi). [22]

Kim's name and image

There are roughly 800 statues of Kim Il-sung in North Korea. The most prominent are at: Kim Il-sung University, Kim Il-sung Stadium, Kim Il-sung Square, Kim Il-sung Bridge and the Immortal Statue of Kim Il-sung. Kim Il-sung University, founded on October 1, 1946, is the first University built in North Korea. Kim Il-sung Stadium is a very large Stadium located in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Il-sung Square is a City square in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and is named after the founding leader of the DPRK Kim Il-sung

Kim Il-sung's image is prominent in places associated with public transportation, hanging at every North Korean train station and airport. It is also placed prominently at the border crossings between China and North Korea.

Works

Kim Il-sung was the author of many works and they are published in books. His works are published by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House and among them are "Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Works" and "Collection of Kim Il Sung's Selected Works". These include new year speeches, and speeches from different occasions.

References

  1. ^ a b Lankov, Andrei, From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea 1945-1960, Rutgers University Press (2002), p. 53.
  2. ^ Lankov, Andrei, From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea 1945-1960, Rutgers University Press (2002), p. 52.
  3. ^ Suh Dae-Sook, Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader, Columbia University Press (1998) p. 7.
  4. ^ Suh Dae-Sook, Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader, Columbia University Press (1998) pp. 8-10.
  5. ^ Bradley K. Martin (2004). Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty. Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0312323220.  
  6. ^ Staff writer. "Soviets groomed Kim Il Sung for leadership", Vladivostok News.  
  7. ^ Hong An. Interview. The Cold War. CNN Washington, DC. (Interview).
  8. ^ Lankov, Andrei, From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea 1945-1960, Rutgers University Press (2002), p. 55.
  9. ^ Lankov, Andrei, From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea 1945-1960, Rutgers University Press (2002), p. 53-54.
  10. ^ Blair, Clay, The Forgotten War: America in Korea, , Naval Institute Press (2003)
  11. ^ Cumings, Bruce, The Origins of the Korean war, , Princeton University Press (1981, 1990)
  12. ^ Cumings, Bruce, The Origins of the Korean war, , Princeton University Press (1981, 1990)
  13. ^ a b Weathersby, Kathryn, The Soviet Role in the Early Phase of the Korean War, The Journal of American-East Asian Relations 2, no. 4 (Winter 1993): 432
  14. ^ a b Goncharov, Sergei N. , Lewis, John W. and Xue Litai, Uncertain Partners: Stalin, Mao, and the Korean War (1993)
  15. ^ a b Mansourov, Aleksandr Y. , Stalin, Mao, Kim, and China's Decision to Enter the Korean War, September 16-October 15, 1950: New Evidence from the Russian Archives, Cold War International History Project Bulletin, Issues 6-7 (Winter 1995/1996): 94-107
  16. ^ Sudoplatov, Pavel Anatoli, Schecter, Jerrold L. , and Schecter, Leona P. , Special Tasks: The Memoirs of an Unwanted Witness - A Soviet Spymaster, Little Brown, Boston (1994)
  17. ^ a b Lankov, Andrei N. , Crisis in North Korea: The Failure of De-Stalinization, 1956. Honolulu:Hawaii University Press (2004)
  18. ^ Cumings, Bruce, North Korea: Another Country, The New Press, New York, 2003, p. xii.
  19. ^ Image of Kim Il-sung's "neck tumor"
  20. ^ Scenes of lamentation after Kim Il-sung's death
  21. ^ Terrence Henry, After Kim Jong Il, The Atlantic Monthly, May 2005
  22. ^ Leadership Succession Recent Developments

See also

Further reading

External links

Persondata
NAME Kim, Il-sung
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kim Ilsong, Gim Il-seong, 김일성, 金日成
SHORT DESCRIPTION President of North Korea
DATE OF BIRTH 15 April 1912(1912-04-15)
PLACE OF BIRTH Pyongyang, North Korea
DATE OF DEATH 8 July 1994
PLACE OF DEATH Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)
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