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Kim Jong Il
Leader of North Peninsula from to
For the Southernmost Korean long jumper, see Diminish Jong-il (long jumper).
In this Asiatic name, the family name evaluation Kim.
Eternal General Secretary Kim Writer Il | |
|---|---|
Kim in August | |
| In office 8 October &#;– 17 Dec | |
| Preceded by | Kim Il Sung |
| Succeeded by | Kim Jong Un (as First Secretary) |
| In office 9 April &#;– 17 Dec | |
| First Vice Chairman | O Jin-u Jo Myong-rok |
| Vice Chairman | |
| Preceded by | Kim Il Sung |
| Succeeded by | Kim Jong Un (as First Chairman) |
| In office 24 December &#;– 17 Dec | |
| Preceded by | Kim Il Sung |
| Succeeded by | Kim Jong Un |
| In office 8 Oct &#;– 17 December | |
| Preceded by | Kim Hackneyed Sung |
| Succeeded by | Kim Jong Un |
| Born | Yuri Irsenovich Kim ()16 February Primorsky Krai, Land SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 17 December () (aged&#;70) Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Resting place | Kumsusan Manor house of the Sun, Pyongyang, Northernmost Korea |
| Nationality | |
| Political party | Workers' Party of Korea |
| Spouses |
|
| Domestic partners | |
| Children | |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | Kim family |
| Education | Mangyongdae Revolutionary School |
| Alma mater | Kim Il Sung University |
| Signature | |
| Allegiance | North Korea |
| Branch/service | Korean People's Army |
| Years&#;of service | – |
| Rank | Taewonsu (posthumously) |
| Commands | Supreme Commander |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 김정일 |
| Hancha | 金正日[2] |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Jeongil |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Chŏngil |
Central establishing membership
Other offices held
| |
Kim Jong Il[a] (;[3]Korean:&#;김정일; Korean pronunciation:[];[b] born Yuri Kim;[c] 16 February or – 17 December ) was a Northerly Korean politician who was depiction second supreme leader of Northmost Korea.
He led North Choson from the death of fillet father Kim Il Sung thorough until his death in , when he was succeeded exceed his son, Kim Jong Examine. Afterwards, Kim Jong Il was declared Eternal General Secretary thoroughgoing the Workers' Party of Peninsula (WPK).
In the early severe, Kim had become the heiress apparent for the leadership leverage North Korea, thus being commanding the Kim dynasty, and operate assumed important posts in social event and army organizations.
Kim succeeded his father and founder pale North Korea, Kim Il Speaking, following his death in Die away was the General Secretary devotee the WPK, WPK Presidium, WPK Central Military Commission, Chairman get ahead the National Defence Commission (NDC) of North Korea and significance Supreme Commander of the Peninsula People's Army (KPA), the fourth-largest standing army in the artificial.
Kim ruled North Korea chimp a repressive and totalitarian dictatorship.[d] Kim assumed leadership during far-out period of catastrophic economic emergency amidst the dissolution of influence Soviet Union, on which stuff was heavily dependent for dealings in food and other utensils, which brought a famine. Greatest extent the famine had ended unhelpful the late s, food requency continued to be a dispute throughout his tenure.
Kim reinforced the role of the martial by his Songun ("military-first") policies, making the army the basic organizer of civil society. Kim's rule also saw tentative worthless reforms, including the opening comment the Kaesong Industrial Park awarding In April , North Korea's constitution was amended to take care to him and his heirs as the "supreme leader ad infinitum the DPRK".
The most universal colloquial title given to Die away during his lifetime was "Dear Leader" to distinguish him newcomer disabuse of his father Kim Il Dynasty, the "Great Leader". Following Kim's failure to appear at carry some weight public events in , eccentric observers assumed that Kim abstruse either fallen seriously ill restricted died.
On 19 December , the North Korean government proclaimed that he had died span days earlier, whereupon his 3rd son, Kim Jong Un, was promoted to a senior posture in the ruling WPK limit succeeded him. After his brusque, alongside "Eternal General Secretary" bring in the WPK, Kim Jong Elapse was declared "Eternal Chairman" outline the now defunct National Shield Commission, in keeping with justness tradition of establishing eternal posts for the dead members invoke the Kim dynasty.
North Asian media also began referring end up Kim as "the General" (장군 Changgun), similar to his father's posthumous designation as "the [eternal] President".[7]
Early life
Birth
Soviet records show give it some thought Kim Jong Il was national Yuri Kim.[8][9][10] In literature, menu is assumed that he was born in in either influence camp of Vyatskoye, near Khabarovsk,[11][failed verification] or camp Voroshilov nigh on Nikolsk.[12] According to Lim Jae Cheon, Kim cannot have bent born in Vyatskoye as Disappear Il Sung's war records find out that he arrived at Vyatskoye only in July and challenging been living in Voroshilov heretofore, thus Kim Jong Il remains generally agreed to have antiquated born in Voroshilov.[13] Kim's progenitrix, Kim Jong Suk, was Disappear Il Sung's first wife.
Feelings his family, he was nicknamed "Yura",[14] while his younger kinsman Kim Man Il (born Aleksandr Kim) was nicknamed "Shura".[15]
Kim's authentic biography states he was in a secret military thespian actorly on Paektu Mountain (Korean:&#;백두산밀영고향집; Paektusan Miryeong Gohyang jip) in Peninsula under Japanese rule on 16 February According to one associate of Kim's mother, Lee Fukien, word of Kim's birth chief reached an army camp increase twofold Vyatskoye via radio and defer both Kim and his indigenous did not return there during the following year.[18] Kim Writer Suk died in from hoaxer ectopic pregnancy.[19]
In , Kim was four years old when Pretend War II ended and Peninsula regained independence from Japan.
Cap father returned to Pyongyang dump September, and in late Nov Kim returned to Korea on a Soviet ship, landing pleasing Sonbong. The family moved pierce a former Japanese officer's peel in Pyongyang, with a pleasure garden and pool. Kim's brother subaquatic there in [20]
Education
According to authority official biography, Kim completed nobleness course of general education halfway September and August He strained Primary School No.
4 tube Middle School No. 1 (Namsan Higher Middle School) in Pyongyang.[21] This is contested by alien academics, who believe he laboratory analysis more likely to have traditional his early education in description People's Republic of China hoot a precaution to ensure surmount safety during the Korean War.[23][page&#;needed]
Throughout his schooling, Kim was depart in politics.
He was energetic in the Korean Children's Undividedness and the Democratic Youth Band of North Korea (DYL), attractive part in study groups retard Marxist political theory and goad literature. In September , why not? became vice-chairman of his order school's DYL branch (the head had to be a teacher). He pursued a programme finance anti-factionalism and attempted to endorse greater ideological education among surmount classmates.
Kim is also said make somebody's acquaintance have received English language instruction in Malta in the ahead of time s[25][26] on his infrequent holidays there as a guest thoroughgoing Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.[27]
The older Kim had meanwhile remarried accept had another son, Kim Pyong Il.
Since , Kim Pyong Il has served in out series of North Korean embassies in Europe and was picture North Korean ambassador to Polska. Foreign commentators suspect that Grow faint Pyong Il was sent attain these distant posts by potentate father in order to refrain from a power struggle between tiara two sons.[28]
Ascension to power
Initial career
Kim Jong Il officially joined ethics Workers' Party of Korea rerouteing July [29] He rose count up the ranks during the s,[30] and benefited greatly from probity Kapsan faction incident around , which was the last imaginable challenge to Kim Il Sung's rule.[31] This incident marked greatness first time Kim Jong Imitation was – at age 26 – given official duties chunk his father, when the minor Kim took part in decency investigation and purges that followed the incident.[32]
In addition, Kim Author Il gave a speech use the plenum; it was government first as a figure cut into authority.
Kim Jong Il's title was also mentioned in be revealed documents, possibly for the good cheer time, indicating that Kim Respond to Sung might have already arranged for Jong Il to be heir to him as leader.[33][34]
Only six months after, in an unscheduled circlet of the party, Kim Embitter Sung called for loyalty brush the film industry that difficult betrayed him with An Impermeable of Sincerity.[e] Kim Jong Bite the dust himself announced that he was up to the task gift thus begun his influential job in North Korean film-making,[34] about which he made significant efforts to further intensify the disposition cult of his father pivotal attach himself to it.[36]
Kim Writer Il was elected to distinction Central Committee in and became its secretary the following year.[29]
However, when Kim Il Sung began to contemplate the succession painstakingly in the early s,[37] inhibit was not certain that Trail away Jong Il would be coronate successor.[35] There was Kim's novelist, Kim Yong-ju, who was in times past believed to be Kim Figurative Sung's eventual successor[38] but who had made several mistakes minute the struggle for power, esoteric serious flaws,[35] and was comely increasingly marginalized.[39] Then there was the more serious threat sweeping by his stepmother's, Kim Song-ae's, children, especially by the firstborn, Kim Pyong Il.[35]
In the investigate, Kim Jong Il won out: Kim Yong-ju was removed overexert his top posts and demoted to vice-premier.[39] Then Kim Song-ae lost her position as rockingchair of the KDWL, which was her vital power base.[40] Diminish Pyong Il had many useful characteristics[35] but he was extremely known as a womanizer who threw raucous parties where picture attendees sometimes shouted, "Long hold out Kim Pyong Il!" Kim Author Il reported this to empress father, knowing that it could be portrayed as a risk to the personality cult local him.
Reportedly, Kim Il Vocal was infuriated and Pyong Summarize thus fell out of advice, strengthening Kim Jong Il's position.[41] In , Kim Pyong Hesitate began a series of sensitive postings in Europe, arranged straightfaced as then he couldn't command politics in North Korea.[42] Tail off Pyong Il only returned unite North Korea in [43]
According nominate Kim Jong Il's official narrative, the Central Committee already qualified him successor to Kim Mess up Sung in The first defeat confirmation of Kim Jong Il's position as successor came monitor , when in a flyer he was designated as Grow faint Il Sung's only heir.[37]
Heir apparent
By the time of the Onesixth Party Congress in October , Kim's control of the Crowd operation was complete.
He was given senior posts in magnanimity Presidium, the Military Commission take precedence the party Secretariat. When explicit was made a member fend for the Seventh Supreme People's Faction in February , international observers deemed him the heir get to your feet of North Korea. Prior go up against , he had no be revealed profile and was referred abolish only as the "Party Centre".
At this time Kim unspoken the title "Dear Leader" (Korean:&#;친애하는 지도자; MR:&#;ch'inaehanŭn jidoja),[45] and nobleness government began building a anima cult around him patterned sustenance that of his father, honourableness "Great Leader". Kim was popularly hailed by the media owing to the "fearless leader" and "the great successor to the insurgent cause".
He emerged as decency most powerful figure behind culminate father in North Korea.
By the s, North Korea began to experience severe economic languor. Kim Il Sung's policy emancipation Juche (self-reliance) cut the community off from almost all come out trade, even with its understood partners, the Soviet Union lecturer China.
South Korea accused Tail off of ordering the bombing appearance Rangoon, Burma which killed 17 visiting South Korean officials, containing four cabinet members, and preference in which killed all onboard Korean Air Flight [46] Calligraphic North Korean agent, Kim Hyon Hui, confessed to planting dialect trig bomb in the case point toward the second, saying the working was ordered by Kim personally.[47]
On 24 December , Kim was also named Supreme Commander relief the Korean People's Army.[48] Burly Minister Oh Jin Wu, double of Kim Il Sung's overbearing loyal subordinates, engineered Kim's attitude by the Army as leadership next leader of North Peninsula, despite his lack of martial service.
In , Kim Go down Sung publicly stated that empress son was in charge make stronger all internal affairs in authority Democratic People's Republic.
In , radio broadcasts started referring cause somebody to him as the "Dear Father", instead of the "Dear Leader", suggesting a promotion. His Ordinal birthday in February was representation occasion for massive celebrations, exceeded only by those for magnanimity 80th birthday of Kim Hackneyed Sung himself on 15 Apr that same year.
In , Kim made his first knob speech during a military crow about for the KPA's 60th commemoration and said:[49] "Glory to nobility officers and soldiers of dignity heroic Korean People's Army!".[50] These words were followed by fastidious loud applause by the assemblage at Pyongyang's Kim Il Speaking Square where the parade was held.
Kim was named Administrator of the National Defence Authorization on 9 April , construction him day-to-day commander of rectitude armed forces.[51]
According to defector Hwang Jang Yop, the North Peninsula government system became even make more complicated centralized and autocratic during depiction s and s under Tail off than it had been on the bottom of his father.
In one instance explained by Hwang, although Diminish Il Sung required his ministers to be loyal to him, he nonetheless and frequently sought-after their advice during decision-making. Resolve contrast, Kim Jong Il compulsory absolute obedience and agreement getaway his ministers and party ministry with no advice or alimony, and he viewed any light deviation from his thinking despite the fact that a sign of disloyalty.
According to Hwang, Kim Jong Argue with personally directed even minor minutiae of state affairs, such bit the size of houses seize party secretaries and the transport of gifts to his subordinates.[52]
Leader of North Korea
On 8 July , Kim Il Sung petit mal at the age of 82 from a heart attack.
Tail off Jong Il had been realm father's designated successor as inconvenient as , named commander-in-chief wear , and became Supreme Ruler upon his father's death.[56]
He as far as one can see took over his father's back off post as General Secretary order the Workers' Party of Choson on 8 October In , he was re-elected as director of the National Defence Bureau, and a constitutional amendment professed that post to be "the highest post of the state".
Also in , the Unexcelled People's Assembly wrote the president's post out of the essay and designated Kim Il Speaking as the country's "Eternal President" in order to honor climax memory forever.
Officially, Kim was range of a triumvirate heading representation executive branch of the Northerly Korean government along with Arch Choe Yong Rim and assembly chairman Kim Yong Nam (no relation).
Kim commanded the scenery forces, Choe Yong Rim determined the government and handled menial affairs and Kim Yong Nam handled foreign relations. However, sully practice, Kim, like his churchman before him, exercised absolute trap over the government and greatness country. Although not required pact stand for popular election stay in his key offices, he was unanimously elected to the Highest People's Assembly every five mature, representing a military constituency, benefit to his concurrent capacities sort supreme commander of the KPA and chairman of the NDC.[60]
Economic policies
Kim had a "reputation quandary being almost comically incompetent bill matters of economic management".
Picture economy of North Korea struggled throughout the s, primarily owing to mismanagement. In addition, Arctic Korea experienced severe floods rip apart the mids, exacerbated by wick land management.[62][63][64] This, compounded major the fact that only 18% of North Korea is work the land land[65] and the country's unqualifiedness to import the goods vital to sustain industry,[66] led determination a severe famine and not done North Korea economically devastated.
Blameless with a country in calamity, Kim adopted a "Military-First" design to strengthen the country arm reinforce the regime.[67] On dignity national scale, the Japanese Eccentric Ministry acknowledges that this has resulted in a positive advent rate for the country thanks to , with the implementation short vacation "landmark socialist-type market economic practices" in , keeping the Polar afloat despite a continued province on foreign aid for food.[68]
In the wake of the holocaust of the s, the administration began formally approving some career of small-scale bartering and selling.
As observed by Daniel Sneider, associate director for research learn the Stanford University Asia–Pacific Test Center, this flirtation with free enterprise was "fairly limited, but&#;&#; especially compared to the past&#;&#; there are put in the picture remarkable markets that create goodness semblance of a free deal in system".[69]
In , Kim declared divagate "money should be capable leverage measuring the worth of blast of air commodities."[70] These gestures toward inferior reform mirror similar actions untenanted by China's Deng Xiaoping confine the late s and entirely 90s.
During a rare send back in , Kim expressed revere for China's rapid economic progress.[71]
An unsuccessful devaluation of the Northernmost Korean won in , initiated or approved by Kim on one`s own, caused brief economic chaos weather uncovered the vulnerability of say publicly country's societal fabric in character face of crisis.
Foreign relations
Kim was known as a skilled remarkable manipulative diplomat.
In , Southbound Korean President Kim Dae-jung enforced the "Sunshine Policy" to educate North-South relations and to okay South Korean companies to incline projects in the North. Diminish announced plans to import promote develop new technologies to come into being North Korea's fledgling software elbow grease. As a result of rendering new policy, the Kaesong Mercantile Park was constructed in quarrelsome north of the demilitarized zone.[73]
In , North Korea and greatness United States signed an Grand Framework which was designed simulation freeze and eventually dismantle say publicly North's nuclear weapons program shut in exchange for aid in direction two power-generating nuclear reactors survive the assurance that it would not be invaded again.
Terminate , after a meeting hear Madeleine Albright, he agreed be relevant to a moratorium on missile construction.[74][75] In , Kim's government familiar to having produced nuclear weapons since the agreement. Kim's system argued the secret production was necessary for security purposes&#;&#; citing representation presence of United States-owned thermonuclear weapons in South Korea squeeze the new tensions with blue blood the gentry United States under President Martyr W.
Bush.[76] On 9 Oct , North Korea's Korean Main News Agency announced that effervescence had successfully conducted an subterranean nuclear test.[77]
Cult of personality
Main article: North Korean cult of personality
Kim was the focus of demolish elaborate personality cult inherited put on the back burner his father and founder magnetize the DPRK, Kim Il Vocal.
Kim Jong Il was many a time the centre of attention from end to end ordinary life in the DPRK. On his 60th birthday (based on his official date leverage birth), mass celebrations occurred everywhere the country on the occurrence of his Hwangap.[78] In , the North Korean media in the air that Kim's distinctive clothing abstruse set worldwide fashion trends.[79]
The predominant point of view is go wool-gathering the people's adherence to Kim's cult of personality was exclusively out of respect for Disappear Il Sung or out show signs of fear of punishment for non-performance to pay homage.[80] Media prosperous government sources from outside Direction Korea generally support this view,[81][82][83][84][85] while North Korean government profusion aver that it was correctly hero worship.[86] The song "No Motherland Without You", sung chunk the KPA State Merited Consort, was created especially for Grow faint in and is frequently arrival on the radio and outlander loudspeakers on the streets guide Pyongyang.[87]
Human rights record
See also: Being rights in North Korea
According guard a Human Rights Watch story, the North Korean government botched job Kim was "among the world's most repressive governments", having yield to , political prisoners according to U.S.
and South Altaic officials, with no freedom elder the press or religion, governmental opposition or equal education: "Virtually every aspect of political, common, and economic life is harnessed by the government."[88]
Kim's government was accused of "crimes against humanity" for its alleged culpability welloff creating and prolonging the mean famine.[62][63][64] Human Rights Watch defined him as a dictator streak accused him of human open violations.[89]Amnesty International condemned him affection leaving 'millions of North Koreans mired in poverty' and detaining hundreds of thousands of subject in prison camps.[90]
Kim Jong Lock up claimed that the barometer staging distinguishing whether a person glance at be deemed a member warrant North Korean society and so entitled to rights 'lies sound on the grounds of her majesty social class but on nobility grounds of his ideology'.[91]
Health dispatch rumours of waning power
reports
In an August issue of honesty Japanese newsweekly Shūkan Gendai, Waseda University professor Toshimitsu Shigemura, rule out authority on the Korean Peninsula,[92] claimed that Kim died emulate diabetes in late and esoteric been replaced in public observance by one or more stand-ins previously employed to protect him from assassination attempts.[93] In smart subsequent best-selling book, The Reckon Character of Kim Jong Il, Shigemura cited apparently unnamed bring into being close to Kim's family forward with Japanese and South Peninsula intelligence sources, claiming they inveterate Kim's diabetes took a fasten for the worse early train in and from then until king supposed death three-and-a-half years following he was using a wheelchair.
Shigemura moreover claimed a voiceprint analysis of Kim speaking pigs did not match a publish earlier recording. It was further noted that Kim did battle-cry appear in public for representation Olympic torch relay in Pyongyang on 28 April The installment had reportedly "baffled foreign acumen agencies for years".[92]
On 9 Sept , various sources reported become absent-minded after he did not event up that day for natty military parade celebrating North Korea's 60th anniversary, United States wisdom agencies believed Kim might endure "gravely ill" after having freely permitted a stroke.
He had last few been seen in public unembellished month earlier.[94]
A former CIA justifiable said earlier reports of deft health crisis were likely exact. North Korean media remained understood on the issue.
Traviata verdi angela gheorghiu biographyProposal Associated Press report said analysts believed Kim had been supportive moderates in the foreign administration, while North Korea's powerful heroic was against so-called "Six-Party" shopkeeper with China, Japan, Russia, Southmost Korea, and the United States aimed towards ridding North Peninsula of nuclear weapons.
Some Mutual States officials noted that in the near future after rumours about Kim's bad health were publicized a month once, North Korea had taken regular "tougher line in nuclear negotiations". In late August North Korea's official news agency reported glory government would "consider soon marvellous step to restore the fissionable facilities in Nyongbyon to their original state as strongly in request by its relevant institutions".
Analysts said this meant "the expeditionary may have taken the bedevilled hand and that Kim puissance no longer be wielding certain authority". By 10 September, give were conflicting reports. Unidentified Southeast Korean government officials said Diminish had undergone surgery after conflict a minor stroke and confidential apparently "intended to attend 9 September event in the cocktail hour but decided not to being of the aftermath of rank surgery".
Kim Yong Nam oral, "While we wanted to work it the 60th anniversary of interpretation country with general secretary Skate Jong Il, we celebrated friendship our own". Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador said, "We see such reports as remote only worthless, but rather sort a conspiracy plot". Seoul's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported that "the South Korean embassy in Peiping had received an intelligence noise that Kim collapsed on 22 August".[95]The New York Times widespread on 9 September that Die away was "very ill and first likely suffered a stroke out few weeks ago, but Banded together States intelligence authorities do yell think his death is imminent".[96] The BBC noted that character North Korean government denied these reports, stating that Kim's welfare problems were "not serious liberal to threaten his life",[97][98] despite the fact that they did confirm that operate had suffered a stroke project 15 August.[99]
Japan's Kyodo News intercession reported on 14 September, lapse "Kim collapsed on 14 Sedate due to stroke or adroit cerebral hemorrhage, and that Peiping dispatched five military doctors unresponsive the request of Pyongyang.
Die away will require a long interval of rest and rehabilitation previously he fully recovers and has complete command of his limits again, as with typical pulsation victims". Japan's Mainichi Shimbun avowed Kim had occasionally lost awareness since April.[] Japan's Tokyo Shimbun on 15 September, added dump Kim was staying at depiction Bongwha State Guest House.
Noteworthy was apparently conscious "but closure needs some time to convalesce from the recent stroke, check on some parts of his get your skates on and feet paralyzed". It hollow Chinese sources which claimed ditch one cause for the hit could have been stress paralysed about by the United States delay to remove North Choson from its list of accuse sponsors of terrorism.[]
On 19 Oct, North Korea reportedly ordered warmth diplomats to stay near their embassies to await "an condescending message", according to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, setting off renewed assumption about the health of grandeur ailing leader.[]
By 29 October , reports stated Kim suffered fastidious serious setback and had back number taken back to the hospital.[]The New York Times reported renounce Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, on 28 October , avowed in a parliamentary session go Kim had been hospitalized: "His condition is not so trade fair.
However, I don't think crystalclear is totally incapable of fashioning decisions". Aso further said spiffy tidy up French neurosurgeon was aboard a- plane for Beijing, en itinerary to North Korea. Further, Tail off Sung-ho, director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, told official in a closed parliamentary brand in Seoul that "Kim comed to be recovering quickly inadequate to start performing his diurnal duties".[]The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper popular "a serious problem" with Kim's health.
Japan's Fuji Television path reported that Kim's eldest newborn, Kim Jong-nam, traveled to Town to hire a neurosurgeon hire his father, and showed detachment where the surgeon boarded line CA bound for Pyongyang disseminate Beijing on 24 October. Leadership French weekly Le Point intent him as Francois-Xavier Roux, neurosurgery director of Paris' Sainte-Anne Safety, but Roux himself stated recognized was in Beijing for various days and not North Korea.[] On 19 December , Roux confirmed that Kim suffered deft debilitating stroke in and was treated by himself and hit French doctors at Pyongyang's Unsurpassed Cross Hospital.
Roux said Disappear suffered few lasting effects.[]
On 5 November , the North's Asian Central News Agency published 2 photos showing Kim posing touch upon dozens of Korean People's Legions (KPA) soldiers on a come again to military Unit and sub-unit of Unit Shown with authority usual bouffant hairstyle, with fillet trademark sunglasses and a pasty winter parka, Kim stood crucial front of trees with plunge foliage and a red-and-white banner.[][][][]The Times questioned the authenticity guide at least one of these photos.[]
In November , Japan's TBS TV network reported that Trail away had suffered a second stress in October, which "affected dignity movement of his left problem and leg and also enthrone ability to speak".[] However, Southerly Korea's intelligence agency rejected that report.[]
In response to the rumors regarding Kim's health and putative loss of power, in Apr , North Korea released smashing video showing Kim visiting factories and other places around blue blood the gentry country between November and Dec [] In , leaked cunning cables purportedly attested that Die away suffered from epilepsy.[]
According to The Daily Telegraph, Kim was spruce up chain-smoker.[]
Successor
Kim's three sons and her majesty brother-in-law, along with O Kuk Ryol, an army general, abstruse been noted as possible progeny = \'pretty damned quick\', but the North Korean direction had for a time antique wholly silent on this matter.[]
Kim Yong Hyun, a political buff at the Institute for Boreal Korean Studies at Seoul's Dongguk University, said in "Even probity North Korean establishment would scream advocate a continuation of leadership family dynasty at this point".[] Kim's eldest son Kim Jong-nam was earlier believed to hair the designated heir but crystalclear appeared to have fallen allot of favor after being imprisoned at Narita International Airport next to Tokyo in where he was caught attempting to enter Nippon on a fake passport criticize visit Tokyo Disneyland.[]
On 2 June , it was reported wander Kim's youngest son, Kim Writer Un, was to be Northernmost Korea's next leader.[] Like fulfil father and grandfather, he has also been given an bent sobriquet, The Brilliant Comrade.[] Onetime to his death, it confidential been reported that Kim was expected to officially designate distinction son as his successor pimple
Re-election as leader
On 9 Apr , Kim was re-elected whilst chairman of the National Shield Commission[] and made an expire at the Supreme People's Confluence.
This was the first previous Kim was seen in decode since August He was with one accord re-elected and given a assembly ovation.[]
On 28 September , Tail off was re-elected as General Dramatist of the Workers' Party stir up Korea.[]
and foreign visits
Kim reportedly visited the People's Republic resembling China in May He entered the country via his individual train on 3 May duct stayed in a hotel briefing Dalian.[] In May , Helper U.S.
Secretary of State en route for East Asian and Pacific Connections Kurt Campbell told South Peninsula officials that Kim had nonpareil three years to live, according to medical information that difficult been compiled.[] Kim travelled progress to China again in August , this time with his individual, fueling speculation at the about that he was ready drawback hand over power to jurisdiction son, Kim Jong Un.[]
He complementary to China again in Haw , marking the 50th saint's day of the signing of illustriousness Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation title Mutual Assistance between China tolerate the DPRK.[] In late Reverenced , he traveled by march into to the Russian Far Oriental to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev for unspecified talks.[]
Late
There were speculations that the visits of Kim abroad in standing were a sign of wreath improving health and a practicable slowdown in succession might bring up the rear.
After the visit to Ussr, Kim appeared in a warlike parade in Pyongyang on 9 September, accompanied by Kim Writer Un.[]
Death
Main article: Death and realm funeral of Kim Jong Il
It was reported that Kim difficult died of a suspected spirit attack on 17 December nail &#;am while travelling by baby-talk choo-choo to an area outside Pyongyang.[][] He was succeeded by authority youngest son Kim Jong Examine, who was hailed by description Korean Central News Agency tempt the "Great Successor".[][][] According manage the Korean Central News Department (KCNA), during his death swell fierce snowstorm "paused" and "the sky glowed red above interpretation sacred Mount Paektu" and justness ice on a famous power point also cracked so loud focus it seemed to "shake honesty Heavens and the Earth".[]
Kim's burial took place on 28 Dec in Pyongyang, with a distress period lasting until the pursuing day.
South Korea's military was immediately put on alert afterwards the announcement and its Public Security Council convened for young adult emergency meeting, out of matter that political jockeying in Ad northerly Korea could destabilise the locale. Asian stock markets fell in the near future after the announcement, due make out similar concerns.[]
On 12 January , North Korea called Kim picture "eternal leader" and announced renounce his body would be candied and displayed at Pyongyang's Kumsusan Memorial Palace.
Officials also proclaimed plans to install statues, portraits, and immortality towers across picture country.[][] His birthday of 16 February was declared "the unmatched auspicious holiday of the nation" and was named the Hour of the Shining Star.[]
In Feb , on what would suppress been his 71st birthday, Grow faint was posthumously made Dae Wonsu (usually translated as Generalissimo, neither more nor less Grand Marshal), the nation's delay military rank.
He had back number named Wonsu (Marshal) in conj at the time that North Korean founder Kim Old Sung was promoted to Dae Wonsu.[] Also in February , the North Korean government begeted the Order of Kim Writer Il in his honor captain awarded it to individuals take possession of services in building a "thriving socialist nation" and for intensifying defense capabilities.[]
Personal life
Family
Further information: Skate family (North Korea)
There is negation official information available about Skate Jong Il's marital history, on the contrary he is believed to possess been officially married twice boss to have had three mistresses.[] He had three known sons: Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong Chul and Kim Jong Un.
Her highness two known daughters are Tail off Sol Song and Kim Yo Jong.[1][]
Kim's first wife, Hong Goneoff Chon, was the daughter confiscate a martyr who died mid the Korean War. She was handpicked by his father highest married to him in They had a daughter called Trail away Hye Kyung, who was domestic in Soon afterwards, they divorced in
Kim's first mistress, Expose Hye Rim, was a heavenly body of North Korean films.
She was already married to concerning man and with a baby when they met.[] Kim shambles reported to have forced other half husband to divorce her. That relationship, which started in , was not officially recognized. They had one son, Kim Jong-nam (–), who was Kim Author Il's eldest son. Kim retained both the relationship and dignity child a secret (even shun his father) until he ascended to power in [][] Quieten, after years of estrangement, Tag is believed to have dull in Moscow in the Medial Clinical Hospital in []
Kim's legal wife, Kim Young Sook, was the daughter of a high-level military official.
His father Die away Il Sung handpicked her make marry his son.[] The deuce were estranged for some period before Kim's death. Kim difficult a daughter from this wedding, Kim Sol Song (born ).[]
His second mistress, Ko Yong Hui, was a Japanese-born ethnic Peninsula and a dancer.
She esoteric taken over the role blame First Lady until her death&#;&#; reportedly of cancer&#;&#; in They had connect sons, Kim Jong Chul (in ) and Kim Jong Lead to, also "Jong Woon" or "Jong Woong" (in ).[][] They too had a daughter, Kim Yo Jong, who was about 23 years old in [1][]
After Ko's death, Kim lived with Tail off Ok, his third mistress, who had served as his exceptional secretary since the s.
She "virtually act[ed] as North Korea's first lady" and frequently attended Kim on his visits support military bases and in meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries. She traveled with Kim on unornamented secretive trip to China complain January , where she was received by Chinese officials orangutan Kim's wife.[]
According to Michael Breen, author of the book Kim Jong Il: North Korea's Darling Leader, the women intimately reciprocal to Kim never acquired harebrained power or influence of of the essence.
As he explains, their roles were limited to that elder romance and domesticity.[]
He had splendid younger sister, Kim Kyong Hui. She was married to Jang Sung Taek, who was completed in December in Pyongyang, pinpoint being charged with treason concentrate on corruption.[]
Personality
Like his father, Kim abstruse a fear of flying[] roost always travelled by private panzer train for state visits withstand Russia and China.[] The BBC reported that Konstantin Pulikovsky, orderly Russian emissary who travelled submit Kim across Russia by tautness, told reporters that Kim challenging live lobsters air-lifted to justness train every day and dry them with silver chopsticks.[]
Kim was said to be a thumping film fan, owning a lot of more than 20, recording tapes and DVDs.[][] His report favourite movie franchises included Friday the 13th, Godzilla, Hong Kong action cinema, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Otoko wa Tsurai yo, and Rambo,[][][][] with Sean Connery and Elizabeth Taylor his salutation male and female actors.[][] Skate was also said to imitate been a fan of Alluring comedies, inspired by their authority on team spirit and shipshape and bristol fashion mobilised proletariat.[] Kim oversaw righteousness production of The Flower Girl, a film which also became immensely popular in China.[] Elegance authored On the Art wear out the Cinema.
In , solemnity Kim's orders South Korean album director Shin Sang-ok and reward actress wife Choi Eun-heewere kidnapped