PDB Afternoon Bulletin | August 19th, 2024: The PDB Personnel Files: Kim Jong Un
Aug 19, 2024
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Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, shares insights into his life as a formidable dictator. He discusses his secretive upbringing in Pyongyang and time in Switzerland, where he embraced Western culture. The conversation dives into his ruthless consolidation of power, including political purges that cemented his reign. Surprisingly, he also reveals his love for cheese, showcasing the stark contrast between his lavish lifestyle and the struggles of his people. This duality adds depth to the enigma of Kim Jong Un's leadership.
Kim Jong-un's ascent to power and ruthless purges illustrate the brutal consolidation of control within North Korea's ruling dynasty.
The stark contrast between Kim Jong-un's luxurious personal tastes and the struggles of the North Korean populace highlights his complex character.
Deep dives
Kim Jong-un's Ancestral Legacy
Kim Jong-un's lineage as the third generation of North Korea's ruling dynasty plays a crucial role in understanding his leadership and ideologies. He is the grandson of Kim Il-sung, the founding leader revered in North Korea, and son of Kim Jong-il, who perpetuated this veneration with claims of supernatural abilities. The mythology surrounding their births includes miraculous occurrences, instilling a sense of divine right within the ruling family and contributing to their absolute authority. This family background not only influences Kim Jong-un's governance style but also establishes a deeply entrenched belief in the Kim family's supremacy among North Koreans.
Kim Jong-un's Ruthless Ascendancy
Upon becoming the supreme leader in 2011, Kim Jong-un quickly asserted his control through a series of brutal purges aimed at eliminating potential threats. His first major act involved the execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek, a significant political figure who was publicly accused of treason and corruption. This pattern of consolidating power included the assassination of his half-brother Kim Jong-nam, showcasing Kim’s readiness to eliminate family members to secure his regime. These ruthless actions fostered an atmosphere of fear within North Korea, ensuring loyalty among senior officials who understood that defiance could lead to severe consequences.
Contradictory Personalities and Quirks
Despite projecting an image of a hardened and unyielding leader, Kim Jong-un exhibits a surprisingly complex personal life, marked by luxurious tastes and unique interests. His fondness for expensive goods, such as Hennessy Brandy and Swiss cheese, starkly contrasts with the harsh realities faced by the North Korean populace. Notably, his passion for Swiss Emmental cheese led him to send chefs abroad to learn cheese-making, indicating his desire to incorporate Western luxuries into an otherwise isolated regime. This duality reveals the bizarre aspects of his character, blending a dictator’s strict facade with unexpected personal obsessions.
In this edition of The PDB Personnel Files, we explore the life of North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un. Mike details Kim’s ascension to power: from his secretive upbringing in Pyongyang to becoming the most enigmatic and feared leader in North Korea.
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