Knowra Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un has led North Korea since 2011 and chairs the Workers’ Party of Korea. His rule combines dynastic authority, party control, military priorities, and a nuclear weapons program.
Kim Il Sung : North Korea’s founder and first leader, who ruled from 1948 until his death in 1994. Kim Jong Un’s grandfather established the ruling dynasty and political system he inherited.
Workers’ Party of Korea : The ruling political party of North Korea, which directs the state and holds a constitutionally dominant position. Kim Jong Un’s chairmanship places him at the center of the party apparatus.
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction : North Korea’s development and possession of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons capabilities. Kim Jong Un has expanded the country’s nuclear arsenal and made it central to state policy.
Authoritarianism : A system of government that concentrates political power and restricts meaningful political competition. It describes the broader political form within which Kim Jong Un exercises authority.
Kim Jong Il : North Korea’s second leader, who ruled from 1994 until his death in 2011. Kim Jong Un succeeded his father after years of preparation for dynastic succession.
Songun : A North Korean policy that gives priority to military affairs in state and society. It shaped the military-first system Kim Jong Un inherited and later adjusted.
North Korea–United States relations : The diplomatic, military, and political relationship between North Korea and the United States. Summits and renewed tensions under Kim Jong Un have shaped this adversarial relationship.
Totalitarianism : A political system seeking extensive state control over public life, institutions, and expression. The term captures the scope of political control often associated with his regime.
Kim Yo Jong : North Korean politician and sister of Kim Jong Un, holding senior roles in the Workers’ Party of Korea. Her public statements and party positions make her a prominent figure in his government.
Juche : North Korea’s official state ideology, emphasizing political independence and self-reliance. The regime invokes Juche to frame national sovereignty and dynastic legitimacy.
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