There's serious Confucian, Asian symbolism attached to it," Madden added. As he explained, the year would conveniently fall 70 years after the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean communist state and Kim's grandfather, and 40 years after the birth of Kim Jong Il, his father. Soviet records show Kim Jong Il was actually born in , but his official birth date was changed by the North Korean state for symbolic reasons, so it would fall 30 years after the birth of his father in North Korea has not offered any official day of birth for its current leader, according to Madden, and his birthday is not publicly celebrated in a major way.
Thus far, Kim seems to have avoided building a cult of personality in the same way as his grandfather and father. By portraying Kim Jong-un as a hands-on leader who personally ordered the rocket launch from a satellite command center, the state media framed their new leader as bold and action-oriented even in the face of widespread international censure.
Under Kim, North Korea has pressed the accelerator on nuclear and missile development and has codified its status as a nuclear-armed state by inscribing that description into the revised constitution it issued in Kim has overseen three more nuclear tests, and debuted and tested new ballistic missiles of various ranges from multiple locations, including a submarine-launched ballistic missile and, in July and November , intercontinental ballistic missiles. North Korea shows every indication of making rapid progress toward the ability to threaten the United States and its allies, while also developing an arsenal for survivable second-strike options in the event of a conflict.
In November , North Korea tested intercontinental ballistic missiles with a potential reach of 8, miles—putting the entire United States in range. Kim has presided over high-profile artillery firepower demonstrations, been captured in photographs poring over military plans purported to depict attacks against the United States and South Korea, and has issued inflammatory threats in response to U.
The rhetoric has also extended to threats against those who create negative portrayals of North Korea in popular culture. North Korean hackers destroyed the data of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the company responsible for producing the film, and dumped confidential information, including salary lists, nearly 50, Social Security numbers, and five unreleased films onto public file-sharing sites. Yet, despite all the chest-thumping and bad behavior, Kim is not looking for a military confrontation with the United States.
We have to learn how to incorporate new information about what is driving Kim Jong-un and how we might counter this profound—and ever evolving—national security threat.
However, Kim has carefully stopped short of actions that might lead to U. It is clear that he sees the program as vital to the security of his regime and his legitimacy as the leader of North Korea. He may well be haunted by a very real fear of the consequences of unilateral disarmament.
The North Korean regime has often made reference to the fate of Iraq and Libya—the invasion and overthrow of its leaders—as key examples of what happens to states that give up their nuclear weapons. If we unpack this comparison, we can envision how deeply Kim Jong-un might have been affected by the death of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.
Graphic images of the bloodied Qaddafi ricocheted around the world. Contemporary reports described how Qaddafi was captured, hacked and beaten by a mob, shirtless and bloody, his body then stored in a freezer. The overthrow of regimes hitherto believed to be invincible probably highlighted for Jong-un the potential consequences of showing any signs of weakness, and reinforced the brutal suppression of dissent practiced by the Kim dynasty.
Even without all these warning signs, however, it is unlikely that Kim would have given serious consideration to denuclearizing his country. He has relied on military demonstrations and provocative actions to get his way, and has no experience in the arts of negotiation, compromise, and diplomacy. General Assembly in September—it would take a very brave North Korean official to counsel dialogue and efforts to mollify Washington and Beijing. But he may be reaching a critical point where he has to make a strategic choice.
At the same time, international pressure on North Korea has never been greater. The combined weight of all these pressures, internal and external, on North Korea, coming precisely at a time of rising expectations within the country, may overwhelm the regime—unless Kim learns to dial back his aggression.
That, of course, is a big if. I still agree with the U. He and his country do not exist in an ahistorical space that is unchanging and static. Our analysis and policy responses must also change and evolve and be prepared for all potential scenarios.
We, too, must avoid edging toward hubris. Upon his father's death in December , Kim Jong-un assumed power. He was believed to be in his late 20s at the time.
In December , Jang was reportedly arrested and executed for being a traitor and plotting to overthrow the government. It is also believed that members of Jang's family were executed as part of the purge. Although many details remained unclear, it was believed he was poisoned at Kuala Lumpur airport, and multiple suspects were arrested. Kim Jong-nam had been living in exile for many years, during which time he served as a vocal critic of his half-brother's regime. Under Kim Jong-un's authority, North Korea continued its weapons-testing programs.
Though agreeing in February to halt nuclear testing and to a cessation on long-range missile launching, in April the country launched a satellite that failed shortly after takeoff. Then, in December of the same year, the government launched a long-range rocket that put a satellite in orbit. The U. In February , North Korea held its third underground nuclear test. The act was roundly condemned by the international community, including the United States, Russia, Japan and China.
In the face of further sanctions, analysts stated that Kim's continued focus on armament while calling for U. By September , the country reportedly conducted its fifth underground nuclear test, despite a history of sanctions imposed by the U. Other countries staunchly denounced the move and called for North Korea's denuclearization, with South Korean president Park Geun-hye particularly concerned about the security implications of the continued weapons testing and Kim's mental state. In February , North Korea launched what its state media described as a medium long-range ballistic missile, with Kim said to be present at the site to supervise.
The test sparked more outrage from the international community and calls for an urgent U. Security Council meeting. Kim notably butted heads with Donald Trump after the latter's election to the U. The two exchanged numerous threats of warfare, and even took to personally insulting the other. In November , during a stop on a tour of Asia, President Trump took a softer stance, urging North Korea to "come to the table" to discuss disarmament. After the conclusion of Trump's tour, North Korean officials said the regime would continue to expand its nuclear capabilities as long as South Korea and the U.
S engaged in joint military exercises. Kim punctuated that statement by calling Trump a "depraved and stupid guy," and the U. In late November, North Korea crossed another threshold with the launch of its Hwasong missile, which reached a height of approximately 2, miles above ground, before splashing down off the coast of Japan. Afterward, Kim declared that North Korea had "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force. Defense Secretary James Mattis admitted that the test missile soared "higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken" and confirmed that North Korea was now capable of reaching any location on the planet with a strike.
Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of Kim Jong-il and his third wife Ko Yong-hui, was born in or He was initially not thought to be in the frame to take up his father's mantle. Analysts focused instead on his older half-brother Kim Jong-nam and older full brother Kim Jong-chol. However Kim Jong-nam's deportation from Japan in May and Kim Jong-chol's reported "unmanliness" improved his chances.
Analysts saw him as the heir-to-be after he was awarded a series of high-profile political posts. Swiss-educated like his brothers, Kim Jong-un avoided Western influences, returning home when not in school and dining out with the North Korean ambassador. His mother was thought to be Kim Jong-il's favourite wife, and she clearly doted on her son, reportedly calling him the "Morning Star King".
By then he was widely seen as the heir-apparent and when Kim Jong-il died, this was quickly confirmed. Mr Kim made his first public speech as North Korea marked the th anniversary of the birthday of founder Kim Il-sung on 15 April , praising the "military first" doctrine and vowing the time his nation could be threatened was "forever over".
Under him, the development of North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes has continued and appears to have made rapid strides. Four more nuclear tests have taken place, bringing the regime's total to six. Pyongyang claims it has successfully tested a miniaturised hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto a long-range missile, but experts remain divided on how advanced its programme is.
The reach of North Korea's missiles also appears to have increased. In the regime test-fired several missiles, and claimed it had tested intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the US - leading to a surge in tensions with the Donald Trump-led administration and an intensified UN sanctions regime.
As the animosity between the two sides rose, Mr Trump and Mr Kim engaged in an increasingly fiery war of words. Yet, unexpectedly, Mr Kim offered an olive branch to Seoul in his new year's address, saying he was "open to dialogue" and might send a team to the February Winter Olympics in South Korea. A flurry of diplomatic activity followed, with the two Koreas marching under one flag in the Olympic opening ceremony, and high-level meetings taking place between the two sides.
Mr Kim also made his first known foreign trip as leader, taking a train to Beijing - North Korea's main ally and trading partner. Mr Kim also sought to improve relations with Mr Trump, and in April , the two leaders held historic face-to-face talks in Singapore aimed at the denuclearisation of North Korea.
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