Korean History › Two Koreas › Juche ideology and the North Korean state
Kim Jong-un
leader since December 2011· Person· Rulers & states
Well documentedSolid records, physical evidence or scientific consensus.
North Korea's leader since December 2011, the third generation of the Kim family to rule.
See it on the Korean History map →What happened
Kim Jong-un (김정은), born around 1984 and partly schooled in Switzerland, took over when his father Kim Jong-il died in December 2011. He secured power with purges, including the 2013 execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek; his half-brother Kim Jong-nam was killed with VX nerve agent at a Malaysian airport in 2017, an attack widely blamed on Pyongyang. He ordered four of the six nuclear tests, met Trump three times in 2018–19, and in 2024 dropped the goal of unification.
Why it matters
He greatly expanded North Korea's nuclear arsenal and, in 2024, made it a treaty ally of Russia, sending troops to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Legacy and how we know
State media, defectors' accounts, South Korean intelligence briefings, satellite imagery, and Malaysian court records from the Kim Jong-nam murder trial; much about him remains secret.
Still debated
His exact birth year, his health, and his successor; frequent public appearances by his daughter Kim Ju-ae since 2022 have fueled speculation.
Inside this (1)
Connections (3)
▸Kim Jong-il was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-unWell documented
The connection
After a stroke in 2008, Kim Jong-il hurried to groom his youngest son, passing over the eldest, Kim Jong-nam. Kim Jong-un was made a four-star general and party official in September 2010, with his uncle Jang Song-thaek as guardian. When his father died on December 17, 2011, he became leader within days: the second hereditary handover.
When and how
Pyongyang; unveiled at the Workers' Party conference of September 2010; named leader after his father's death in December 2011.
How we know
Party conference records, state media, and South Korean intelligence reports on Kim Jong-il's 2008 stroke.
Debates and open questions
Why Kim Jong-un was chosen over his older brothers, and how much real power he held in his first years.
▸Kim Jong-un expanded North Korea's nuclear weapons testsWell documented
The connection
Kim Jong-un ordered four of the six tests, from February 2013 to September 2017, including the largest by far, and paired them with dozens of missile launches. In 2013 he declared a 'byungjin' policy of building nuclear weapons and the economy together; a 2022 law called the country's nuclear status irreversible.
When and how
Punggye-ri test site, 2013–2017; missile launches across the country, including the Hwasong-15 long-range missile in November 2017.
How we know
Seismic data, satellite imagery, North Korean announcements, and UN Panel of Experts reports on sanctions violations.
Debates and open questions
Whether a seventh test will follow; satellite images have shown the Punggye-ri site restored and ready since 2022.
▸Kim Jong-un met Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump at 2018–19 summits (Panmunjom, Singapore, Hanoi)Well documented
The connection
After declaring his nuclear force 'complete' in late 2017, Kim pivoted to diplomacy in his 2018 New Year speech. He met Moon three times in 2018 and held his first meeting with China's Xi Jinping, then met Trump in Singapore, Hanoi and at the DMZ, seeking sanctions relief and security guarantees.
When and how
Panmunjom (April and May 2018), Singapore (June 12, 2018), Pyongyang (September 2018), Hanoi (February 2019), Panmunjom again (June 30, 2019).
How we know
Joint statements, live broadcasts, and memoirs and interviews of U.S. and South Korean officials.
Debates and open questions
Who really drove it: South Korean envoys carried Kim's invitation to Trump in March 2018, and Bolton later called the whole diplomacy South Korea's creation.