PROFILE | Who is North Korea’s “Supreme Leader” Kim Jong Un and what does he think about the United States?

Renowned for his anti-US rhetoric, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un raises the spectre of war and places the US and its Pacific allies on high alert. Kim commands one of the most sophisticated militaries on earth and for the record, possesses over 30 nuclear weapons.

In a state media report aired Monday, November 18, Kim called for a “limitless expansion” of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal to counter US-led threats. He criticised the United States’ alliance with South Korea and Japan, which he dubs “Asian NATO”.

Under Kim, North Korea capitalises on its possession of nukes to stay in the conversation and is guided by a mission to counterbalance the US. Kim, the arrowhead, draws much fervour from the nation’s past experiences, which in no small measure define his person and fuel his obsession with the United States.

Rise to Power

Ranked by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful persons, Kim was born in the 1980s. He rules North Korea as a totalitarian state and his leadership differs less from that of his forbears – both of whom presided over the socialist state.

In December 2011, after the death of his father and predecessor, Kim took over the reins of power as Supreme Leader of North Korea. He heads multiple state institutions and exercises comprehensive control over national life.

In 2016, with Kim in mind, North Korea underwent a constitutional review – one that solidified his hold on power. He is a master of execution par excellence, and his rule thus far reflects a ruthless consolidation of power both within and without.

Forbears

It is impossible to understand Kim and predict his actions outside the context of his forbears. Record shows that only three leaders have ever ruled North Korea and the template upon which Kim waxes was the brainchild of Kim Il Sung, Kim’s grandfather and founder of North Korea.

Kim II Sung led the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Kim Jong Il, Kim’s father, who presided over the nation for almost two decades until he passed on in 2011. Both men pursued identical policies – which at best could be described as isolationist, militaristic, and anti-US.

Kim rides on these policies to date, with life in North Korea revolving around him and his family—including his spouse, children, and his influential sister, who remains a core human element of the mix.

Family

Since his ascension in 2011, Kim has enjoyed support from the ruling elite, and like a lot of things in North Korea the details of his family are somewhat complex. Kim, according to the Seoul spy agency is married to Ri Sol Ju, a former singer. Not much is known about her, but her motherhood is indisputable.

In November 2022 at the scene of a ballistic missile launch, Kim for the first time, revealed his daughter Kim Ju Ae to the world. Kim Ju Ae is believed to have been born in 2013 and is the second of Kim’s three children. Just as with Ri Sol Ju, little is known about Kim Ju Ae and her siblings.

In this mix comes Kim Yo Jong, Kim’s younger sister and one of his closest aides. Kim Yo Jong is seen as North Korea’s “most powerful woman” and provides overarching support to her brother. Known for her hawkish worldview, Kim Yo Jong has seen a spectacular rise to prominence within the ruling elite and is perceived in some quarters as Kim’s potential successor in the event of his incapacitation.

Policies – home and abroad

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—democratic in name but not in deeds—remains largely isolated from the rest of the world. The DPRK with a population of less than 28 million faces strict control and restrictions.

On the home front, Kim promotes and pursues a policy known as byungjin, which aims to better the economic lot of the nation and at the same time bolster its nuclear arsenal. Outside the shores of North Korea, Kim courts the leaders of China and Russia, where he receives diplomatic and moral support to the ire of Western powers.

Under Kim, North Korea’s nuclear testing and missile technology development has grown exponentially despite international pressure and sanctions. 2022 was one for the book as the East Asian nation launched over 90 ballistic and other missiles, marking its highest to date.

Kim sees nuclear weapons as a vital tool of deterrence, to deter and deal a potential blow on the nation’s arch-foe, the US.

Geopolitical Cracks

North Korea reels under US sanctions due to its pursuit to formalise its nuclear power status. Relations between Pyongyang and Washington are deeply hostile and continually take a turn for the worse. These conflictual relations, a Cold War flashpoint, date back to the 1950s. During the Korean War (1950 – 1953), US aerial bombardments of the North reduced cities to rubble and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. In brief, North Korea was flattened and those horrific scenes are etched in the memories of the people.

Since the post-war period, North Korea has systematically indoctrinated its population—including the elderly, women, and children—to see the United States as a mortal enemy.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Kim perpetuates and deepens existing anti-US sentiment.

In 2018, the US under President Trump tried to recalibrate this hostile relationship. Trump became the first incumbent US President to set foot in the DPRK, which was historic but failed to deliver substance.

The US and its allies seek a “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean Peninsula, a goal that would require historic concessions on the part of North Korea. However, the prospect of complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula as it stands, has all but disappeared.

In September 2022, Kim declared North Korea an “irreversible” nuclear state, committed to retaining its nuclear arsenal, accelerating its missile launches, and resisting international pressure.

Limitless Rule

Kim sees the possession of nukes as a means of national self-defence against a nuclear-armed adversary, the US, and readies his fire and manpower for a potential conflict.

“The Rocket Man” is undeterred in his quest to garrison self and nation. There are no limits to his rule.