Who is he?:
The sole, lifelong ruler of North Korea, having inherited control of the country from his late father, Kim Il-Sung. Also chairman of the National Defense Commission, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Birthdate:
Feb. 16 -- 1941, according to Soviet records, or 1942, according to North Korean records. Because the official North Korean version of his birth includes mythological elements such as a double rainbow and star appearing over Baekdu Mountain, the Soviet version -- which has Kim being born in Vyatskoye while his father commanded a Soviet brigade -- is more realistic.
Personal life:
Father was first ruler of the Stalinist state of North Korea; his mother, also a guerrilla, died in 1949. Kim is believed to have had three wives, or one official wife and three longtime mistresses including his current consort, personal secretary and de facto first lady Kim Ok. He has at least three sons and a daughter. He is said to have a fondness for movies and fast cars, as well as other lush accoutrements that few other North Koreans could even dream of.
Political affiliation:
Korean Workers' Party, nominally.
Career:
Kim Jong-Il took over state affairs from his father, Kim Il-Sung, in 1980, and became head of the country after the elder Kim's death in 1994. No one may take the title of president since Kim Il-Sung, so Kim Jong-Il is known as the general secretary.
Future:
Kim has been plagued by health woes and even rumors about whether he is alive or dead. It is believed that his consort, Kim Ok, handles many political matters for him. It is not known which of his sons is being groomed to succeed him.
Quote:
"The liquidation of colonialism is a trend of the times which no force can hold back."
