The Kim Dynasty: An Origin Story

By: Jimin Oh

(North Korea, 2018)

The Kim dynasty of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea, stands as one of the most unique forms of leadership that exist today. Since the 20th century, this dynasty had led North Korea, shaping it into the authoritative, isolated state as we know it today. But how did these men come to hold power, and how have they maintained this for nearly a century?

This all starts from Kim Il Sung. Born in 1912 during the time of Japanese occupation in Korea (Encyclopedia, n.d). As a result of witnessing the harsh Japanese policies aimed at erasing Korean culture, he developed a strong anti-colonial mindset. In his twenties, he joined guerilla groups where he fought the Japanese in Manchuria, and later was selected to train with the Soviet forces (Encyclopedia, n.d). When World War II ended in 1945 and the Japanese withdrew, Kim Il Sung saw this as the perfect opportunity to step into leadership for the northern part of Korea. 

Driven by his ambition, Kim Il Sung was appointed as the new leader of North Korea in 1948 with support from the Soviet forces. As Kim Il Sung led the north, the US appointed Syngman Rhee to lead the South, creating a divided Korea that was split into two ideologies (Encyclopedia, n.d). Tensions were high, and Kim Il Sung was motivated to reunite the two Koreas - under his own rule. With this in pursuit, he launched the Korean War in 1950, which ended in a stalemate three years later(Encyclopedia, n.d). With his authority established, Kim Il Sung built a regime in the North, centering the nation and future around his leadership. 

The rise of Kim Il Sung was closely intertwined with Juche - an ideology that merged socialism with intense nationalism (Beauchamp, 2018). It was a philosophy that promoted self-sufficiency as a nation, as well as complete dependence on the leader. To cultivate this culture of devotion, Kim used every tool he could - propaganda, songs, murals, and educational materials - to create a culture centered around himself (Beauchamp, 2018). Any signs of disobedience or dissent were harshly punished, and even minor rebellion was met with severe consequences. 

Kim Il Sung did not seek power solely for himself, but he intended for this regime to continue. During the 1970s, he began preparing his son, Kim Jong il, to be his successor. When Kim Il Sung passed away in 1994, Kim Jong-il took the leadership, immediately overtaking a nation faced with economic crisis, famines, and international tensions. During this time, Kim Jong-il began to recenter the nation around its military, focusing heavily on their nuclear development. 

In 2011, Kim Jong Un, the son of Kim Il Sung took leadership and continued many of his father and grandfather’s policies, and has opened up North Korea to further international relations. With such a unique lineage, the legacy of the Kim dynasty remains as one of the most notoriously impactful stories of power in modern history. 

Works Cited

Beauchamp, Z. (2018, June 18). Juche, the state ideology that makes North Koreans revere Kim Jong Un, explained. Vox. https://www.vox.com/world/2018/6/18/17441296/north-korea-propaganda-ideology-juche 

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Kim Il-sung. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kim-Il-Sung 

North Korea: 5 facts about the kim dynasty of North Korea. Intellectual Takeout. (2018, June 12). https://intellectualtakeout.org/2018/06/5-facts-about-the-kim-dynasty-of-north-korea/