Kim Jong-Il: Supreme Leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011

He was the son of Kim Il-Sŏng. Official North Korean propaganda said that Jong-il was born on Mount Paektu (a holy mountain in Korea); but most historians think that he was born near Chabarowsk in the Soviet Union. The North Korean laws made him permanent ruler of North Korea for life. He was sometimes referred to as the "Dear Leader", but this was not an official title. His official title was "Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea", "Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army" and "General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea". Many people in North Korea were imprisoned or killed for speaking out against the Kim regime. Almost everyone in North Korea wore a small pin with a picture of Kim Jŏng-Il or Kim Il-Sŏng on it.

His Excellency Eternal Leader Generalissimo Kim Jong-il
김정일 金正日
Official portrait issued after his death, 2011
Supreme Leader of North Korea
In office 8 July 1994 – 17 December 2011
Premier	Hong Song-nam Pak Pong-ju Kim Yong-il Choe Yong-rim
Preceded by	Kim Il-sung (as President)
Succeeded by	Kim Jong-un
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
In office 8 October 1997 – 17 December 2011
Deputy	Kim Yong-nam Choe Yong-rim Jo Myong-rok Ri Yong-ho
Preceded by	Kim Il-sung
Succeeded by	Position abolished (Proclaimed Eternal Party General Secretary after his death)
Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
In office 9 April 1993 – 17 December 2011
Deputy	Jo Myong-rok
Preceded by	Kim Il-sung
Succeeded by	Position abolished as Kim Jong-il was declared as the Eternal Chairman on 13 April 2012
Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
In office 24 December 1991 – 17 December 2011
Preceded by	Kim Il-sung
Succeeded by	Kim Jong-un
Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party
In office 8 October 1997 – 17 December 2011
Deputy	Kim Jong-un Ri Yong-ho
Preceded by	Kim Il-sung
Succeeded by	Kim Jong-un
First Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
In office 24 May 1990 – 9 April 1993
Leader	Kim Il-sung
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	O Chin-u
Personal details
Born	(1941-02-16)16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (Soviet records) (1942-02-16)16 February 1942 Baekdu Mountain, Japanese Korea (North Korean biography)[a]
Died	17 December 2011(2011-12-17) (aged 70) Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Resting place	Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Political party	Workers' Party of Korea
Spouse(s)	Kim Young-sook (1974–2011)
Domestic partner	Song Hye-rim (1968–2002) Ko Young-hee (1977–2004) Kim Ok (2004–2011)
Children	Kim Sul-song Kim Jong-nam Kim Jong-chul Kim Jong-un Kim Yo-jong
Alma mater	Mangyongdae Revolutionary School Kim Il-sung University
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	North Korea
Branch/service	Korean People's Army
Years of service	1991–2011
Rank	Taewonsu (대원수, roughly translated as Grand Marshal or Generalissimo)
Commands	Supreme Commander

The North Korean government told people of his death through the state media on 19 December 2011. It was said that he had died two days earlier of "physical and mental over-work".

Kim Jong-il was born as Yuri Irsenovich Kim on 16 February 1941 or 1942 in either Korea or the USSR . He was the son of Kim Il-Sung is was responsible for the Korean War in 1950-1953 .

Rising through the ranks

In 1974 Kim Il-sung designated Kim Jong-il as his successor, solidifying the leadership transition within North Korea. Kim Jong-il's rise to power was marked by his gradual ascent within the North Korean political hierarchy. He began his official political career in the mid-1970s, holding various positions in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Over the years, he consolidated his influence and took on key roles in military and propaganda departments. By 1994, he succeeded his father, Kim Il-sung, as the Supreme Leader of North Korea.

Rule (1994 – 2011)

Following Kim Il-Sung's death in 1994, Kim Jong-il became North Korea's 2nd Supreme Leader. During his rule, North Korea experienced a devastating famine which resulted in millions of deaths due to starvation. In the early 2000s, Kim oversaw the development of nuclear weapons with a series of missile tests by launching rockets of the coast of Japan and South Korea. His "Military-First" policy exacerbated economic challenges, leading to widespread hardship for the North Korean people and political repression.

Kim Jong-il was a Stalinist. He believed in the North Korean Communist philosophy of Juche (self-reliance). He was afraid to travel on aeroplanes and traveled only on trains. He was well known for his love of movies and luxury goods, especially caviar and Hennessey brand cognac, even though North Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once gave Jong-il a present of a basketball signed by Michael Jordan when he visited North Korea because Jong-il was a fan of the National Basketball Association and of Michael Jordan.

 

On the morning of 17 December 2011, at the age of 69 or 70, Jong-il died of a heart attack while traveling. His funeral was held on 28 December, and as a result, Kim Jong-un was then elected as the new leader of North Korea. On 13 April 2012, Kim Jong-il was made Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission and Eternal General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea.