The Kims Dynasty in North Korea

The history Kim dynasty in North Korea dates back to the aftermath of World War II in 1945 after what was previously Korea split into two forming North Korea and South Korea. The United States seized control of South Korea while the Northern Korea remained under socialist rule whose ideology was driven by the Soviet Union now Russia. The Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK) was founded in 1945 and a former guerilla fighter Kim II-sung became its leader under the party Korea Workers Party. A question in the minds of everyone is how did North Korea fall into the communist rule? How did Kim's dynasty establish itself as a "Great Dynasty" in Korea? How is the communist rule in North Korea?

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This paper describes the Kim's dynasty in North Korea and its characteristics of leadership from its inception in 1948 to date from Kim II-Sung, Kim Jong-II and Kim Jong-Un.

The Kim dynasty in North Korea began with Kim II-Sung in 1948 and is a three lineage generation of leadership. Kim ruled Korea soon after the fall of Japanese rule in North Korea in 1945 as a result of World War II. Sung was referred to as the "Great Leader" marking the beginning of what is seen by many as the dictatorial rule in the Northern Korea. Unlike most communist regimes all around the world, the communist rule in the Northern Korea was like that of a royal family due to the passing down of the mantle of leadership from father to son. The cult of personality developed by Kim Il-Sung after ascending to power in 1948 lead to his uncontested 46-year rule over which was extended to the family including his brother referred as "Revolutionary fighter" and mother referred to as "Mother of Korea." This cult was marked by the use of propaganda and mass media to threaten people from resisting the rule. According to Tyler Lutz in his research Cult of personality: North Korea under Kim II-Sung (Spring 2015). A personality cult comes into being when a one-man dictatorship presents itself as a democracy; the goal being to convey the impression that due to the dictator's unique ability and the unanimity of the people's "love" for him, his rule constitutes the perfect fulfillment of democratic ideals. The same case applies to North Korean Leadership where the Kim's always believe that people have the abundant love for the regime. The ideology of Juche (self-reliance) was developed by Kim il-Sung who believed that an individual is a master of his own destiny and was expected to propel North Korea into a state of self-reliance.

Like most of the communist countries, Kims North Korea has been an epicenter of dictatorship and regime that terrorizes its opposing forces by all evil ways. Sung capitalized in his experiences as a skilled guerrilla fighter to capture the attention of the masses and, therefore, becoming the ultimate leader with no competition. Sung with his charisma founded the communist North Korea and left his legacy with his successor his son Kim Jong Il. Human rights is a major concern in northern Korea under Kim Jong-II; freedom of speech and movement was limited with anyone facing tough punishment if found committing these "crimes". A report by Human Rights Watch indicates that inhumane treatment and executions are rampant in the country where political prisoners are sent to brutal forced labor camps.

The charisma of Kims' mainly that of Sung is believed to have arisen in various leadership positions he held earlier during the invasion by Japanese. This is according to Jerrold M. Post in his article In the Shadow of His Father (2008). By the age of 15, Kim had joined Korean Youth League to engage Japanese invasion in Korea. Allied to the Soviet Union and China, Kim was determined to hold the Korean peninsula, he was named Eternal President in 1972 after the amendment of the constitution and thereafter the slogan "The Great Leader will Always be With Us" created. Kim Jong-II was also a charismatic public speaker with the ability to convince his people. Pyongyang Times refers to Kim Jong-Sung as a national hero, brilliant and always victorious. Kim Jong Sung was eloquent in Chinese and also spoke Russian; these made his ties with China and Russia strong. He proved public speaking skills in his speech The People's Struggle for the Building of a Unified, Democratic Independent State in 1950. Death of Kim Jong-II marked yet another rise of a Kim into leadership. Un was viewed as the heir apparent of his father Kim Jong-II who passed on in 2011, after the death of his father, he was named a Supreme successor of the philosophy of Juche (self-reliance), he consolidated leadership to himself after taking over leadership of army and the party. He is the Supreme commander of the armed forces and since his rise to power he has shown some change in style of leadership such as informal appearance in public seen by scholars as the end or perhaps the relaxation in totalitarian leadership style depicted by his grandfather and father respectively which is denied by government media organs. The country has faced stiff totalitarian leadership as that of the first two leaders which are marked with execution such as the one of Chang Song-thaek in 2013 after the allegation that he was planning to overthrow the regime. The totalitarian regime of the Kim dynasty is marked with the use of propaganda in media and government speeches and education to spread fear to those who dared challenge the regime. Media also has been censured by the government and any criticism of the state is prohibited. I should also note that military sign up is mandatory in North Korea. Since its formation in 1948, The Workers Party of Korea (WPK) has been in power. The birth of Kim Jong-II is believed to have been a supernatural birth and that a double rainbow and a new star appeared on the sky, the season also is said to have changed from winter to spring when he was born, he was also believed to be very intelligent.

Works Cited

Jae-Cheon Lim:Kim Jong-Ils' leadership of North Korea (2009). Print.

Tyler Lutz: Cult of Personality: North Korea under Kim Il-Sung(2015). Print.

Jerrold M. Post: Kim Jong-Il of North Korea: In the Shadow of His Father. Print.

Jerrold M. Post, M.D. and Laurita M. Denny, M.A:Kim Jong-Il of North Korea: A

Political Psychology Profile. Print.

Human Rights Watch: Report on North Korea. Web.

Pollack, Jonathan D. "The Kim Dynasty and North Korea's Nuclear Future: Will History Still Rhyme?." Asia Policy 13.1 (2012): 182-190.