The current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, is the grandson of Kim Il Sung, who was the architect of one of the most bewildering regimes in the world, North Korea. Today, North Korea remains the most closed-off regime and state in the world. Its southern neighbor, South Korea, is among the wealthiest countries with an export-oriented economy, where the people enjoy a comfortable life. In contrast, in North Korea, the population struggles to make ends meet, working under a communist regime. Kim Il Sung is the founder of this regime.
Kim Il Sung was born in China under Japanese occupation during a chaotic period. As Japanese oppression increased, Kim Il Sung and his family sought refuge in Manchuria. There, young Kim Il Sung started his education in Chinese schools. He became a member of the Korean Communist Party in 1925 and took up arms when the Japanese invaded Manchuria. By 1932, he became the commander of the anti-Japanese resistance in Manchuria, but the Japanese forces were formidable.
The Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japanese occupation saw the temporary occupation of the region by the U.S. and the USSR, leading to the establishment of two separate regimes: communist North Korea and democratic South Korea. In 1948, the division became official, with North Korea declaring its independence on September 9, 1948. Kim Il Sung initiated policies that enforced gender equality, suppressed religion, and implemented nationalization of land and industry. The division between North and South Korea became entrenched.
In 1950, North Korean forces, under Kim Il Sung's leadership, invaded South Korea, leading to the Korean War. United Nations forces, with substantial U.S. support, intervened to counter the aggression. The conflict saw back-and-forth battles until an armistice was reached in 1953, solidifying the 38th parallel as the border. Since then, North Korea has evolved into an isolated, authoritarian regime, while South Korea prospered.
After the war, North Korea closed itself off completely, and this isolationist policy persists to this day.
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