Episode 23 – Who is Kim Jong-un and how is he shaping North Korea?

Ask me about North Korea

Kim Jong-un is one of the most well-known leaders in contemporary world politics, who gets a lot of press – and a lot of very bad press. Despite that fact, very little is actually known about him as a person and, especially, about his early years of political career before becoming the leader of North Korea. While he is often seen by many Westerners as a rather comical figure due to his cartoonish appearance and body constitution, Kim Jong-un is actually one of the most cunning and Machiavellian politicians in East Asia. Kim Jong-un’s rule was transformative for North Korean society as it began to improve economically but became even more oppressive politically. This episode focuses on Kim Jong-un as a political personality.