Kim Jong-il, North Korea's "Dear Leader," has died of a massive heart attack. He is said to have been 69 years old, though there's some debate as to his actual age.
Kim has been the country's leader since 1994. He assumed the position upon his father Kim Il-sung's death, who led the country since its founding in 1948. Kim Il-sung remains North Korea's "Eternal President."
Kim oversaw one of the world's most oppressive governments. He, like his father, devoted most of the state's resources to military spending (North Korea has the fifth largest military in the world, one of the worst human rights records. The two are inextricably linked). The country's military-first policy continued even as famine spread throughout the country during the 90's. An estimated two million people died as a result.
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are locked up in prisons. Tens of thousands are held in concentration camps. They are subjected to continuous propaganda from state-run media, and live amidst a climate of fear. These elements aid in perpetuating the cult of personality cultivated by Kim Il-sung and continued by Kim Jong-il.
North Korea is a fascinating country, both because of its isolation to the rest of the world and the oppressive conditions its people endure. I am hopeful, but not optimistic, that Kim's death will afford the people of North Korea an opportunity to bring an end to their suffering.
Below is a video of the country's odd, yet awe-inspiring, Arirang Festival.
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