Kim Jong-Un Research Paper

KIM JONG-UN

AND NORTH KOREA

Thesis: Kim Jong-Un became the ultimate “supreme ruler” of his country, North Korea, after his

father’s unfortunate demise. He has expressed his absolute political dominance through a variety

of ways; however, he still hasn’t managed to change much of the country’s social and economic

status for the better.

I. Introduction

A. Thesis

II. Kim Jong-Un as a political leader/status

A. Political views

B. “The Democratic People’s Republic”

1. Actually not democratic

2. Communist/dictatorship

C. Country’s view of Kim Jong-Un

III. Social status of North Korea

A. Reforms

B. Concentration camps

C. Public executions, cruelty

D. Military status

IV. Economic status of North Korea.

A. Corruption

1. No tax system

2. State controls basically everything

V. Conclusion

A. Summarize

Kim Jong-Un, the youngest of his siblings, surprisingly became the supreme ruler of

North Korea after his faster’s unfortunate demise. Much of his early life is unknown to the

general public, but it is rumored that he has been training for leadership in Western countries

such as Switzerland. Announced as the “Great Successor,” Kim Jong-Un has been diligently

continuing his father’s unfulfilled works. As the “supreme leader,” he has expressed his political

dominance through a variety of ways; however, he still hasn’t changed much of North Korea’s

social and economic status for the better.

Lacking the much needed experience, Kim Jong-Un assumed office on December 17,

2011 after his father’s death. The new leader in his mid-twenties, now in control of North Korea,

plans to continue his father’s military campaign and strengthen the military through extensive

research. Since Kim Jong-Un is young, he needs to prove himself. He needs to prove that he

cannot be taken lightly, so to prove this, he killed his uncle, who is one of the most powerful

people in North Korea, and most of his relatives. Kim Jong-Un is now the leader of the “The

Democratic People’s Republic,” which is a self-proclaimed name for North Korea. There is

absolutely nothing democratic or republic about North Korea. Their form of government would

actually go under a Communist state with a one-man dictatorship. Everyone knows not to talk

bad about Kim Jong-Un, so of course, they all praise him, although almost everyone knows the

truth.

With Kim Jong-Un in power, there have been many hopes of reforms for the country.

Rumors of a new economic policy being hatched in Pyongyang only fuel speculation that Kim is

serious about change. However, these changes have yet to take place. As of now, social and

religious discrimination is rampant in North Korea. Thousands of Christians are imprisoned,

beaten, and tortured in North Korean concentration camps. According to Hunter Stuart, “North

Korea has committed horrors on a level with the Holocaust…” Instead of Hitler condemning the

Jews, it is now Kim Jong-Un attacking the Christians. Even if you’re not in the concentration

camps, you’re still not safe. Families must provide food and other necessities to North Korean

soldiers and failure or resistance may result in death on the spot. North Korea is almost entirely

focused on the military and even ignoring the people. Almost all the food and supplies go to the

military. According to The Economist, “Koreans are subsisting on a single bowl of rice or corn a

day, supplemented by grass, dried leaves or roots. In some parts of the country they have been

reduced to eating the bark from trees (1).” Clearly, the struggle is real.

The economy of North Korea is in shambles. There is no effective tax system is in place

and the government commands and dictates almost every part of the economy. It sets production

levels for most products, and state-owned industries account for nearly all GDP. The state directs

all significant economic activity. Large military spending further drains scarce resources. Also,

despite the state’s attempts to crack down on them, black markets have grown. North Korea’s

citizens are highly isolated from other countries and international trade and investment are

tightly controlled by the government. Also, it doesn’t look like Kim Jong-Un plans to change this

anytime soon.

The world had many hopes for Kim Jong-Un to change his country for the better, but

some things are too good to be true. Kim Jong-Un’s priority is clearly not for the needs of the

people, but the needs of one-self. He needs to assert his dominance through executions and

military research. However, there is still a chance that a long awaited reform is coming.

Works Cited

"A terrible truth." The Economist. 17 Apr. 1997. The Economist Newspaper. 07 Mar. 2014

<http://www.economist.com/node/147613>.

"Kim Jong-un reportedly executes blood relatives of once-powerful uncle." Fox News. 26 Jan.

2014. FOX News Network. 06 Mar. 2014

<http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/01/27/kim-jong-un-reportedly-executes-blood-

relatives-once-powerful-uncle-as-purge/>.

"Kim Jong-un's failure to reform North Korea's socio-economic outlook: A chip off the old

block?" News Powered by Cision. 07 Mar. 2014 <http://news.cision.com/taylor---

francis/r/kim-jong-un-s-failure-to-reform-north-korea-s-socio-economic-outlook--a-chip-

off-the-old-block-%2Cc9524662>.

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Mar. 2014 <http://www.heritage.org/index/country/northkorea>.

"Our Magazine Archive." Foreign Policy. 07 Mar. 2014

<http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/08/21/kim_jong_un_is_no_reformer>.

Stuart, Hunter. "North Korea Atrocities 'Strikingly Similar' To Nazis, UN Says." The Huffington

Post. 18 Feb. 2014. TheHuffingtonPost.com. 07 Mar. 2014

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/18/north-korea-nazi-atrocities-un-report-

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