North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is at the helm of the most isolated country in the world. Here are some interesting facts about his background.

  • Kim Jong Un was the third and youngest son of former North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, and became supreme leader of North Korea after his father’s death in 2011
  • Kim Jong Il’s oldest son, Kim Jong Nam, was seen as too “tainted by foreign influence” for the supreme leader role, while his second son, Kim Jong Chol was deemed “too effeminate” to rule the country
  • Kim gave his first public speech as the leader of North Korea on April 15, 2012, to mark the 100th birthday of his deceased grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung
  • Kim had a luxurious childhood, fed by personal chefs and in possession of every toy imaginable
  • During his teenage years, Kim went to school in Switzerland under a false identity, and enjoyed playing basketball in his free time
  • Kim has had tense relationships with members of his family, and is widely believed to be behind the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong Nam, as Nam was a frequent critic of the North Korean regime
  • Kim also had his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, executed in 2013, accusing him of being a counterrevolutionary
  • Kim’s distinctive haircut is extremely popular in North Korea and has been dubbed the "ambition" hairstyle
  • Kim reportedly married his wife, singer Ri Sol Ju, in 2009, and the couple have three children
  • NBA star Dennis Rodman is reportedly close friends with Kim while President Donald Trump has exchanged “friendly” letters with the North Korean leader
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