Kim Jong-un

President of the State Affairs Commission

8 January 1982 8 January 19834 Pyongyang, North Korea

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Incumbent

General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and supreme leader of North Korea For other people named Kim Jong-un, see Kim Jong-un (disambiguation). Supreme Leader Marshal of the Republic Kim Jong-un김정은 Kim in April 2019President of the State Affairs CommissionIncumbentAssumed office 30 December 2011First Vice PresidentChoe Ryong-haePremierChoe Yong-rim Pak Pong-ju Kim Jae-ryong Kim Tok-hunPreceded by Kim Jong-ilGeneral Secretary of the Workers' Party of KoreaIncumbentAssumed office 11 April 2012Preceded by Kim Jong-ilChairman of the Central Military CommissionIncumbentAssumed office 11 April 2012Preceded by Kim Jong-il Personal detailsBorn (1982-01-08 ) 8 January 1982 (age 39) (North Korean records) (1983-01-08 ) 8 January 1983 (age 38) (South Korean and American records) Pyongyang, North KoreaPolitical partyWorkers' Party of KoreaSpouse(s)Ri Sol-ju ​(m. 2009)​ChildrenAt least 1; 3 (alleged)MotherKo Yong-huiFatherKim Jong-ilRelativesKim dynastyAlma mater Kim Il-sung University Kim Il-sung Military University SignatureMilitary serviceAllegiance  North Korea Branch/service  Korean People's ArmyYears of service2010–presentRank Taewonsu (대원수, roughly translated as Grand Marshal or Generalissimo)Korean nameChosŏn'gŭl김정은 Hancha金正恩 Revised RomanizationGim Jeong(-)eunMcCune–ReischauerKim Chŏngŭn ^ North Korean biographies, which claim his birth date as 8 January 1982, are generally not considered to be factually reliable. Central institution membership 2012–present: Member, Presidium of the Political Bureau of the 6th, 7th, 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea 2012–present: Member, Political Bureau of the 6th, 7th, 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea 2010–present: Member, 6th, 7th, 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea 2014–2019: Deputy, 13th Supreme People's Assembly Other offices held 2012–present: Chairman, Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea 2010–2012: Vice Chairman, Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ← Kim Jong-il Current holder Kim Jong-un (/ˌ k ɪ m dʒ ɒ ŋ ˈ ʊ n , -ˈ ʌ n / ; Korean: 김정은 ; Hanja: 金正恩 ; Korean pronunciation:  ; born 8 January 1982 or 1983) is a North Korean politician who has been Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the second child of Kim Jong-il, who was North Korea's second supreme leader from 1994 to 2011, and Ko Yong-hui. He is the grandson of Kim Il-sung, who was the founder and first supreme leader of North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. From late 2010, Kim Jong-un was viewed as successor to the leadership of North Korea. Following his father's death in December 2011, state television announced Kim Jong-un as the "Great Successor". Kim holds the titles of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and President of the State Affairs Commission. He is also a member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, the highest decision-making body. In July 2012, Kim was promoted to the highest rank of Marshal in the Korean People's Army, consolidating his position as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. North Korean state media often refer to him as "the Marshal" or "Dear Respected Leader". He has promoted the policy of byungjin, similar to Kim Il-sung's policy from the 1960s, referring to the simultaneous development of both the economy and the country's nuclear weapons program. Kim's leadership has followed the same cult of personality as his grandfather and father. In 2014, a UNHRC report suggested that Kim could be put on trial for crimes against humanity. He has ordered the purge or execution of several North Korean officials; he is also widely believed to have ordered the 2017 assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, in Malaysia. He has presided over an expansion of the consumer economy, construction projects and tourist attractions. Kim also expanded North Korea's nuclear program which led to heightened tensions with the United States and South Korea. In 2018 and 2019, Kim took part in summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump. He has claimed success in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea, although many experts doubt the country has had no cases altogether.