Kim Il-sung

1Kim Il-sung, originally named Kim Song-ju, was the founder and the first Supreme Leader of North Korea. Born under Japanese colonial rule in Korea, he fled to Northeast China in his early years, participating in anti-Japanese guerrilla activities and becoming a prominent leader of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces. In 1948, with Soviet support, Kim Il-sung established the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), promoting socialism and the Juche ideology, which emphasizes self-reliance and independence. In 1950, he launched the Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice agreement, solidifying the division between North and South Korea. During his rule, North Korea developed a highly centralized political system and a strong cult of personality around him. After his death in 1994, he was posthumously titled "Eternal President," and his son Kim Jong-il succeeded him as leader.