Kim Jong Il - the Most Absurd Dictator
Kim is claimed to have died on 2011-12-19 due to fatigue. Since lies are a part of the foundation of regimes such as Kim's, the real time and cause of his death may not be known for a long time. Even his birth is still clouded with lies. Officially, he was born on February 16, 1942 in a log cabin on sacred Mount Paektu, the highest point in Korea and the mythical birthplace of the Korean people, and was accompanied by a simultaneous appearance of a bright star, a double rainbow, and a bird announcing the coming of a “general who will rule all the world.” However, historians believe he was born in a Russian village bordering China in 1941. In terms of "family", it is an even greater mystery. Officially, he had three wives and four kids, and a mistress known to the public due to her constant presence beside Kim. However, some belive he had up to 70 children. Most probably many lies will come out of North Korea's official sources to support the next Kim dictator - Kim Jong Il's 28 years old son Kim Jong-un.
Unlike many other dictators such as Hitler, Stalin, Mao who are famous for their brutality, Kim Jong Il is famous for his absurdity. He embalmed his father and designated him as the eternal president. Most people outside Korea do not know that the official present of North Korea has been a cadaver since 1994, and will be the cadaver till the Kim's regime ends. He promoted his then 26 years old son Kim Jong-un with no military experience to 4-star general in 2010.
He resembled another dictator Mao in many senses. The famine induced by his policy wiped out about 8% of the population (2 million), very similar to the famine induced by Mao's Great Leap Forward policy in late 1950s that wiped about 7% of the Chinese population (36 million). The way that deeply brainwashed North Koreans mourn Kim resembles our mourning of Mao in 1976 - weeping all around the country.
The Chinese regime has been providing the lifeline to sustain Kim family's dictatorship, hence the suffering of North Koreans. It will be interesting to see how the Chinese regime helps maintain the suffering of North Koreans by continuing the support for Kim family.
The death of Kim Jong Il could be a catalyst for the long overdue reform to lift North Koreans out of abject poverty.