"In my opinion, from various observations, he is an intelligent high stakes gambler. His risk taking is perceived as crazy by most people, but personally I think he is intensely sane & quite courageous".
According to quora.com, Kim Jong un (also spelled Kim Yong eun) born 8th January, 1984 was the youngest of three boys and a sister with the same father but a complex family in which he had one step brother recently involved in a coup attempt with his uncle.
As a teenager he loved American basketball and was very athletic before a car crash gave him crippling injuries. He is described by friends in his youth as being very determined, competitive & yet quite shy with girls.
Kim Jong un appears to have developed type 2 diabetes since those injuries which suggest to me at least that he is a man very frustrated with physical limitations.
As a teenager he attended German-speaking Steinhoelzli school in Berne from 1998 to 2000. He was schooled in Switzerland under an assumed name Pak un with a diplomat masquerading as his father. He also had to attend school with a bodyguard masquerading as the same age. (in white in this picture next to Kim).
According to his friend Joao Micaelo, Pak Un was a big fan of the Chicago Bulls. They spent 80% of their time together playing Basketball. As schoolmates they used to play basketball, watch Jackie Chan action movies, do homework, and play video games. A school administrator said Pak Un attended a class for non-German speaking pupils but then quickly moved over to another German speaking class. He was described as well-integrated, diligent and ambitious.
As a 14 year old boy Kim also developed a passion for flying and unlike most boys of his age enjoyed the opportunity for access to large transport category aircraft.
He routinely pilots Soviet era An-2 Biplanes just for pleasure.
Kim was exceptionally talented at Maths and Physics. He also developed fluency in German, English and French. He may also have mastered Mandarin spoken by his grandfather Kim Il Sung who led a small guerilla force in Munchukuo from 1935 until 1945 aligned with Chinese communists. He would undoubtedly be very proud of his Grandfather’s role in fighting for the liberation of Korea from Japanese occupation. That suggests he has a strong hostility towards Japan.
His grandfather would have instilled in him a deep mistrust for Americans given the behaviour of General Douglas McArthur in appointing South Korean dictator Syngman Rhee in May 1948 and trying to impose Rhee’s control over Koreans still living under Soviet administration in the North. The Soviet Governor, General Shytkov appointed Un’s Grandfather as the political leader of North Korea in September 1948 in defiance of US wishes. From then until June 1950, Syngman Rhee not only repeatedly threatened to lead an invasion of north Korea but several times sent ROK Army forces across the 38th Parallel to attack North Korea urged on by General McArthur.
For Kim Jong Un therefore the animosity for America is quite personal and very raw. I would not assess his attitude as that of a madman or someone being irrational at all. His hostility is found in historical provocations towards his grandfather and later to his father Kim Jong Il.
In his shoes as a young man, I would have felt very constrained and determined to break out to make my own mark on the world. I would assess that Kim Jong Un does not suffer fools but does form strong bonds with people he likes and trusts. He is likely to be very vengeful if crossed.
If the west wants to pursue diplomacy with North Korea we should be mindful of that respect for his grandfather. President Jimmy Carter announced 23 August 2017 that he intends to visit North Korea to negotiate release of US nationals in DPRK jails. Undoubtedly President Carter also hopes to salvage the mess created in relations between these two nations aswell.
Just days ago I spoke with a Chinese friend about North Korea. He said that prior to Nixon’s visit to China there was only hatred and mistrust. I honestly believe the solution with North Korea is respectful diplomacy and not insults.
State controlled media reported Un’s uncle & close adviser, Chang Song-thaek, was arrested whilst plotting a coup in December 2013. This led to a purge of those aligned with his uncle and several grizzly executions. There are suggestions China was behind the coup which would explain chilling of relations with Beijing.
There appear to have been various dynastic intrigues swirling around Un throughout his life. This would suggest Un is a very wary and aloof character who takes time to trust people if ever at all.
Kim Jong-un was the product of his father’s marriage to a Third wife Ko Yong-hui.
Kim is a father now with three children. He relives stress and tension with alcohol and smoking. He still indulges in his love for basketball as witnessed by his patronage of the game throughout North Korea.
Kim Jong Un had a half brother Kim Jong-nam, who was assassinated in Malaysia in February 2017. Kim Jong-nam had been under Chinese protection and according to various sources, they had groomed him for a coup attempt that was in planning in 2013 as Un’s successor.
He also had an older brother Kim Jong-chol who fell into disfavor with Un’s father for gambling addictions and wild night clubbing in London. Kim Jong Un was recalled from schooling overseas when his father deemed Un should be his successor. Un was recalled from Switzerland sent to a military academy to prepare him for leadership.
Whilst Un obviously loved his father, their relationship may also have been distant and strained. Un may have felt his father was weak or soft negotiating with America in six party talks 2003–2009. By the end of this period Un’s father was undoubtedly under a lot of strain and frail. His father died in 2011 catapulting Kim Jong Un to the role of the nation’s leader at just 27.
In 1974 Egypt exported examples of the Scud-B and Scud-C tactical ballistic missile, plus a variety of SA-2, SA-3 and SA-5 surface to air missiles. The country developed an impressive capability to manufacture its own copies of these missiles and then began exporting copies around the globe. In 1992 the United States imposed trade sanctions on North Korea. In retaliation in late 1993 North Korea called off inspections of Yeongbyon nuclear reactor under the NPT.
Tensions soared and the Pentagon openly proposed to attack North Korea. Then President Jimmy Carter acted as a circut breater and had the courage to fly to Pyongyang where he had unofficial talks with Un’s grandfather.
In May 1994 Un’s grandfather made an offer to President Carter to abandon missile production and nuclear development in return for normalized trade & diplomatic ties with USA. This led to official Geneva talks. North Korea also sought to cancel the Korean Armastice and replace it with an enduring Peace Treaty. In October 1994 an agreement was signed providing a framework for replacing the Yeongbyon Heavy Water Reactor, with less threatening Light water reactors and in the meantime shipments of food and fuel oil to make up the shortfall in electrical production caused by taking Yeongbyon off line
During these talks it also emerged the Pentagon had developed a war plan for attacking the Yeongbyon nuclear plant and invading North Korea from the South. Eventually a new Republican administration called off promises to supply fuel oil agreed under the framework and by 2003 North Korea scrapped the agreement and resumed work on nuclear weapons.
I am just guessing at this point but taking all of the above into consideration I would expect that Un is driven by a profound sense of duty to his nation and his grandfather’s vision.
He is likely a fierce nationalist, ie Korea for Koreans. Anyone who has studied the history of Korea’s subjugation by Manchu and by the Japanese would understand where that sense of national pride comes from.
That is why I don’t see him as a selfish or self obsessed man. I don’t think Westerners grasp that the Korean people have been invaded so many times that independence and national self determination are behind current tensions.
Kim Jong-un is likely the very opposite. A very selfless man who lives for very high ideals and out of a sense of service for others. I do not think he could have been so resolute standing up to American military might without a firm core of coznviction. He is someone whom I would find fascinating to get to know
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