Kim Jong-Un

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Weddings, Funerals Banned in North Korea

At least until the next ruling party congress is over

(Newser) - Heading to North Korea for a wedding this week? Better put that on hold—the nation's leader, Kim Jong-un, has banned all weddings, funerals, and movement in and out of Pyongyang ahead of a rare ruling party congress, the Independent reports. What's more, anyone arrested before the 7th...

North Korea: Seth Rogen Movie Is an 'Act of War'

Pyongyang warns of 'merciless counter-measure'

(Newser) - Seth Rogen's movies don't usually get panned quite like this: If the US releases the actor's upcoming film, The Interview—which is about assassinating Kim Jong-un—North Korea says it will see it as an "act of war," official media says, per the BBC . The...

North Korea Ends Peace Pacts With South

Threatens 'sea of fire' in Washington

(Newser) - North Korea has made good on one of its threats in the wake of new UN sanctions , but luckily it wasn't the one about nuking the US . Instead, Pyongyang announced it was scrapping its non-aggression pacts with South Korea and unplugging the hotline between the two countries, reports AFP...

N. Korea May Be Prepping Twin Nuke Tests

Satellite images show pair of completed tunnels

(Newser) - New intelligence reports suggest North Korea is planning not one, but two nuclear tests in the near future. Satellite images show activity at two tunnels at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, with preparations apparently completed at both, a South Korean government source tells the Chosun Ilbo . "There is a...

China Paper Falls for Onion's Sexiest Man: Kim Jong Un

'People's Daily' congratulates North Korean for 'sexiest man alive' honors

(Newser) - Forget Justin Timberlake: Kim Jong Un just brought sexy back. The Onion named the North Korean leader "Sexiest Man Alive" earlier this month , and the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party totally bought it. People's Daily reported the happy news today, and ran a 55-picture gallery to...

Kim Jong Un Promoted to Army's Top Rank

Cements his role atop North Korea's power structure

(Newser) - Kim Jong Un removed any doubt that he's No. 1 in North Korea today, by ascending to the rank of marshal of the army—right after ousting Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho , who had been the country's top military official and closely allied with Kim's father. Kim now...

Is Kim Jong Un Dating a Pop Star?

Spotted with singer of 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady'

(Newser) - Celebrity gossip all the way from Pyongyang: A woman spotted with supreme leader Kim Jong Un recently isn't his sister, as earlier reports suggested. Instead, she has been identified as a pop star his late father once refused to let him see, the Daily Mail reports. Hyon Song Wol,...

Kim Jong Un Just a 'Symbol': Dear Brother

Pyongyang elite will rule North Korea: Kim Jong Nam

(Newser) - One person who doesn't support the rule of Kim Jong Un: his brother, Kim Jong Nam. "I expect the existing ruling elite to follow in the footsteps of my father while keeping the young successor as a symbolic figure," he reportedly said in an email to a...

North Korea Hails Kim as 'Supreme Leader'
 North Korea 
 Hails Era of 
 'Supreme 
 Leader' 
TRANSFER OF POWER
Dec 29, 2011 7:17 AM CST

North Korea Hails Era of 'Supreme Leader'

Unofficial power transfer takes place at memorial to Kim Jong Il

(Newser) - North Koreans crammed into Pyongyang's main square today to hail Kim Jong Un as "supreme leader of the party, state, and army," in a memorial service for Kim Jong Il that the BBC notes appears to mark the unofficial transfer of power. The younger Kim was joined...

North Commands South: Show Respect to Kim Jong Il

North Korea warns neighbor: Allow citizens to attend funeral

(Newser) - Kim Jong Il’s death is leading to more tension between the Koreas: North Korea warned its neighbor today that it must “show proper respect” over Kim’s death by allowing citizens to attend his funeral. The statement accused South Korea of “insult and mockery” because it expressed...

North Korea Shuts Down Universities for 10 Months

Students will be sent to work on building projects: report

(Newser) - School's out in North Korea, but not just for summer. Universities will be shut down until next April and students will be sent to work on construction projects in major cities, reports the Telegraph . Only those close to graduating and foreign students will be allowed to continue classes. The...

N. Korea on Kim's Birthday: Let People Eat, Um, Nothing

Dear Leader parties; no 'gifts' for Koreans

(Newser) - North Korea held its usual lavish celebration to mark Kim Jong Il’s 69th birthday today—even though the desperately poor country couldn’t afford to hand out its usual “birthday gift” of food rations to the people. In one northeastern province, even ruling party officials haven’t gotten...

Kim Jong Un May Have Had Surgery to Look Like Gramps

In older images, he looked skinny, had different chin

(Newser) - Did Kim Jong Un, the son and anointed successor of Kim Jong Il, have plastic surgery to look like his grandfather? That’s what South Korean newspapers are speculating after North Korea released the first official shots of Kim Jong Un last week. In them, he looked like the spitting...

N. Korean Army Gives Kim's Son Tentative Nod

Succession plans progress with his election as delegate

(Newser) - The North Korean military has given Kim Jong-Un its tacit blessing to take over for his father as the country’s dictator. The military elected the younger Kim to serve as a delegate at today’s ruling party meeting, essentially giving him their backing, sources tell the Daily Telegraph . The...

Kim Jong-Il Ordered Attack on S. Korean Ship: Intel Sources

North Korean leader plays tough to assert authority, boost succession of his son

(Newser) - Kim Jong-Il not only knew about the North Korean torpedo assault that sank a South Korean warship in March, US intelligence sources tell the New York Times , but the ailing strongman actually ordered it to boost the succession prospects of his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. Both the US and South...

Kim Jong-il Now 'Battling Pancreatic Cancer'

(Newser) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, reports Reuters, citing South Korean broadcaster YTN. Many observers believe the 67-year-old communist leader also suffered a stroke last year, though his apparent health problems have never officially been confirmed.

Kim Names 3rd Son as Next 'Dear Leader'

25-year-old set to rule North Korea when father steps down

(Newser) - Kim Jong-il has designated his youngest son Jong-un as his successor to lead North Korea, according to reports in the South Korean media. It's the latest sign of dramatic transformation in the isolated nation that launched a highly controversial nuclear test last week. It remains unclear whether Jong-un, 25, will...

US Suspects N Korea Regime Shift

(Newser) - American officials believe North Korea’s increasingly hostile foreign policy is the result of a power shift quietly taking place in the secretive nation, the Wall Street Journal reports. Analysts note that North Korea withdrew from nuclear talks shortly after Kim Jong Il’s suspected stroke, and say the leader’...

Kim Jong-Il Names Youngest Son as Successor: Reports

Swiss-educated Jong-Un, about 25, said to be thoughtful, intelligent

(Newser) - Kim Jong-Il has picked his third—and, at about 25, thought to be his youngest—son, Jong-Un, as his successor in North Korea, Reuters reports. Though it has yet to be confirmed, officials said they have been instructed to spread the message, possibly to quell anxiety over who would lead...

19 Stories