Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un has been the supreme leader of North Korea since 2011, following the death of his father Kim Jong-il. As the third-generation leader of the Kim dynasty, he represents continuity in a political system built on strict state control of the military and society.

Kim Jong-un moved quickly to consolidate power, strengthening his authority over the military and the ruling Workers’ Party while eliminating potential rivals through internal purges. At the same time, he accelerated the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, making military deterrence central to national policy.

North Korean nuclear tests and missile launches have triggered Western sanctions while Pyongyang has sought to strengthen solidarity with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping.

The regime is one of the most totalitarian regimes of the modern era, maintaining tight surveillance and control over the population. Citizens have been subject to forced labour, and a UN report from 2025 found that more people were being executed for the crime of sharing foreign films or TV series.