Kim Jong Un celebrates his birthday today, but no one really knows how old he is: interesting facts about the North Korean dictator

The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, who openly declares "full support" for Russia's bloody war against Ukraine, celebrates his birthday today, January 8. It is unclear how old the dictator is, as his actual date of birth remains unknown.

The politician leads a private life, to say the least, but there are still some interesting details about his biography thanks to his relatives or people who once knew him personally. OBOZ.UA will tell you little-known facts about the DPRK dictator.

Date of birth

It is quite difficult to say exactly how old the dictator is. According to North Korean authorities and media, he was born in 1982. However, this date differs from the information provided by members of South Korean intelligence. They believe that the dictator was born in 1993. According to the US government, Kim Jong Un was born in 1994. By the way, the latter date was confirmed by the DPRK leader's aunt, Ko Yong Suk, who moved to the United States a long time ago.

Childhood

The behavior and attitude to power that Kim Jong Un demonstrates as an adult is hardly a surprise to people who knew about his upbringing and childhood. As noted by journalist Anna Fifield, author of the book "The Great Successor: The Secret Rise and Rule of Kim Jong Un," the dictator "rose to the position of leader at a very young age." According to the politician's aunt, when he was only 6 years old, he and his brother Kim Jong Chol were waiting for the return of his father, Kim Jong Il, in military uniform.

"They were dressed in child-sized military uniforms, olive green suits complete with gold buttons and red piping. They had moon-shaped hats on their heads and gold stars on their shoulders. They were little generals.. When their father entered the room, they stood to attention and saluted him, serious expressions on their chubby faces. Kim Jong Il was delighted," the politician's relative recalled.

It is worth noting, however, that despite the fact that Kim Jong Un's childhood took place during the most difficult period for North Korea, the 1990s famine, he did not feel it at all. The fact is that his family enjoyed luxurious conditions in a special gated community in Wonsan. They had no shortage of food and things, and moreover, the children had free access to the then-new Super Mario video game and Sony TVs.

"There was every kind of four-wheeled toy imaginable, but Kim Jong Un also had a real vehicle and a real gun: a car his father had had specially modified so the little boy could drive it at age seven. He also had a Colt .45 pistol that he wore on his hip when he was eleven. The houses had large, soundproofed cinemas with wood paneling to improve the acoustics and a black velvet curtain that would open when the lights went down," the book says.

The dictator was fascinated by technology since childhood. He even decided to graduate from a flight school and get a pilot's license. Interestingly, Kim Jong Un and his older brother received their higher education in Switzerland.

Family

Although little is known about the DPRK leader himself and his family members, in 2017, shocking news appeared online stating the dictator's half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was killed in Malaysia. The man was attacked at the Kuala Lumpur airport. According to South Korea's broadcaster, he was poisoned by two women believed to be North Korean agents.

Kim Jong Nam was the eldest son of Kim Jong Il, so he was considered a likely successor to the then leader of the state. However, at some point, the man fell out of favor, and Kim Jong Un took over.

There is also information about the dictator's younger sister, Kim Yo Jong. She rarely appears in public, but according to numerous rumors, she is the "brain" behind her brother's political image. In 2014, the woman became the vice director of the party's propaganda and agitation department. She used her high position to form a cult of personality around her relative.

Policy

After Kim Jong Il died of a massive heart attack in 2011, power passed into the hands of his son, Kim Jong Un. He quickly got used to his new position and carried out a large-scale "purge" in the state. The politician executed many people who were suspected of challenging him or his authority as the leader of the DPRK.

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