Nikkei Asia
As Kim Jong Un approaches 10 years since becoming North Korea’s leader, he has increasingly focused on carving out a legacy independent from the father and the grandfather who were worshipped during their rule.
2021 was a year of “victory,” Kim told the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee on Dec. 1, boasting his own accomplishments.
“Next year will be an important one, as we should wage a very giant struggle as much as we did this year,” the leader said, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
The death of leader Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17, 2011, opened the door for his third son, Kim Jong Un, to take over the secretive country. The younger Kim — not even 30 years old at the time — became supreme commander of North Korea’s military toward the end of that year. He assumed the role of national leader in April 2012…
