Kim Jong Il

The second supreme leader of North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea). Born on February 16th near Khabarovsk, Russia, as the eldest son of father Kim Il-sung and mother Kim Jong-suk (1917-1949). There is also a theory that he was born in 1941. According to the official history of North Korea, he was born in a secret camp of anti-Japanese partisans in the sacred site of Mt. Paektu on the China-North Korea border, strengthening his legitimacy. He is considered one of the "three great generals" along with Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-suk.

In 1964, he graduated from Kim Il Sung University, and his graduation thesis was "The Position and Role of Counties in Socialist Construction." In 1965, he accompanied Kim Il Sung on his visit to Indonesia. He gained experience in the Organization and Guidance Department and Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Workers' Party of Korea, and also devoted himself to the arts. In February 1974, at the 8th Plenary Session of the 5th Central Committee of the Party, he was named "the great successor to the great cause of Juche," and was appointed Political Commissar of the Party Central Committee (currently a member of the Politburo). In October 1980, he made his first official appearance at the 6th Party Congress, where he became a Standing Member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, Secretary, and Central Military Committee Member. In June 1983, he visited China. In December 1991, at the 19th Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee of the Party, he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. In April 1992, he was made a Marshal of the Republic. In April 1993, he became Chairman of the National Defense Commission at the 5th Session of the 9th Supreme People's Assembly.

After 20 years of preparation for his succession, Kim Il-sung passed away in July 1994, but he was not immediately appointed to the highest post in the party or the state. Instead, he was appointed General Secretary of the Party in October 1997 after a three-year mourning period. In September 1998, he was reappointed as Chairman of the National Defense Commission, which was essentially elevated to the highest position in the state. In order to overcome the "arduous march" that had devastated the domestic economy following the collapse of the socialist systems of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, he set out a vision of a "strong and prosperous nation" that prioritized the military and promoted economic construction at the same time. In addition to visiting China and Russia by train several times, he held North-South summits in Pyongyang in June 2000 and October 2007, and Japan-North Korea summits in September 2002 and May 2004. At the Japan-North Korea summit in September 2002, he acknowledged the fact of the abduction of Japanese citizens and apologized to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

The issue of succession came to the fore after rumors of his deteriorating health emerged in the summer of 2008. He was re-elected as chairman of the National Defense Commission in April 2009, and the revised constitution made him the official "Supreme Leader." At the same time that he was re-elected as General Secretary at the 3rd Party Representatives Conference in September 2010, Kim Jong Un, said to be the third son, was officially made a general and vice chairman of the Party's Central Military Commission. On December 17, 2011, it was announced two days later that he had died of a myocardial infarction. In February 2012, he was awarded the title of Grand Marshal of the Republic, and in April he became "Eternal General Secretary" and "Eternal Chairman of the National Defense Commission," and his achievements were praised in the preamble to the revised constitution.

Kim Il-sung was called "Dear Comrade Leader" until his death, and after that he was generally called "Great General". His birthday is celebrated as "Day of the Star of Light" and, like Kim Il-sung's birthday, is considered one of the nation's greatest holidays. He had his eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, with Sung Hye-rim (1937-2002), and his second son, Kim Jong-chol, his third son, Kim Jong-un, and his eldest daughter, Kim Yo-jong, with Go Yong-hui. He also had a younger sister, Kim Kyong-hui (1946-).

[Atsuhito Isozaki February 17, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

北朝鮮（朝鮮民主主義人民共和国）の二代目の最高指導者。2月16日、父・金日成(キムイルソン)、母・金正淑(キムジョンスク)（1917―1949）の長男でロシア・ハバロフスク近郊生まれ。1941年生まれという説もある。北朝鮮の正史では、中朝国境の聖地・白頭山(ペクトサン)にあった抗日パルチザン密営で生まれたとされ、正統性が強化されている。金日成、金正淑とともに「三大将軍」の一人とされる。

　1964年金日成総合大学卒業、卒業論文は「社会主義建設における郡の位置と役割」。1965年金日成のインドネシア訪問に同行。朝鮮労働党組織指導部、宣伝扇動部で経験を積み、芸術分野にも力を注いだ。1974年2月党中央委員会第5期第8回総会で「主体（チュチェ）偉業の偉大な継承者」に推戴(すいたい)され、党中央委員会政治委員（現在の政治局委員）に就任した。1980年10月第6回党大会で初めて公式の場に姿を現し、党中央委員会政治局常務委員、書記、中央軍事委員となった。1983年6月訪中。1991年12月党中央委員会第6期第19回総会で朝鮮人民軍最高司令官に就任した。1992年4月共和国元帥。1993年4月最高人民会議第9期第5回会議で国防委員会委員長となる。

　20年間の後継準備期間を経て、1994年7月に金日成が死去したが、それからすぐに党や国家の最高ポストに就任することはなく、「3年の喪」ののち1997年10月党総書記に推戴された。1998年9月実質的な「国家の最高職責」に格上げされた国防委員長に再推戴され、旧ソ連・東欧社会主義体制崩壊に伴い国内経済が疲弊した「苦難の行軍」を克服すべく、軍事優先の「先軍政治」と同時に経済建設を進める「強盛大国」ビジョンを掲げる。複数回にわたる鉄道移動による中国、ロシア訪問のほか、平壌(ピョンヤン)において2000年6月、2007年10月に南北首脳会談、2002年9月、2004年5月に日朝首脳会談を実現した。2002年9月の日朝首脳会談では、首相小泉純一郎に対して日本人拉致の事実を認めて謝罪している。

　2008年夏に健康悪化説が出てから後継者問題が表面化する。2009年4月再推戴された国防委員長職が改正憲法で正式な「最高領導者」となった。2010年9月の第3回党代表者会で総書記に再推戴されるのと機を同じくして、三男といわれる金正恩(キムジョンウン)を大将・党中央軍事委員会副委員長として公式化。2011年12月17日「心筋梗塞(こうそく)」により死去したことが翌々日に発表された。2012年2月に共和国大元帥称号が授与され、4月には「永遠の総書記」「永遠の国防委員長」となり、改正憲法の序文でその業績がたたえられた。

　金日成死去までの呼称は「親愛なる指導者同志」、その後は「偉大な将軍様」が一般的である。誕生日は「光明星節」とされ、金日成誕生日と同様に「民族最大の名節」に位置づけられている。成恵琳(ソンヘリム)（1937―2002）との間に長男・金正男(キムジョンナム)、高勇姫(コヨンヒ)との間に次男・金正哲(キムジョンチョル)、三男・金正恩、長女・金与正(キムヨジョン)が、実妹に金慶喜（敬姫）(キムギョンヒ)（1946―　）がいる。

［礒﨑敦仁　2020年2月17日］

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