Author: Jung Chang - Hyun
Publisher: Jungang Books
Publication Date: January 19, 2009
Language: English
Format: 445 pages
Kim Jong Il of North Korea
This book examines the leadership and strategic decision-making of Kim Jong-il, offering a new perspective beyond conventional perceptions and biases.
Drawing on firsthand testimonies, official records, and historical materials, it analyzes North Korea’s negotiation strategies and governance approach.
Rather than portraying Kim as an unpredictable strategist, the study presents him as a calculated and methodical leader, emphasizing the structure, timing, and execution behind key political and diplomatic decisions.Chapter 1. Behind the Scenes of the Second Inter-Korean Summit: 365 Days
- Phase 1: Exploration — From Missile Launches to the February 13 Agreement
- Phase 2: Preparation — From the February 13 Agreement to Assistant Secretary Hill’s Visit to Pyongyang
- Phase 3: Breakthrough — From Hill’s Visit to the Summit Agreement
Chapter 2. Kim Jong-il’s Rhetoric: Dialogues Between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il
- “My Expectations Were Completely Wrong”
- The First Meeting Between the Two Leaders
- June 14, 2000: The Second Day in Pyongyang — “The Longest Day”
- “The Evaluation of Park Chung-hee Should Be Left to Future Generations…”
- “We Seek to Become a More Prosperous Nation”
- Testimonies: “This Was the Kind of Person He Was”
Chapter 3. Image and Reality: Kim Jong-il’s Leadership
- “I Lost Ten Years in Dealing with People”
- Patronage Politics and Strict Control Over Relatives
- “A Strong Interest in Military Affairs from an Early Age”
Chapter 4. All Roads Lead to Him: Kim Jong-il’s North Korea
- Consolidation of the “Kim Il-sung–Kim Jong-il Ideological System”
- Reorganization of the Workers’ Party of Korea
- Initiation of Military Restructuring
- Administrative Reforms Following Party and Military Changes
- Centralization of Inter-Korean Affairs
- Construction of Charismatic Authority
Chapter 5. Who Is He? Kim Jong-il’s Private Life
- Rumors and Reality
- Daily Life: “A Night Owl and a Workaholic”
- Family Relations: The Secret of Residence No. 5
- The “Pleasure Squad”: Truth or Myth
- Personality Traits
- Intelligence Assessments by the CIA
Chapter 6. Between a ‘Completed Myth’ and ‘Misinterpretation’: Birth and Early Life (1942–1964)
- The Mystery of His Birthplace: Soviet Union or Mount Paektu
- Political Turmoil and Arrival in Pyongyang
- Biological Mother Kim Jong-suk and Stepmother Kim Song-ae
- School Years
Chapter 7. Inheriting Power: The Path of a Successor (1964–1974)
- Privilege or Capability?
- Ascension at the Age of 33
- Support from the First and Second Generations
Chapter 8. Clay in Hand: Myths and Realities of the “North Korea Collapse” Theory
- Unrealistic Collapse Scenarios
- Institutional Stability of Governance
- Six Structural Discrepancies
Chapter 9. Change and Dilemma in Pyongyang: Is North Korea Transforming?
- The Party Remains Above the Military
- Winds of Change and Systemic Dilemmas
Chung Chang-hyun is Director of the Peace Economy Research Institute.
He completed his graduate studies in Korean history at Seoul National University and previously worked as a senior journalist at the JoongAng Ilbo Institute of Contemporary History.
He has served as an adjunct professor at Kookmin University and the University of North Korean Studies, and as an advisory member of the National Archives of Korea.
