The most talked about secret about Kim Jong Un is his alleged education in Switzerland.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is no less than a mystery to the world. Even the people of his own country do not have much information about their ruler. The government system of North Korea also does not make public many information about its ruler. For example, there are limited or no clear public records on subjects such as date of birth, early life and education. For this reason, secret stories, speculations, and some journalism-based reports continuously revolve around his life.
Today i.e. on January 8, this dictator has completed 42 years of his age but this cannot be said clearly. In 2016, the US Treasury Department recorded his date of birth as 8 January 1984, since then it has been assumed that this is the ruler’s birthday. Come, on this pretext, let us know some interesting, secret information related to his mysterious life, which you might not know.
Fake names, normal schools and invisible teens
The most talked about secret about Kim Jong Un is his alleged Swiss education. Widely reported in the media, he lived in Switzerland as a teenager and attended a top private school in Bern. His classmates knew him by the name Pak Un. He was average in studies but lost interest in music and basketball. Reports also claim that he was transferred to another school because his grades were not good. There he lived the life of an ordinary student, that is, without any royal pomp, speaking less, and hiding his identity.
Kim Jong Un’s image is that of a strict leader, which is why the word dictator is sometimes used for him.
Many reports also claim that he used a pseudonym so that his real identity was not revealed. The charm of this story is how the future leader of the world’s most closed country would have returned with such a different experience from the open, normal lifestyle of Western Europe. The Switzerland affair has been outlined repeatedly in the media, but North Korea’s secrecy and limited documentation makes it difficult to independently verify every detail publicly. Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that he spent some time abroad and that this experience may have influenced his thinking, particularly his interest in technology, urban symbols, and modern conveniences.
supreme commander without military training
The second big claim about Kim Jong Un is that he came to be at the center of the country’s supreme military power without any prolonged military training or field-level command experience in the traditional sense. He assumed power after the death of his father Kim Jong Il in 2011. In North Korea, the leader is often presented with titles such as Supreme Commander. But the question is, actual military training versus political succession, which had more weight?
In a system like North Korea, military leadership is not just a game of warfare but also a game of balance of power. Generals, security agencies, party cadres and a web of family-based legitimacy. Since assuming power, Kim Jong Un has made himself the central face of both the military and the nation through traditional political-propaganda styles such as frequent military parades, monitoring of missile tests, and on-the-spot guidance. That is, even if there is debate about their military training, they quickly gained traction because of the language of military power and their leadership abilities, and this is an important way of building legitimacy within North Korea.
He assumed power after the death of his father Kim Jong Il in 2011.
Succession: rapidity, uncertainty and tight consolidation
After the death of Kim Jong Il, the transfer of power happened rapidly. At that time there was also a question in the outside world whether the young successor would be able to survive or not. But in the initial years itself, big signs started appearing within the government. Changes in appointments, expansion of his image in the campaign machinery and strengthening of his hold on the security structure. His image was created as a decisive, sharp and tough leader.
Several high-profile incidents and reports reinforced the perception of his toughness, although independent confirmation of many details is not always possible due to the closed system. Yet it is clear that he firmly established himself at the center of power and made North Korea’s policy direction, especially its security and nuclear program, the hallmark of his leadership. It is also said that he tried to look like his grandfather Kim Il Sung through plastic surgery so that he could become a father figure for the country.
A story of mystery, fear, and miraculous success
North Korea’s political culture has a tradition of portraying the leader as extraordinary. There is often mystery in the stories related to his life. When were they born, where did they study, how were they prepared and with what qualities leadership proves to be natural. In such systems, secrecy is not just for personal security, it also becomes a tool of politics. When the public has limited options for independent information, the official narrative becomes the framework of reality.
In the case of Kim Jong Un too, his public image is sometimes seen as a strict military leader, sometimes as an administrator who oversees projects among the public, sometimes as a reformer who talks about modernity, a mixture of all these.
Kim Jong Un.
Urban Projects and Technology Demonstration
Kim Jong Un’s rule also saw some symbolic urban projects, new buildings, and promotion of modern amenities. To outside observers, this seems to indicate that the leadership wants to create a vision of a modern nation. At least in the capital and selected areas. But North Korea’s economic challenges, the pressure of sanctions and the limitations of resources are equally real. That’s why this image of modernity often comes across as a show-case – where some places shine and the reality in the rest of the country may be different.
Birthday excuse and political time-sign
The discussion of his birthday on 8 January often becomes a news hook in the international media. Because the possibility of leadership-based events, messages or symbolic announcements within North Korea is monitored. However, it is not necessary that any major step be taken on this day every year, but in a closed system, dates can also become signals, especially when they are highlighted in publicity.
The story of Kim Jong Un is made up of a mixture of facts, secrecy and popular claims. Be it the report of studying under a pseudonym in Switzerland or the debate about becoming the supreme commander without traditional military training – there is only one thing at the center of all this. North Korea’s system of power makes the individual bigger than the institution and makes secrets a part of politics. His rule seems to be woven through the three threads of security-centric policy, symbolic modernity, and strict control. Dates like birthdays are not just a calendar for the outside world, but a small opportunity to understand that mysterious system of governance, where every sign is read as meaning.
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