In late August of 1945, Stalin and the Soviet Union appointed Kim Ilsung to lead the new occupation government in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula after the Japanese surrender.

Stalin probably would have preferred a Soviet Korean to run things. But those people had little familiarity with the Korean nation and Kim came highly recommended by his fellow guerrillas.

Over time, Kim Ilsung would purge his enemies, remove any challenge to his power, and center society completely around him. In this video, we look at how the Democratic People's Republic of Korea constructed a cult of personality around its founding father and his family.

Links:
The Asianometry Newsletter: https://asianometry.com
Patreon:   / asianometry  
The Podcast: https://anchor.fm/asianometry
Twitter:   / asianometry