Before Kim took over from his father, he had barely been seen in public. And even though he's been in charge for more than a year, there's been only few information about his personality and habits.
North Korean media calls Kim Jong Un "the greatest-ever commander." Dennis Rodman says he is "a normal guy."
But who is the real Kim Jong Un?
Here are top ten fun facts about North Korea's Leader:
1. His Date of Birth is a Mystery
Kim is believed to have been born in 1982, 1983 or 1984 as the child of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and his third wife, a dancer named Ko Young Hui. Kenji Fujimoto, a sushi chef who worked for his family until 2001 and later wrote a tell-all, claims he was born Jan. 8, 1983 — the same date as The King "Elvis Presley".
2. World's Youngest Head of State
Whether he was born in 1983 or 1984, Kim is currently the world's youngest head of state.
3. He has a first lady and newborn daughter
Korean media revealed Kim was married last July when it announced that his fashionable female companion at the opening of an amusement park was his wife, Ri Sol-ju. South Korean media say she's a former cheerleader and singer. And only last month, Dennis Rodman, the former Chicago Bulls player claimed he had learned that Kim has a newborn daughter.
4. Kim Jong Nam, his older brother, could have been Supreme Leader of North Korea
Kim Jong Nam, the love child of an illicit affair the regime's former dictator Kim Jong Il had with a North Korean actress, was once the top contender to succeed his father in the role of Supreme Leader, according to The New York Times. But an embarrassing incident at a Japanese airport -- Kim Jong Nam tried to use a fake passport to go to Tokyo Disneyland -- along with his "voracious appetites for alcohol and women" made his father doubt Kim Jong Nam's ability to lead, the Times reported. Kim Jong Chol, Kim's second sibling, is said to have been considered too "effeminate" to make for a suitable heir.
5. He is known as "Pak Un" in Swiss International School
Some students who attended the International School of Bern in the nineties believed their fellow-student, a boy known as Pak Un, was in fact Kim Jong Un, according to Washington Post. Pak Un had been introduced as the son of a North Korean embassy official and was known as a smart student who mastered German and English. "I never saw his father or mother," Principal Peter Burri told the paper. Another official described him as "well-integrated, diligent, ambitious." Kim reportedly later attended the Kim Il Sung Military University in Pyongyang, named after his grandfather.
6. He is obsessed about basketball
Though generally quiet in class and sometimes awkward, particularly around girls, Pak Un showed a different personality on the basketball court, former friends recalled. He fell in with a group of mostly immigrant kids who shared his love of the National Basketball Association. He apparently possessed photographs with NBA players and had a room filled with NBA-memorabilia. Kovacevic, who shot hoops with the North Korean most days, said Pak Un was a fiercely competitive player.
7. He is a heavyweight and heavy drinker
South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported that after the 2004 death of his mother from cancer, Kim went on a drinking and eating binge, ballooning to almost 200 pounds. He remains plump in a country ravaged by famine and suffers from diabetes and hypertension. Kim Jong-il's former personal chef, Kenji Fujimoto, stated if power is to be handed over then Jong-un is the best for it. He has superb physical gifts, is a big drinker and never admits defeat.
8. He is brand-conscious
Despite being born to the Kim dynasty, Jong-un was markedly indifferent to politics and his father's anti-American propaganda. Teenage buddies recalled he had a collection of expensive Nike sneakers. A recent photo of him plotting military action against the U.S. showed an Apple iMac computer on his desk. His wife supposedly carries a Dior clutch, though some think it's a knock-off.
9. He cuts his own hair
Jong-un allegedly has morbid fear of barbers, stemming from a traumatic childhood experience and prefers to cut his own hair. His buzz-style haircut has apparently set a fashion trend in North Korea and young men are reportedly queuing up in front of parlors to get the Jong-un Cut.
10. He was speculated to have undergone cosmetic procedures
South Korean media speculates Kim Jong-un may have undergone several cosmetic procedures to look like his grandfather - the founder of North Korea. His recent photographs, either due to weight gain or due to alleged cosmetic procedures, look noticeably different from those of him as a teenager.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com
http://www.ibtimes.com
No comments:
Post a Comment