North Korea has been a communist dictatorship since shortly after the end of World War II. Ruled by the iron hand of Kim Il Sung, the nation struggled economically compared to South Korea, which engineered an economic miracle. Kim died in 1994, turning over the government to his son, Kim Jong Il. A pampered youth, Kim Jong Il gradually took over a variety of powerful positions in his father's government. After he became the dictator, the country suffered a series of economic disasters that brought death to thousands of people. Meanwhile, Kim Jong Il became widely known for turning North Korea into a nuclear power. During the early 21st century, President George W. Bush labeled North Korea part of the Axis of Evil. But some experts on North Korea believe that Kim is simply using the nuclear card to gain worldwide respect and economic aid from the United States. Nevertheless, Kim Jong Il remains a highly controversial leader.

 

This book is part of a book series called Modern World Leaders .

This book is aimed at children in secondary school.

There are 112 pages in this book. This book was published 2008 by Chelsea House Publishers .

Richard Worth has written several biographies and histories for middle graders, including Stanley and Livingstone and the Exploration of Africa in World History , The Spanish Inquisition in World History , and Voices from Colonial America: Louisiana, 1682-1803 .