According to the web site www.kimsoft.com Kim Jung IL is the son of late Kim IL Sung who was also the President and boss of the Korean Worker’s Party.

Kim Jung IL was born February 16, 1941 in Vyatskoye, Siberia.  His father was captain and battalion commander for the Soviet’s 88^th  Brigade.  This brigade was composed largely of exiled Chinese and Koreans.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)  

Kim Jung IL lived and was educated in China and Russia during the Korean War, but afterward returned to Korea.  He is a 1964 graduate of the Kim IL Sung University majoring in Political Economics.  In the 1970’s he attended the University of Malta majoring in the English language.  (www.kimsoft.com, http://en.wikipedia.org)

In 1968 Kim Jung IL was named a member of the Politburo.  In 1969 he was appointed to the Department of Propaganda and Agitation.  In 1973 he became party Secretary for the Department of Propaganda and Agitation.  In 1974 his father anointed him as successor.  The following 15 years were spent in various governmental postings where his influence prospered.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)

During the 1980’s North Korea’s economy was considered stagnant largely because Kim IL Sung felt that they should be self-reliant and thus cut off all trade, even with Russia and China.  Korea’s economy has continued to be stagnant into the 1990’s due to poor industrial and agricultural productivity, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the introduction of China to the world economy.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)  

In 1991 Kim Jung Il was named Supreme Commander of the North Korean Armed Forces.  In 1992 his father officially named him as President.  Out of deference to his father Kim Jung Il took the title of General Secretary of the Korean Workers Party and Chairman of the National Defense Commission.  Under the leadership of Kim Il Sung loyalty and advice from his ministers was often sought.  However, when Kim Jung Il took the reins absolute obedience and agreement was the only tolerable path as all other was seen as disloyalty.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)        

Many believe that Kim Jung IL is somewhat reclusive and that he has little knowledge of the West.  For many years he has upheld the socialist system in his country and only recently has begun to look to the West to help feed his starving people.  He admits that this system is backwards in many ways, but feels too exposed defense wise to open up more.  (www.kimsoft.com)

Relationships between North Korea and the United States have always been tenuous at best.  However, much progress was made during the Clinton Administration and negotiations looked promising.  An agreement was drawn up whereby the United States would provide fuel oil and two nuclear reactors to North Korea in exchange for their shutting down plutonium production.  In 2000 Bush cut off diplomatic relations with North Korea calling them the “Axis of Evil” along with Iran and Iraq, thus thwarting all of the progress done prior to his taking the helm.  In 2002 Bush stopped shipping fuel oil to North Korea as was agreed to under Clinton’s tenure.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)

In 2002 Kim Jung Il took a serious look at what China was doing and tried some small and controllable measures to see what results he might find.  He created price and wage increases as a way to increase production and counteract the Black Market.  He stated that he wanted to import and develop new technologies in the software industry.  Between 2002 and 2004 trade with China doubled for the first time ever.  (http://en.wikipedia.org)

In January of 2003 North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.  In July 2004 North Korea tested 7 short to midrange missiles in the Sea of Japan.  Do you see a pattern here?  (http://en.wikipedia.org)

What should we do now?  North Korea has asked time and again for unilateral talks with the United States.  Clinton did so and things went smoothly for the first time in ages.  Bush refused to do so and thus we have the next mess that needs to get cleaned up.  I believe that we should tell our congress people and senators that they need to urge Bush to begin talks with North Korea to diffuse this delicate and perhaps dangerous situation before we get past the point of no return.

Sources;

http://en.wikipedia.org

www.kimsoft.com

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