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Korea: North Korean propaganda mosaic of a youthful Kim Il Sung in a western business suit

Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a Korean communist politician who led North Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death. He was also the Chairman and General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea. During his tenure as leader of North Korea, he ruled the nation with autocratic power and established an all-pervasive cult of personality. From the mid-1960s, he promoted his self-developed Juche variant of communist national organization. Following his death in 1994, he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il. North Korea officially refers to Kim Il-sung as the "Great Leader" (Suryong in Korean) and he is designated in the constitution as the country's ‘Eternal President’. His birthday is a public holiday in North Korea.