The Youngest Son
In a big palace in North Korea, little Kim Jong Un played with his toys. The palace was huge, with shiny floors and tall windows. But Kim wasn't like other kids. He was special – his dad was the leader of the whole country!
"Young master," a helper called out. "Time for your lessons!"
Kim looked up from his toy cars. He was only eight years old, but he already had many teachers. They taught him about his family's important history.
His grandfather, Kim Il Sung, was the first leader of North Korea. His father, Kim Jong Il, was the leader now. They were like kings in their country. Everyone had to listen to them.
One day, Kim's father called him to a special room. The room had big maps on the walls and lots of books.
"My son," his father said with a smile. "You are going on a trip far away."
Kim's eyes got big. "Where am I going, father?"
"To Switzerland! You will go to school there. But nobody can know who you really are."
In Switzerland, Kim had to use a different name. He pretended to be the son of a worker at the Korean embassy. It was like playing pretend, but for real!
At his new school, Kim made friends and played basketball. He loved sports, especially basketball! His teachers said he was good at math but didn't like to study too hard.
“He was just like any other kid,” his old teacher remembered. “He liked to play games and eat snacks.”
But Kim had a secret. While other kids went home to normal houses, he went home to a big house with guards. While they watched cartoons, he had special teachers who told him about being a leader.
Sometimes, Kim missed his home in North Korea. He missed the big palace and all the people who knew he was special. But his father said this was important for his future.
"Remember who you are," his father would say when they talked on the phone. "One day, you will be very important."
Little did anyone know that Kim Jong Un would grow up to be one of the most powerful leaders in the world. But for now, he was just a boy trying to fit in, far from home, carrying a very big secret.
His days were different from other kids:
• Morning: Special leadership classes
• Afternoon: Regular school with other children
• Evening: More special training
• Weekends: Learning about North Korea's history
Kim worked hard to make his father proud. He knew his family was different. They weren't just any family – they were the most important family in North Korea.
Every night before bed, Kim would look at pictures of his home country. He wondered what it would be like when he grew up. Would he be as strong as his father? As respected as his grandfather?
The palace halls seemed very far away from his school in Switzerland. But one day, he would return home. And when he did, everything would change.
Unexpected Heir
The phone rang late one night in Kim Jong Un’s Swiss home. It was his father calling from North Korea.
“My son,” Kim Jong Il’s voice was serious. “It’s time to come home.”
Kim felt his heart beat faster. He was 17 now, and his time in Switzerland was ending. But why was his father calling so suddenly?
This was surprising because Kim had two older brothers. Usually, the oldest son becomes the next leader. But Kim’s father saw something special in him.
Back in North Korea, everything was different. Instead of playing basketball with friends, Kim now had special training:
• Learning how to be a leader
• Studying military things
• Meeting important people
• Speaking at big meetings
• Learning about running a country
His older brother, Kim Jong Nam, wasn’t happy. He thought he should be the next leader.
“Why did father choose him?” Kim Jong Nam asked his friends. “I am the oldest!”
But Kim Jong Il had his reasons. He saw that his youngest son was strong and smart. He watched how Kim Jong Un worked hard and listened well.
“Father,” Kim asked one day during their special lessons. “Why did you pick me?”
His father smiled. “Because you understand our people. You are strong like your grandfather, but you also know about the outside world.”
Every day, Kim had new things to learn. He went to military parades wearing a special uniform. He sat in meetings with old generals who bowed to him. It was very different from his school days in Switzerland!
Some people didn’t think Kim could do it. They said he was too young. But Kim worked extra hard to show them they were wrong.
“Watch how I lead,” his father told him. “Learn from everything you see.”
Kim did watch. He saw how his father talked to people. He learned how to stand tall in front of big crowds. He practiced speaking in a strong voice.
Sometimes, when he was alone, Kim looked at pictures from his Switzerland days. He remembered playing basketball and eating pizza with friends. Now he had no normal friends – everyone treated him like a prince.
“Being a leader means being alone sometimes,” his father explained. “But it also means taking care of all our people.”
The training was hard. Kim had to wake up very early. He studied for many hours. He learned about missiles and tanks. He learned how to give orders to generals who were much older than him.
His father watched him closely. Every day, Kim tried to make him proud. He wanted to show everyone that his father made the right choice.
“You are becoming stronger,” Kim Jong Il said one evening. “Soon you will be ready.”
But ready for what? Kim didn’t know that very soon, everything would change again. His father was getting sick, though nobody talked about it. Time was running out, and Kim Jong Un had to learn fast.
Rise to Power
The winter morning was cold and dark when the news spread across North Korea. Kim Jong Il, the great leader, had died.
Kim Jong Un stood at his window, watching the snow fall. He was only 27 years old. Now he had to lead an entire country.
People filled the streets of Pyongyang, crying and holding pictures of his father. Kim had to be strong for them. He walked out to meet the people, just like his father taught him.
“I will protect you,” he told them. “I will make our country stronger.”
But not everyone wanted Kim to be the leader. Some old generals thought they could control him because he was young. They were wrong!
Kim remembered what his father said: “Trust few, watch everyone.”
He made big changes right away:
• Got rid of people who didn’t support him
• Put friends he trusted in important jobs
• Started doing things his own way
• Made the army stronger
• Showed everyone he was in charge
“The young general is smarter than we thought,” whispered one old army leader to another.
Kim’s first big test came at a military parade. Thousands of soldiers marched past him. Huge missiles rolled by on trucks. The whole world was watching!
His voice was strong and clear: “Our country will be powerful and rich!”
The people cheered. They saw that Kim was different from his father. He smiled more. He hugged children. He visited factories and farms.
His wife, Ri Sol Ju, helped him look friendly. She wore pretty clothes and waved to people. This was new – before, nobody knew what the leader’s wife looked like!
“We need to make changes,” Kim told his closest helpers. “But we must be careful.”
He built new buildings in Pyongyang. He opened water parks and ski resorts. But he also made sure the army stayed strong.
Some people tried to stop him. His own uncle, Jang Song Thaek, thought he could control Kim. But Kim showed everyone that he was the real boss.
“No one can tell me what to do,” Kim said. “I am the leader now.”
The world didn’t know what to think. Was Kim Jong Un going to be different from his father? Would things change in North Korea?
Kim kept surprising everyone. He met with South Korea’s president. He even talked to the president of America! These things had never happened before.
But he didn’t forget what his father taught him. He kept making the army stronger. He tested new missiles. He showed that North Korea was powerful.
“The world must respect us,” he told his people. They believed in him more and more.
Young Kim Jong Un, who once played basketball in Switzerland, was now one of the most powerful people in the world. His story was just beginning, and nobody knew what would happen next.
Nuclear Dreams and Global Fears
The morning sky lit up with a bright flash! Another missile test made the world nervous. Kim Jong Un smiled as he watched through his binoculars.
“Perfect!” he said, clapping his hands. “Our country is getting stronger every day!”
Kim wanted these missiles for a special reason. He thought they would keep his country safe. Nobody would try to hurt North Korea if they had big weapons!
“Sir,” said one of his scientists, “the test worked better than we hoped!”
Kim gave the scientist a big hug. He loved seeing his country do things that surprised the world.
“Now they will have to listen to us,” Kim told his helpers. “They will know we are strong!”
But other countries didn’t like what Kim was doing. They made rules saying North Korea couldn’t buy certain things. They hoped this would make Kim stop.
The list of things North Korea couldn’t buy grew bigger:
• Special metal for rockets
• Computer parts
• Fancy cars and boats
• Some types of food
• Things that could make weapons
Kim didn’t care what other countries said. He kept building missiles and making them better. Each test made the missiles go farther!
“Look how far our missiles can fly now!” he told his people. They cheered and waved flags.
Some days, Kim would visit the scientists who made the missiles. He wore a black leather jacket and smiled for pictures. He looked like a movie star!
“Our scientists are the smartest in the world,” he said proudly.
The biggest surprise came when Kim sent a missile very, very high into the sky. It went so high it could reach any place on Earth!
Other leaders tried to talk to Kim. They offered to help North Korea if he would stop making missiles.
“Let’s be friends,” they said. “We can work together!”
Kim listened and smiled. Sometimes he said he would stop. But then he would test another missile!
“We must be strong,” he told his people. “The whole world must know that North Korea is powerful!”
Every new missile made Kim happier. He dreamed of making North Korea the strongest country in the world.
His scientists worked day and night. They built bigger missiles and better bombs. Kim watched every test and gave them medals.
The world kept watching. Would Kim use his missiles? Would he make friends with other countries? Nobody knew what he would do next.
But one thing was clear – Kim Jong Un had changed the world. His little country now had some of the biggest weapons ever made.
Life Inside the Kingdom
The sun rose over Pyongyang, North Korea’s big city. Giant buildings reached toward the sky. Clean streets stretched for miles. But something was different here.
“Good morning, Dear Leader!” people said as they bowed to Kim’s picture. His face was everywhere – on walls, in homes, and on TV.
“Teacher, why is our leader so special?” asked a little girl in school.
The teacher smiled. “Kim Jong Un takes care of us all. He makes sure we have food and homes. He keeps us safe!”
Every morning, people turned on their TVs. But they could only watch what Kim allowed. Most shows were about how great North Korea was!
“Our country is the best in the world,” the TV said. “Our leader is the wisest and strongest!”
Kim tried to make life better for his people. He built:
• New apartment buildings
• Fun water parks
• Big stores
• Pretty streets
• Fast food restaurants
But many people still had a hard time. Food was sometimes hard to find. Not everyone had electricity all day long.
“We must work harder!” Kim told his helpers. “Our people deserve the best!”
He rode around the city in his big black car. Sometimes he stopped to talk to people. They were always so excited to see him!
“Dear Leader, thank you for visiting us!” they would say, some with happy tears in their eyes.
Kim wanted to make North Korea modern. He let some people use cell phones. But they couldn’t call anyone outside North Korea. They couldn’t look at websites from other countries.
“Look at our beautiful city!” Kim said proudly. “We built this all by ourselves!”
The streets were full of people riding bikes. Few had cars. But they seemed happy, always smiling and waving at Kim’s pictures.
Every weekend, there were big parades. Soldiers marched in perfect lines. Children danced with flowers. Everyone wore their best clothes.
“Our people are so talented!” Kim clapped as he watched from his special viewing spot.
At night, the city went dark. Most lights turned off to save power. But Kim’s palace stayed bright, like a star in the darkness. ⭐
Kim dreamed of making North Korea rich and strong. He wanted his people to have better lives. But his way of running the country made this very hard.
Still, the people believed in him. They trusted that one day, things would get better. They worked hard and stayed hopeful.
“Our leader will take care of us,” they said to each other. “We just need to be patient and loyal.”
And so life went on in Kim’s kingdom. Different from anywhere else in the world, but proud and determined to succeed its own way.
A New Chapter Unfolds
The morning sun sparkled over Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un stood at his palace window. He thought about his country and its future.
“Things must change,” he whispered to himself. His fancy watch showed 7:00 AM.
“Sir,” his helper said, “The world leaders want to talk to you.”
Kim smiled. He remembered meeting important people like President Trump and South Korea’s leader. Those meetings made him think differently about things.
“Maybe we don’t need to be alone anymore,” Kim thought. “Maybe we can have friends.”
“Our country is strong now. We can talk to others without being afraid,” Kim told his helpers.
Some good things were happening in North Korea:
• More food in stores
• New schools opening
• Better phones for people
• More lights in cities
• Happy families
But Kim knew there were still problems to fix. Some people were hungry. Some needed better homes. Some wanted to learn about the outside world.
“What should I do first?” Kim asked his sister, Kim Yo Jong.
“Let’s help our people,” she said. “They need more food and better jobs.”
Kim walked in his garden. He saw beautiful flowers and trees. But beyond his walls, he knew life was harder for regular people.
He remembered being a little boy, seeing other countries. He knew North Korea could be different. Better.
“We will find our own way,” Kim said. “We can be strong AND friendly.”
That night, Kim wrote in his diary: “My grandfather started our country. My father made it stronger. I will help it grow and change.” ✍️
The next morning, Kim made a big announcement on TV.
“Dear people,” he said, “We will work together for a better future. We will stay strong, but we will also make new friends.”
People watched and listened carefully. Some cried happy tears. Others felt hopeful about tomorrow.
“Our country will be different,” Kim said. “But we will do it our way, step by step.”
Nobody knew exactly what would happen next. But things were changing in North Korea. Kim Jong Un was changing too.
As the sun set that evening, Kim looked at his country again. He saw not just what it was, but what it could become.
The story of Kim Jong Un and North Korea wasn’t over. It was just turning to a new page, with new possibilities and hope for tomorrow.
Under the starry sky, Kim made a wish for his people. He hoped that one day, North Korea would find its place in the big world, proud and free, while keeping its special heart. ⭐