North Korea has released an official biography of its leader Kim Jong-un, reinforcing the regime’s ongoing effort to cultivate a strong cult of personality around the supreme leader. A report aired on North Korean state television showcased a new book titled *Great Comrade Kim Jong-un Revolutionary History*. Although the volume has not yet surfaced outside the country, experts anticipate it will likely be smuggled out in due course.
The publication appears to follow a tradition established by previous biographies of Kim’s father and grandfather, adopting a narrative that often diverges significantly from historical accounts. North Korea’s founder Kim Il-sung is officially credited with single-handedly defeating Japanese colonial forces, a claim widely regarded by historians as exaggerated. Similarly, the official story surrounding Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un’s father, claims he was born on the sacred slopes of Mount Paektu, whereas independent historical records place his birth in a partisan camp outside China.
The new book shares its title style with a volume published in 2020 called *Revolutionary History of Respected Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong-un*, but the earlier work offered limited details about Kim Jong-un’s early years or formal education. Notably, it made no reference to his schooling in Switzerland, where external reports indicate he attended during his youth. Instead, the text highlighted his purported expertise across numerous military domains, asserting that Kim “has completely mastered all military branches including the army, navy, air and anti-air forces, as well as all military specialties.”
These biographies form a key component of North Korea’s state propaganda mechanism, designed to elevate the Kim family leadership to near-mythical status. Observers note that by perpetuating embellished and often unverified accounts of the leaders’ lives, Pyongyang seeks to strengthen internal loyalty and legitimize the regime’s control. The release of the latest biography comes amid a broader intensification of efforts by the North Korean government to showcase Kim Jong-un as a visionary and multi-talented leader, coinciding with ongoing military developments and diplomatic posturing in the region.