The hermit, stalinist state of North Korea saw the death of it’s leader Kim Jong-il this month. The 69 year old is believed to have died from a heart attack. Kim Jong-il was worshiped as a demi-god by the people, and was an all powerful leader.  Opposition to his rule was met with brutal punishment, the harsh labour camps are places where people seldom leave.

Kim Jong-il succeed his father Kim il-Sung. Kim il-Song like his son is still revered like a god, and is called the “Eternal Leader”. North Koreans are completely cut off from the outside world. The people are fed a constant stream of propaganda which portrays the outside world, particularly America as evil, and themselves as a pure race, the envy of the world; there is no access to outside media whatsoever. The authorities tell the people they need to remain cut off so as to protect the purity of their blood. Both Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il have viewed Christians as one of the greatest enemies to the nation. North Korea was once a predominately Christian nation, with Pyongyang called the Jerusalem of the east. However, when Kim il-Sung took power he sought to eradicate the church. All Christians were rounded up and executed. Today any Christians found are sent to labour camps where they are tortured and eventually killed. A few testimonies have emerged from some who have secretly converted the Christianity from within the camps, and were later released before escaping to China, they tell of the terrible suffering of the tiny church within North Korea.

The general population do not fair much better, most are malnourished, and it is not uncommon to see people die of starvation by the roadside; whilst the ruling elite live in luxury.

Kim Jong- il is to be succeeded by his son Kim Jong-un. His official age is 29, but it is thought to be only 27, very little is known of him. It is therefore believed the powerful figures that surrounded his father will vie for position, and seek to control Kim Jong-un.

How this will play out is uncertain. What we do know, is as the nation starves, North Korea has invested in one of the largest armies in the world, and has nuclear weapons. An uneasy truce with South Korea could erupt at any time, as the paranoid North Korean government tend to act on the slightest act they deem as provocation. And the people have been told for decades that the West seeks to destroy them.