When Kim Jong-il, former leader of North Korea, is mentioned in North Korean media and publications, he is not simply addressed by name. At least one special title is used, and his name is emphasised by a special bold font, for example: "The great leader Comrade Kim Jong-il provides on-the-spot guidance to the Ragwon Machine Complex."[1] Alternatively, a larger than normal font may be used. (Example: "The great leader Comrade Kim Jong-il provides on-the-spot guidance to the Ragwon Machine Complex.") [2] The titles themselves were developed by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party. The same applies to Kim Jong-il's father, Kim Il-sung, who ruled North Korea from 1948 to 1994. Scholars{{who|date=December 2015}} have collected the following list of Kim Jong-il’s titles.[3][4]
| Korean (Hanja) | English | Comment | 당중앙
(黨中央) | Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea | The first of Kim Jong-il’s titles. Has been in use since 1973 after Kim was secretly appointed as his father’s successor and until it was officially announced in order to mention Kim Jong-il in press without calling him by name.[4] |
| 웃분 | Superior Person | The title has been in use since the middle of the 1970s.[4] |
친애하는 지도자
(親愛하는 指導者) | Dear Leader | This title was the most common title during Kim Il-sung’s rule.[4] |
존경하는 지도자
(尊敬하는 指導者) | Respected Leader | The title has been in use since the middle of the 1970s.[4] |
현명한 지도자
(賢明한 指導者) | Wise Leader |
영명하신 지도자
(英明하신 指導者) | Brilliant Leader |
유일한 지도자
(唯一한 指導者) | Unique Leader | The title has been in use since June 1975.[4] |
령도자가 갖추어야 할 풍모를 완벽하게 지닌 친애하는 지도자
(領導者가 갖추어야 할 風貌를 完璧하게 지닌 親愛하는 指導者) | Dear Leader, who is a perfect incarnation of the appearance that a leader should have | In use since the mid-1980s on special occasions.[4] |
최고사령관
(最高司令官) | Commander-in-Chief | First mentioned in the middle of the 1980s before Kim was officially appointed as Korean People's Army Commander-in-Chief.[4] |
위대한 령도자
(偉大한 領導者) | Great Leader | The most common of current Kim Jong-il's titles.[4] |
인민의 어버이
(人民의 어버이) | Father of the People | In use since February 1986.[4] |
공산주의 미래의 태양
(共産主義 未來의 太陽) | Sun of the Communist Future | In use since the middle of the 1980s.[4] |
백두광명성
(百頭光明星) | Shining Star of Paektu Mountain |
향도의 해발
(嚮導의 해발) | Guiding Sun Ray |
혁명무력의 수위
(革命武力의 首位) | Leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces | In use since December 21, 1991, when Kim Jong-il became Commander-in-Chief of the Korean People's Army.[4] |
조국통일의 구성
(祖國統一의 構成) | Guarantee of the Fatherland's Unification |
조국 통일의 상징
(祖國 統一의 象徵) | Symbol of the Fatherland's Unification |
민족의 운명
(民族의 命運) | Fate of the Nation |
자애로운 아버지
(慈愛로운 아버지) | Beloved Father |
당과 국가와 군대의 수위
(黨과 國家와 軍隊의 首位) | Leader of the Party, the country, and the Army |
수령
(首領) | Leader | Became common after Kim Il-sung's death.[4] |
장군
(將軍) | General | One of the most common titles. In use since 1994.[4] |
우리당과 우리 인민의 위대한 령도자
(우리黨과 우리 人民의 偉大한 領導者) | Great Leader of our Party and of our Nation | In use since 1994.[4] |
위대한 장군님
(偉大한 將軍님) | Great General |
경애하는 장군님
(敬愛하는 將軍님) | Beloved and Respected General |
위대한 수령
(偉大한 首領) | Great Leader | When Kim Il-sung was alive, this title was used only to refer to him.[4] |
경애하는 수령
(敬愛하는 首領) | Beloved and Respected Leader |
백전백승의 강철의 령장
(百戰百勝의 鋼鐵의 靈將) | Ever-Victorious, Iron-Willed Commander | In use since 1997 after the 3-year mourning for Kim Il-sung ended.[4] |
사회주의 태양
(社會主義 太陽) | Sun of Socialism |
민족의 태양
(民族의 太陽) | Sun of the Nation |
삶의 태양
(삶의 太陽) | The Great Sun of Life |
민족의 위대한 태양
(民族의 偉大한 太陽) | Great Sun of The Nation | In use since 1999 after the new DPRK constitution was accepted in 1998.[4] |
민족의 어버이
(民族의 어버이) | Father of the Nation |
21세기의 세계 수령
(21世紀의 世界 首領) | World Leader of The 21st Century | In use since 2000.[4] |
불세출의 령도자
(不世出의 領導者) | Peerless Leader |
21세기 찬란한 태양
(21世紀 燦爛한 太陽) | Bright Sun of the 21st Century |
21세기 위대한 태양
(21世紀 偉大한 太陽) | Great Sun of the 21st Century |
21세기 향도자
(21世紀 嚮導者) | Leader of the 21st Century |
희세의 정치가
(稀世의 政治家) | Amazing Politician |
천출위인
(天出偉人) | Great Man, Who Descended From Heaven |
천출명장
(天出明將) | Glorious General, Who Descended From Heaven |
민족의 최고영수
(民族의 最高領袖) | Supreme Leader of the Nation |
주체의 찬란한 태양
(主體의 燦爛한 太陽) | Bright Sun of Juche |
주체의 찬란한 태양
(主體의 燦爛한 太陽) | Bright Sun of Pudank |
당과 인민의 수령
(黨과 人民의 首領) | Leader of the Party and the People |
위대한 원수님
(偉大한 元帥님) | Great Marshal |
무적필승의 장군
(無敵必勝의 將軍) | Invincible and Triumphant General |
경애하는 아버지
(敬愛하는 아버지) | Dear Father |
21세기의 향도성
(21世紀의 嚮導星) | Guiding Star of the 21st Century |
실천가형의 위인
(實踐家型의 偉人) | Great Man, Who Is a Man of Deeds |
위대한 수호자
(偉大한 守護者) | Great Defender |
구원자
(救援者) | Savior |
혁명의 수뇌부
(革命의 首腦部) | Mastermind of the Revolution |
혁명적 동지애의 최고화신
(革命的 同志愛의 最高化身) | Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradeship |
각하
(閣下) | His Excellency |
영원한 당 총비서
(永遠한 黨 總秘書) | Eternal General Secretary of the Party |
1. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/f_trade/index.php?contents+21+2003-03+6+1|title=55-year-long History of Development of Foreign Trade|date=March 2005|publisher=Foreign trade|accessdate=2010-01-05|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051119163904/http://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/f_trade/index.php?contents+21+2003-03+6+1|archivedate=2005-11-19|df=}} Article from North Korean magazine.
2. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.northkoreatech.org/2011/07/20/coding-the-kims/ |title=Coding the Kims |newspaper=North Korea Tech |date=July 20, 2011 |author=Martyn Williams |accessdate= December 11, 2014}}
3. ^{{cite book|last=김|first=봉기|script-title=ko:영원히 우리와 함께 계신다|trans-title=He is always with us|series=조선민주주의인민공화국 바로읽기 시리즈|publisher=판문점트레블센타|location=서울|language=ko|isbn=89-5556-491-0|pages=289–291}}
4. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 {{cite book |last = 전 |first = 영선 |script-title = ko:다시 고쳐 쓴 북한의 사회와 문화 |trans-title=A New View of North Korean Society and Culture |publisher = 역락 |year = 2006 |isbn = 89-5556-491-0}}
{{Kim Jong-il}}