The Rise of Kim Jong Il

In the Weeds
During Kim's leadership, North Korea's state-controlled economy struggled. Floods and drought played havoc with the food supply in a country with a limited supply of arable land. To make matters worse, the Republic's isolation from the rest of the world under Kim left it unable to trade for goods, leading to widespread famine. Here, the Dear Leader visits a farm in 2003.

• Imagining North Korea After Kim