The Rise of Kim Jong Il

Stormy Relationship
The two Koreas, separated during World War II, have maintained a rocky, tense relationship since then. They are divided by a buffer zone that is commonly referred to as the most heavily armed border in the world. In October 2007, Kim met with his South Korean counterpart President Roh Moo-hyun, above, in a historic summit in Pyongyang.

• Imagining North Korea After Kim