Similar to my previous Park Chung-hee (Plus) mod, this mod also takes an "empathetic" approach - in the sense that it is purposefully designed "from the perspective of North Korean people", while trying my best to keep a distance from ideological biases. Having all the stereotypes about today's "hermit kingdom", I was shocked when I found that under Kim Il Sung's rule, North Korea had a higher living standard than the South all the way until some year around 1980, and its economy had been mostly prosperous until 1989. (The exact time that the North was overtaken by the South is debatable, as GDP is not a well-defined concept in a planned economy.) His country back then was definitely not deep in poverty as it is today. What happened, and what caused this country to fall into its destiny today?

The word "Juche" demonstrates the center of the paradox. "Juche" basically means "independence", "self-reliance" and arguably not much more than that. Kim did manage to stay politically independent more or less - he even got away with purging all the pro-Moscow and pro-Beijing factions within the Workers' Party. (You know how "lucky" it was considering what happened in many Soviet satellite countries.) However, the problem is that North Korea is simply not a country large enough to be completely self-reliant in the industrial age - perhaps possible without aid but definitely not possible without trade. He also did not seem to have an intention of complete "self-reliance" . Large-scale urbanization, exchange of resources with the Eastern Bloc, massive Soviet aid in exchange for maintaining military pressure against the South - a "flourishing" was created. Due to its close connection and large trade deficits to the Soviet and its satellites, its economy was bound to fail after losing access to the Comecon trade system in the downfall of the Soviet Union - especially with at best mediocre financial situation, large inefficiencies inherent to any planned economic system, deeply mechanized farming depending on Soviet oil imports, and finally, a son incompetent in managing economy who he insisted to make as his successor. Could he have done better? Definitely. Would the downfall be avoidable? Hardly when you are a smaller country on the "lost" side of the Cold War.

One important disclaimer is that I DO NOT intend to be "sympathetic" to Kim Il Sung himself. He is responsible for everything that happened and didn't just simply "make the incorrect choice". Creating a "Kim Dynasty" in a "Democratic People's Republic" is also NOT worth praising AT ALL, no matter how few choices he had. In contrast, most of my design contains deep criticism. His leader trait look powerful on paper, but one has to look after the circumstances, or otherwise they may lead to (and in our history, they did lead to) catastrophic outcomes. An initial phase of military victory may indicate a stalemate around Busan and even a rout after being cut off in the Incheon landing. Relying heavily on foreign trade/aid creates a flourishing economy but will lead to massive starvation once your ally no longer follows the same ideal as yours. Being obsessed with people's worship of the "Supreme Leader" is an option... but faith has very limited use, especially after the Industrial Era, without access to Monumentality Golden Age bonuses. A lot of irony is going on here, and one can even interpret my design as some kind of black comedy - but looking back at real history, it is the fate of 20 million people and the fate of half of a nation.

Hopefully this time you have protect your people well, our great General.

Sky full of color now, and the mountains a pretty sight
with the green of the valley framed in four-inch squares.
Rusting barbs between me and the sunrise.

-- Richard Dana Brody, Standing Guard at the 38th Parallel