Kim Jong Un’s decade of rule: Purges, nukes, Trump diplomacy

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It’s been 10 years since Kim Jong Un took power in North Korea after his father suddenly died of a heart attack. Initially considered a political novice, Kim stunned the region by having his powerful uncle and other potential rivals executed or purged. His torrid run of nuclear and missile tests later triggered fears of a second Korean War. He then had landmark nuclear summits with then-President Donald Trump, but their diplomacy eventually collapsed. Now, in the face of the pandemic, Kim has sealed off his borders as he grapples with deepening economic woes.