Death of Kim Jong-un

Military Expansion

Following the death of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un rose to power in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Invoking a series of military expansion acts, Kim Jong-un practically doubled the nation's nuclear arsenal. These acts also vastly increased funding for the conventional military of the DPRK from 15.8% in 2010 to 31.2% in 2017.

A majority of the production contracts went to Chinese military companies. These contracts helped to sustain the Chinese economy in the wake of the economic downturn in 2014. This also helped to futher cement relationships between the People's Republic of China and the DPRK.

International Backlash

This vast rearmament increasingly strained relations between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. The United Nations has expressed its concerns about this alarming increase in military power. Several resolution have been presented in the UN Security Council, though all have been tabled due to China expressing veto concerns.

Surprising Death

Like his father Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un died in 2019 at age 36 of a heart attack on his way to a summit with Paramount Leader of China Hu Jintao. As thousands mourned the death of former Supreme Leader, hundreds more declaired the heart attack an assassination, blaming South Korean Nationalists and their allies in the West. In the end, Kim Jong-un was succeeded by his uncle Jang Sung-taek.