Accidental Tyrant: The Life of Kim Il-sung

A masterful new biography of North Korea's despotic founding father and his enduring impact on his country today.

''Fascinating.''

''Impressive.''

''Perhaps the most thoroughly researched account available on Kim''s unfortunate regime.''

''Tertitskiy has marshalled an impressive array of sources in multiple languages to piece together this brisk, credible and highly readable account ... fascinating.''

''Tertitskiy''s comprehensive biography ... helps us to understand how Kim gained power, how he kept it for himself ... [and] how other leaders -- starting with Stalin and Mao -- helped him to do so and allowed North Korea to destabilise north-east Asia and the wider world until today.''

''Mr. Tertitskiy … has pulled off a rare and impressive biographical feat… [and] given us a chilling portrait of a man who seems almost too bad to be true.''

''[A] revelatory biography... Tertitskiy''s deep dive into the origins of the Kim family "pseudo-monarchy" could not be more timely.''

''This biography of Kim Il-sung ... raises the interesting question of whether Kim''s rise to supreme power in North Korea was inevitable.'' 

‘A comprehensive and highly accessible account of the creation of North Korea—and its first dictator, Kim Il-sung. His legacy persists to this day, through his grandson Kim Jong-un, making this book essential reading for understanding how this repressive autocracy endures.’

‘The definitive account of the man who shaped modern North Korea. Drawing on extensive archival research and the author’s deep historical knowledge, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of North Korea’s past and present.''

‘Tertitskiy’s well-researched book makes accessible for general readers the life of Kim Il-sung. This is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the ideological and political origins of contemporary North Korea.’

‘Tertitskiy, a renowned North Korea scholar, explores the true history of Kim Il-sung. This historic work delves into the origins of North Korea and its complex relationship with its progenitor, the Soviet Union, offering vital insights into the foundations of the regime that continues to shape the brutal and dangerous rule of Kim Jong-un today.’

Kim Il-sung was the enigmatic architect of North Korea. His life is an extraordinary tale of improbable success: once a barely educated guerrilla fighter, he rose to lead the nation at the young age of 33. Against all odds, he established a horrifyingly stable dictatorial regime, one that still struggles to provide for its people, yet could obliterate Hollywood, Silicon Valley and much of East Asia in nuclear strikes.

Based on extensive new sources in Korean, Russian, Chinese and Japanese, Fyodor Tertitskiy tells the unlikely story of one of the twentieth century''s most brutal but little-known dictators, from his early life in Japanese Korea to the lasting repercussions of his autocratic rule today. Tertitskiy showcases Kim''s political prowess in gaining autonomy from the USSR; explores how his inept economic policy led to catastrophic famine; and highlights how he implemented a system of hereditary rule, paving the way for today''s ''Supreme Leader'', Kim Jong-un, to assume power and continue his grandfather''s vision.

Accidental Tyrant serves as a stark cautionary tale, underscoring that the triumph of liberty is never guaranteed. Met with insufficient resistance, even the most unlikely leader can build a regime of repression and privation that long outlives its founder.

• | Author: Fyodor Tertitskiy
• | Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd
• | Publication Date: Feb 13, 2025
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Hardback
• | ISBN-13: 9781911723547
• | ISBN-10: 1911723545