North Korea Bans Citizens From Bearing President Kim Jong-un’s Name

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North Korea has ordered anyone of its citizens who shares the name of the leader, Kim Jong-un, to change it to any other name other than the president’s name, according to South Korean media. Read more on BBC:

The order was contained in a directive from 2011 that has only now been made public, KBS TV and Yonhap reported.

It said no newborn could be given the name, and those who already had it should amend their birth certificates.

The same rule is though to have applied to ex-leaders Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung, Mr Kim’s father and grandfather.

The directive is quoted as saying that the changes should be done voluntarily.

Kim Jong-un emerged as heir-apparent during 2011, but parents naming their children in the years before would have had little forewarning of what was to come.

Such is the secrecy surrounding the ruling family, the current leader was barely known to most North Koreans until the very last days of his father’s rule at the end of 2011.

As the youngest son he would not have been considered the most likely successor even by those who did know of the family.

1 COMMENT

  1. To hell with him. Is he God? The trouble with reclusive and iron curtained countries. What is so special about that dour and un-inspiring name? Those poor souls in North Korea should expect more surprises as their monster matures.