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Kim Jong Il

American  
[kim jong il] / ˈkɪm ˈdʒɒŋ ˈɪl /

noun

  1. 1942–2011, president of North Korea 1994–2011 (son of Kim Il Sung).


Kim Jong-il British  
/ kɪm dʒɔŋiːl /

noun

  1. 1942–2011, North Korean politician; supreme leader of North Korea (1994–2011): son of Kim Il-sung

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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His successor, Kim Jong Il, wasn’t seen or mentioned in public until his 20s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Samjiyon carries potent symbolism in North Korean propaganda as it is a stone's throw away from Mount Paektu, the peninsula's highest mountain where official accounts say Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, was born.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

Born in either 1987 or 1988, Kim Yo Jong is Kim’s only sister, and one of the five children born to Kim Jong Il, who ruled North Korea from 1994 to 2011.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2025

It also claims Paektu is where the incumbent's father, Kim Jong Il, was born.

From BBC • Aug. 15, 2024

Their birthdays — April 15 for Kim Il Sung, and Feb. 16 for Kim Jong Il — are typically celebrated with tributes to their giant statues, dance parties, fireworks and art performances.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 8, 2024