These childhood photos of Kim Jong Un would be cute if they weren’t disturbing
Kim Jong Un visits the Wolnae Islet Defence Detachment in North Korea’s western sector near the disputed maritime frontier with South Korea in this undated photo.
The North Korean regime is renowned for its secrecy, particularly when it comes to the private life of its First Family.
So the release of these charming childhood photos of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has, to put it mildly, caught observers by surprise.
The family snaps were shown during an Air Force concert on April 16, which was broadcast by state-controlled KCTV.
Before you revel in Kim Jong Un's winsome youth, be sure to check out our "Guide to North Korean Crimes Against Humanity" for some, you know, context.
Now, here’s the little dictator as a chubby faced toddler.
And here he is, the little soldier, smiling for the camera.
And here's the not-so-cute-anymore Kim doing his thing as leader of one of the weirdest regimes in the world.
The slideshow, which was projected on a large screen behind what looks to be an all-female orchestra, also paid tribute to Kim’s late father, Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather, Kim Il Sung — three generations of totalitarian rule.
The captive audience clapped enthusastically throughout the show, which you can watch here on the DPRK Music Channel on YouTube.
The never-before-seen photos of the young Kim, which also include snapshots of him adorably sitting at the controls of an airplane, exist in stark contrast to the 31-year-old we know today. The United Nations and just about everyone else accuse the grown up Kim of widespread human rights abuses.