Kim Jong Un reportedly in “Grave Danger” after surgery.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Kim Yo-jong, his sister, is the closest thing to an heir he has. Not good news for North Korea if true.

From a Guardian article published just yesterday:

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic – with Pyongyang continuing to insist it has not recorded a single case – Kim Yo-jong’s ascendancy continues.

Last month, she made her first public statement, condemning the South as a “frightened dog barking” after Seoul protested against a live-fire military exercise by the North. And in March, she publicly praised Donald Trump for sending Kim a letter in which he said he hoped to maintain good bilateral relations and offered help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

The publication of political statements in Kim Yo-jong’s name underlines her central role in the regime, according to Youngshik Bong, a research fellow at Yonsei University’s Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul. “It is revealing that Kim Jong-un permitted her to write and announce a scathing statement about South Korea in such a personal tone,” Bong said. “He is clearly ready to allow his sister to become his alter ego.”

A ruthless dictator woman would be an interesting change of pace. Also, she's younger than I am, and I haven't managed to oppress anyone yet

Indira Gandhi (or her ghost, anyway) says hi

I don't think Indira qualifies as a dictator, outside of the 2 year period of Emergency (which she willingly ended and put herself at the mercy of the electorate's wimbs afterwards). But she certainly came closer to qualifying for the label of 'ruthless dictator woman' than most other politicians over the past 50 years.
Ironically among the top candidates might be Sheikh Hasina in neighboring Bangladesh.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Kim Yo-jong, his sister, is the closest thing to an heir he has. Not good news for North Korea if true.

From a Guardian article published just yesterday:

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic – with Pyongyang continuing to insist it has not recorded a single case – Kim Yo-jong’s ascendancy continues.

Last month, she made her first public statement, condemning the South as a “frightened dog barking” after Seoul protested against a live-fire military exercise by the North. And in March, she publicly praised Donald Trump for sending Kim a letter in which he said he hoped to maintain good bilateral relations and offered help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

The publication of political statements in Kim Yo-jong’s name underlines her central role in the regime, according to Youngshik Bong, a research fellow at Yonsei University’s Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul. “It is revealing that Kim Jong-un permitted her to write and announce a scathing statement about South Korea in such a personal tone,” Bong said. “He is clearly ready to allow his sister to become his alter ego.”

A ruthless dictator woman would be an interesting change of pace. Also, she's younger than I am, and I haven't managed to oppress anyone yet

Indira Gandhi (or her ghost, anyway) says hi

I don't think Indira qualifies as a dictator, outside of the 2 year period of Emergency (which she willingly ended and put herself at the mercy of the electorate's wimbs afterwards). But she certainly came closer to qualifying for the label of 'ruthless dictator woman' than most other politicians over the past 50 years.
Ironically among the top candidates might be Sheikh Hasina in neighboring Bangladesh.

Well yeah, its that which I was thinking of rather. And its fair to say she was forced into that election rather than happily agreeing to it out of the goodness of her heart

I would argue that Sheikh Hasina in general has behaved more dictator-like over the course of her political career taken together, than Indira. And for that matter a good argument might exist for Khaleda Zia as well.
(I'm open to being convinced otherwise)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Newspapers had big bold headlines announcing Kim Il Sung's death 8 years before he actually dropped dead.

I guess you could say reports of Kim Il Sung's death were greatly exagerated.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Newspapers had big bold headlines announcing Kim Il Sung's death 8 years before he actually dropped dead.

Check your sources, TG.

Great Leader and Eternal President Kim-Il-Sung will never die.  He will live on in perpetuity and lead the revolution to smite the imperialist American aggressors.  

Finally, another patriot in this thread who hasn't succumbed to the lies and evil of the American imperialists and the counter-revolutionaries. Chairman Kim is in perfect health, and the Eternal President Kim-Il-Sung watches over us, as he was born on Korea's tallest peak from there you can see the entirety of his empire in Korea. Long may the Eternal President reign comrade.

Actually (yes, I'm actually-ing my own joke), the propaganda around KIS was that he was born into a poor family in a small village.  He left this village as a young man to avenge the atrocities committed against his family by the occupying Japanese.  This is probably the part of the story that's the most realistic and backed up by some level of historical evidence and, to his credit, he played a big part in fighting the Japanese until their surrender to the Allies in 1945. 

You're thinking of KJI's origin story with regards to the mountain (DPRK claims he was born on sacred Mount Paektu; records indicate he was born in the Soviet Union).

Legend has it that when KJI was born, a new star took its place in the sky and all of the snow melted before blooming into flowers.  When he died, a massive earthquake cracked the ice on the mountain's lake.  

Not sure why I paid so much attention in the class I took during my undergrad on the DPRK, but it was SUPER interesting.  

Someone else into DPRK stuff? Yes!

Cool! There's three of us now.

Can I join too? I find NK fairly interesting and I want to diversify my Asian interest further.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

A Japanese magazine is saying he’s in a vegetative state.

which one?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

A Japanese magazine is saying he’s in a vegetative state.

which one?

Shukan Gendai. Couldn’t find the article in English.

that's fine. I can use google translate.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

We proudly stan a strong millennial WoC leader of North Korea. Neoliberal western chauvinists can trout out their dementia ridden old white man all they want but we know who the real winner is.

Women have been severely under represented in the dictator world, glad to see that glass ceiling getting smashed

Half of all dictators should be women.

Well, this is the future that liberals want.

I thought liberals wanted more female drone pilots and more women serving as prison guards.