How Did Mysterious Illnesses Affect the Reigns and Downfalls of Notorious Dictators Throughout History?

North Korea’s Kim Il-sung also exhibited mysterious health problems that complicated his rule. Reports suggested he suffered from a number of ailments, including heart disease and, eventually, a stroke in the early 1990s that left him incapacitated for some time. Although state-controlled media sought to present him as indomitable, factional struggles emerged as his health waned, leading to a gradual transfer of power to his son, Kim Jong-il. The secrecy surrounding his condition made his eventual death in 1994 even more shocking and pivotal in shaping North Korean politics.