Kim Jong-Il is the current ruler of North Korea. Although rumors of his death have circulated since an alleged stroke in August of 2008, the "Dear Leader," as he is known in the country, is alive.

On July 13, 2009 intelligence sources in South Korea and China reported that Kim Jong Il has pancreatic cancer. In recent months, Kim Jong Ill has appeared frail and weak. It is believed that his son Kim Jong Un may succeed him.http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/13/kim.jong.il.ill/index.html

The exact details of Kim Jong-Il's biography are a matter of intense debate between the official record as presented by North Korea, and research conducted by various historians around the world. When his father, Kim Il-Sung died in 1994, the deceased leader was granted the title of "Eternal President," and the office of president in North Korea was effectively abolished. Kim Jong-Il was promoted to Chairman of the National Defense Commission, which was declared to be the highest active position of the state.

With the loss of the Soviet Union and China as major trade partners and nation-wide natural disasters, North Korea's economy nearly collapsed in the 1990s. In response, Kim Jong-Il has implemented a "military first" policy and introduced some mild economic reforms.

He has also attempted to improve foreign relations, particularly those with South Korea, though these efforts have largely been overshadowed by continued nuclear technology development and missile tests.

In 2008, rumors have circulated regarding Kim Jong-Il's status, some of which claim that he has been been assassinated, or disabled by illness.

On May 28, it was reported by South Korean media that Kim Jong-Il had been assassinated outside Pyongyang two days earlier. The report was based on information provided by unidentified informants from China and South Korea. The government and state controlled media of North Korea denied the report from the beginning. On May 29, 2008 the government of South Korea issued an official statement denying the report.Bloomberg.com: South Korea Says Report of Kim's Death 'False' (May 29, 2008)

On September 9, Kim Jong Il failed to attend the 60th Anniversary celebration of North Korea's founding, fueling speculation that he had been incapacitated by illness. According to U.S. intelligence, Kim may have suffered stroke.Bloomberg.com: North Korea's Kim May Have Had Stroke, Official Says (September 9, 2008)

After rumors of his death, Kim made his first public appearance at a soccer game between the Universities Sung and Pyongyang at the beginning of October. Officials from South Korea and the United States believe Kim may have suffered a stroke, but North Korean officials deny the rumors.Breitbart.com: NKroean Leader Makes an Appearance (October 4, 2008)

In late October, a Japanese film crew captured Kim Jong Il's son Kim Jong-Nam on film visiting a brain surgeon in Paris. A few days after the visit, cameras caught a French physician apparently bound for Beijing. The doctor did not deny that Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, was his final destination.The Times Online: Kim Jong-Il 'being treated by brain surgeon' (October 27, 2008)