Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il has trained himself to have a perfect memory, North Korean Web daily Uri-Min-jok-kiri reported this week. The “Dear Leader” supposedly can recite all the telephone numbers of his top officials, as well as all their computer passwords. When visiting a cemetery, the Web site said, he has only to glance at the names on the tombstones to recall personal details of the dead and of their survivors. Propaganda lauding Kim is a staple of North Korean media. It was once reported that Kim shot 11 holes-in-one in his very first game of golf.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why is Prince William in Saudi Arabia?Today’s Big Question Government requested royal visit to boost trade and ties with Middle East powerhouse, but critics balk at kingdom’s human rights record
-
Wuthering Heights: ‘wildly fun’ reinvention of the classic novel lacks depthTalking Point Emerald Fennell splits the critics with her sizzling spin on Emily Brontë’s gothic tale
-
Why the Bangladesh election is one to watchThe Explainer Opposition party has claimed the void left by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League but Islamist party could yet have a say
