What was the end of leaders who indulged in luxury like North Korea's Kim Jong-un?

North Korea Struck by Floods: Kim Jong-un's Show of Leading Recovery Efforts

At the end of July 2024, heavy rains in the Amnok River basin caused significant damage. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea, visited the disaster sites seven times to oversee recovery efforts. Dressed in a suit and wading into the water to care for the people, he moved many North Koreans. However, his train was carrying expensive vehicles. Was Kim Jong-un truly feeling the people's pain, or was this just a show to soothe public sentiment in order to maintain his regime? As reports of his luxury emerged in the media, the difficult lives of the North Korean people seemed even more tragic. Let’s explore through history what happened to leaders who indulged in luxury and pleasure in the past.

(Left) Inside Chairman Kim Jong-un's train at the disaster site, there are expensive Maybach vehicles. (Right) Chairman Kim's private yacht even has a water slide and an indoor pool of standard size.

The Fall of the Xia Dynasty's King Jie, Who Lost the People Through Luxury

King Jie (桀王) was the 17th king of the ancient Xia Dynasty in China. According to the historical text "Records of the Grand Historian" (史记), it states, “During King Jie's reign, the state of Xia was already weakened, and many vassals had defected. King Jie was immoral and did not heed the advice of wise ministers Guan Longfeng (關龍逢) and Yi Yin (伊尹). He oppressed the people and committed tyranny, even capturing the virtuous King Tang of the Shang Dynasty at Hatai. His flight and eventual death after being defeated by King Tang led to the fall of the Xia Dynasty.” It is said that he had the people build a grand palace and dug a backyard to create a river for boating. He believed his power was like the sun in the sky, unshakeable as long as the sun did not set. The people expressed their desire to disappear like the sun. King Jie was unable to empathize with their struggles. Ultimately, he was killed by the virtuous King Tang of the Shang Dynasty.

Xia Dynasty's King Jie Source: Baidu

The Ruin of the Shang Dynasty by King Zhou, Who Indulged in Luxurious Women

King Zhou (紂王) was the last king of the ancient Shang Dynasty (殷) in China. He was known for his exceptional talent and bravery as a child and enjoyed fighting. He had previously subdued the Dongyi tribes, which drained the state's resources. He loved wine and indulged in debauchery while imposing heavy taxes and harsh punishments, leading to rising resentment among the people. King Zhou fell for the beauty of Daji (妲己) and indulged in wine and pleasure. The term "wine pool and meat forest" (酒池肉林), which refers to a place filled with wine and meat hanging from trees, is said to have originated from the extravagant and lavish activities of King Zhou and Daji. His excesses knew no bounds, and unable to tolerate it any longer, King Wu of Zhou rallied the surrounding vassal states to destroy the Shang Dynasty.

Shang Dynasty's King Zhou Source: Naver Images

 

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Seeing Japan distort history makes me realize the importance of history books.