il-sung. kim il-sung was one of the most dominant totalitarian dictators in the 20th century. prefer mitch learner is the director of studies. north korea s first leader was born april 15, 1912. the same day the titanic was sinking. kim il-sung was a christian. his mother and father took him to church. melanie fitzpatrick covered korea. kim il-sung went to church. very hard to believe. as a young men. there were many, men christians in korea, and pyongyang was known as the jerusalem of the east. by 1948 appointed head of the worker s party. over the next decade, the