Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born February 16, 1941, Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state February 16, 1942, Baeku Mountain, Japanese Korea) is the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He is the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, and General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (the ruling party since 1948). He succeeded his father Kim Il-sung, founder of North Korea, who died in 1994, and commands the fourth largest standing army in the world. North Korea officially refers to him as the "Dear Leader".