Kim Il-sung
North Korea's biggest economic, political, and military aid under Kim Il-sung was the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin reportedly handpicked Kim Il-sung, who was a fluent Russian speaker, to lead North Korea in 1948. After the foundation of the country, Kim Il-sung launched the Concentrated Guidance Campaign. This was a census to determine the political opinions of North Koreans. Soviet influence in North Korea was endorsed under Kim Il-sung. The degree censorship seen in North Korea today began with the nationalization of major industries, labor reforms, and the seizure of privately owned land. North Korea maintains a cult of personality around Kim Il-sung as of 2017.