When the Tubby and Unprepossessing Kim Jong-un took over from his dead dad as leader

of North Korea 11 years ago, some commentators thought he'd last months, but he's still there

and so is his regime.

The place has not changed fundamentally, it's still a cruel dictatorship underwritten

by the constant threat of violence, but it is, in superficial ways, more fun than it used

to be.

A bit more fun, a lot more missile launches, and yet more international sanctions, aimed

at stopping Kim's bomb.

The simple question is, why would Kim Jong-un give up nuclear weapons?

It's hard to see what that reason would be.

He's the man with his finger on the big red button.

So what do we need to know about Kim III of North Korea?

You're listening to Stories of Our Times and The Times and The Sunday Times.

I'm David Ironevich.

Today, a decade of little rocket man.

By the kind of standards that modern Western states apply to themselves, and the way that

most societies measure success, North Korea is a grim, broken place and a desperate failure.

Richard Lloyd Perry is Asia editor for The Times.

He's been reporting on North Korea for 27 years and has visited the country a number of

times.

They can't feed themselves.

They are isolated.

...