Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know.

My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds.

As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable experts and genuinely engaging voices.

What you may not know is that the BBC makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars,

poltergeist, cricket, and conspiracy theories and that's just a few examples.

If you'd like to discover something a little bit unexpected, find your next podcast over at BBC Sounds. This is the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service with me Kevin Kim.

On 9th of September 1948, the DPRK, short for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established.

It was the day North Korea became a country.

Today, we'll hear from a man who met its founding father shortly before he took control.

Kimil sung ruled North Korea unchallenged for nearly half a century.

He established a cult of personality that brought tens of thousands out onto the streets, cheering and waving whenever he made a public appearance.

But what was he really like? And how did he come to power?

In North Korea, he is praised as the greatest leader of all time. He's at the heart of the Kim dynasty.

Communist North Korea has been ruled since 1948 by the same family, the Kim's, a dynasty of leaders which started

with Kim's son.

The origin of North Korea begins with Kim Il-Song.

Over 70 years ago, when I first met Kim Il-Song, I was 25 years old.

Back then we knew him by his real name, Kim

Kim Jong-Ju.

That's Professor Kim Jong-Sak, a philosopher and writer who at 102 years old remarkably still lectures in humanities in South Korea.

His story of North Korea's founding father begins on August 15, 1945 when Japan surrendered to end World War II.

After 40 years of Japanese domination, Korea makes a start on the road back to national independence.

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