Kim Named “2nd Worst Dictator Alive”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was named as the second worst dictator among all living leaders worldwide in “Breaking Old News: Brian Ross and the Foley Story,” the internet edition of ABC News on January 6. The webcast introduced the five worst dictators alive since the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, quoting the remarks of David Wallechinsky, the scholar on dictatorship and author of the book, “Tyranny: World’s 20 Worst Dictators.”

Wallechinsky explained why he chose Kim by saying he was an “intriguing person” well known by last year’s nuclear test and controls the North to such an extreme that its residents could not access outside information at all.

The author picked as the worst dictator Sudanese President Umar Al-Bashir, who took power by military coup 18 years ago and left hundreds of thousands dead in the recent crisis in Darfur. He selected Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Chinese President Hu Jintao and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia as the third, fourth and fifth- worst dictators.

Khamenei is Iran’s leader who virtually controls the country; he is responsible for repressive policies on religion and media. President Hu was put on the list due to his alleged ignorance of domestic human rights situations such as forced labor and his restrictions on press freedom.