 Smoking is a leading cause of death in North Korea, and mortality figures indicate that 34% of men and 22% of women die due to smoking-related causes, the highest mortality figures in the world.There are tobacco control programs in North Korea, and although smoking is not prohibited in all public spaces, the smoking rates have declined since their peak in the 2000s.All three leaders of North Korea — Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un — have been smokers and the country has struggled to balance their public image with its anti-smoking efforts.