Bringing sexy back (*cough*!)

That's Kim Jong Il in 2000, left, and as seen today as he emerged from his palace to hop in one of his topless Mercedes to roll out the red carpet for South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. The purpose of this combo picture by the AP wasn't to show his fashion evolution, but to show he was an ice queen:

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Il welcomed South Korea's president to Pyongyang displaying scant enthusiasm Tuesday while orchestrated crowds cheered the start of the second-ever summit between the divided Koreas since World War II.

The greeting was a stark contrast to the first North-South summit in 2000, when Kim greeted then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung with smiles and clasped both his hands tightly in an emotional moment that softened the North Korean strongman's image to South Koreans and the world.

This time, Kim appeared reserved and unemotional, walking slowly and occasionally clapping lightly to encourage the crowd of thousands at the outdoor welcome ceremony, who waved red and pink paper flowers. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun appeared to revel in the moment, waving and smiling broadly before reviewing a goose-stepping North Korean military honor guard wielding rifles with bayonets."

Roh, I think you're enjoying the goose-steppers a little too much. Kim is just probably wallowing in how difficult it is to be him, how tiresome being a maniacal leader crushing the starving masses can be. And yes, he's probably lonely...