The order, named after the country's first leader Kim Il Sung, was instituted in 1972 during a reform of the North Korean honors system.

Its history is not fully known, but the order was initially round, being changed to a five-pointed star design later, and the picture of Kim Il Sung updated in 2012.

The North Korean system of orders and medals saw periods of expansion and stagnation through the 1950s and 1960s, but in the early 1970s, major additions were made.

[3] At about the same time, North Korea also started awarding watches with Kim Il Sung's autograph on them.

[4] Likewise, it is claimed that Kim Jong Il was to be the first recipient of the order, but he declined it and received the honor only in 1979.