Kim Yo-jong

Kim Yo-jong
Born (1987-09-26) 26 September 1987
Pyongyang, North Korea
Nationality North Korean
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 김여정
Hancha 金與正
Revised Romanization Gim Yeojeong
McCune–Reischauer Kim Yŏjŏng
This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim.

Kim Yo-jong (born 26 September 1987)[1] is the younger sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and younger daughter of late leader Kim Jong-il.

Personal life

Kim Yo-jong was born as the daughter of Kim Jong-il and his wife Ko Yong-hui on 26 September 1987.[1] She and Kim Jong-un studied together in Switzerland from 1996 to 2000, and she may have studied at the Kim Il-sung Military University after her return.[1] She also studied computer science at Kim Il-sung University where she is said to have studied with Kim Eun-gyong, the daughter of Japanese abductee Megumi Yokota.[2]

In January 2015, she reportedly married Choe Song,[3] the second son of government official Choe Ryong-hae.[4] However, South Korean government sources have since denied the accuracy of these reports. Kim Yo-jong was pregnant and expecting a child in May 2015. The father, not identified, is thought to be a fellow alumnus of Kim Il-sung university and either an official at the Workers Party's Room 39 or working at a military unit responsible for guarding the country's leader.[5]

Career

She was first spotted at a photo session for participants at the 3rd Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in September 2010, when she stood next to her father's personal secretary and alleged mistress Kim Ok.[6]

Kim Yo-jong was given much publicity during the funeral service for Kim Jong-il in December 2011, when she appeared several times alongside her brother Kim Jong-un or leading funeral processions of central officials, despite not even being a funeral committee member, and she was never named. She was then reportedly given a position under the National Defence Commission at the beginning of 2012 as tour manager for Kim Jong-un,[7] but has not appeared in news reports except for November 2012, when the Korean Central Television showed her accompanying Kim Jong-un at a military riding ground.[8] She was officially mentioned for the first time on 9 March 2014, as she accompanied her brother in voting for the Supreme People's Assembly. Kim Yo-jong was identified as a "senior official" of the WPK Central Committee.[9]

Sources indicate that Kim Jong-un may be grooming Kim Yo-jong to replace their aunt Kim Kyong-hui (with whom Kim Yo-jong is said to have a good relationship[6]) in her supporting role.[10]

In October 2014, she was reported to have possibly taken over state duties for her ailing brother while he underwent medical treatment.[11]

On November 28, 2014, she was named vice director of the Workers Party's Propaganda and Agitation Department.[12] Since March 2015, she has been its head. She also holds a vice ministerial post but her portfolio is not known.[5] She regularly accompanies Kim Jong-Un on his "field guidance" trips.[13]

On July 24, 2015, Kim Yo-jong, was put in charge of North Korea’s Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD). As the vice director of the country’s propaganda arm, she will be in charge of developing her brother’s cult of personality. She replaced Kim Ki-nam, 89, who has run PAD since the 1990s and served the Kim dynasty since the 1960s.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kim Yo Jong". North Korea Leadership Watch. May 6, 2016.
  2. ↑ Kim Hee-Jin (March 19, 2014). "Abductee's daughter is favorite of Kim's sister". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  3. ↑ (2 January 2015) Kim Jong Un’s Little Sister Married Son of Top Regime Official, Report Says Wall Street Journal, Asia, Retrieved 16 January 2015
  4. ↑ "NK leader's sister weds son of Choe Ryong-hae: sources". Yonhap News Agency.
  5. 1 2 "The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea – Kim Jong-un's Sister to Have Baby in May". Chosun Ilbo. April 30, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "KJI Youngest Daughter Working as Events Manager for KJU?". South Korea: North Korea Leadership Watch. 22 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Kim Yo-jung is believed to have studied abroad and to share her older brother's ambition". South Korea: Hankyoreh. 22 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "North Korea Newsletter No. 237". South Korea: Yonhap News Agency. 22 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "Kim Jong Un Visits Kim Il Sung University of Politics and Takes Part in Election of Deputy to SPA". North Korea (site in Japan): Korean Central News Agency. 9 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Kim Jong-un 'preparing to purge aunt'". United Kingdom: The Telegraph. 6 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Silva, Cristina (2014-10-02). "Has Kim Yo-Jong Taken Over For Kim Jong Un? Sister Assumes North Korea State Duties While Brother Undergoes Medical Treatment". International Business Times. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  12. ↑ North Korea's 'princess' moves closer to center of power
  13. ↑ "N. Korea's Kim Jong-Un executed 15 top officials: S. Korea spy agency". Yahoo! News. AFP. April 29, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Kim Jong-un's sister promoted to run 'idolisation projects' in North Korea". UK: The Guardian. July 24, 2015.
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