Kim Jong-un’s wife reappeared for the first time after a year

Ri Sol Ju, the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was seen this Tuesday, after more than a year without making any public appearances, with her husband to attend a concert to commemorate the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il.

Ri was last seen in January 2020, when she attended another concert, this time to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Samjiyon Theater in Pyongyang, also accompanied by Kim, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

After more than a year without being seen in public, as reported by Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers’ Party, Ri reappeared to mark the birthday of her husband’s predecessor.

The outlet also released several photographs in which the two are seen smiling broadly, surrounded by other North Korean officials.

South Korean intelligence has said Ri will stay away from the public to avoid the risk of a coronavirus pandemic and will focus on caring for her children.

South Korean intelligence claims they married in 2009 and have three children, but there is no official mention of their ancestry. Ri has been seen with Kim on several occasions, such as on a trip to China, where they had lunch with President Xi Jinping, or in the famous photos of the chef on horseback with a snowy landscape in the background.

Although North Korea claims to have had no contagion from the coronavirus, the intelligence services of countries like the United States and Japan are questioning this claim, which would be confirmed by the measures adopted since 2021 started in the North Korean nation.

Así, en las fotos publicadas de Kim y Ri, se puede ver al público sentado con poca distancia entre ellos y sin el uso de mascarillas, por lo que podría haber sido ofrecido como un símbolo del éxito de la campaña contra la COVID-19 en the country.

Ri’s year-long disappearance set off alarm bells for analysts and further fuels the conundrum of North Korea: a dictatorship so secretive that no one knows for sure what’s going on there.

The disappearance of Ri Sol-ju, who would be 32 years old, generated many the theories that have multiplied: that she was in poor health, that they imprisoned her … it was even said that she could have been killed on the orders of her husband. However, experts from North Korea recall that his absence may have none of these. It’s because Ri has intermittently disappeared from the public eye for months in the past without any explanation.

Prior to this absence, Ri repeatedly appeared with her husband in public, so experts suggest that the change could be part of an even deeper transformation, that of the dictator’s foreign policy. Kim is no longer afraid to look like a “normal world leader”

“North Korea has already emphasized enough that Kim Jong-un is a normal leader of the country who brings his wife to events,” said Lim Eul-chul, professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University. “But now, for Pyongyang, the economic issues and the actual achievements – not the formalities or the image – are most important and urgent.”

“The change in the foreign affairs situation could have affected Ri’s disappearance,” Hong said NK News. “When there were multiple summits with other countries, Ri’s role – a universally expected role as first lady – was on the rise … But now diplomacy has stalled.”

“His disappearance could also be due to COVID-19. As a mother with young children, participating in public activities carries a potential risk of infection, ”said Hong Min, director of the North Korean research division at the Korea National Unification Institute (KINU). “Even Kim Jong-un took at least one guided tour last year.”

North Korean state media first featured Ri Sol-ju in July 2012, and he has appeared at public events more than 100 times since. But experts say Ri’s only public appearance in 2020 was at the Samjiyon Theater and, with no information, the mystery grows.

Ri accompanied her husband to the heyday of North Korean diplomacy in 2018, when Kim met South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, in Pyongyang.

Secret life

The life of the North Korean first lady, Ri Sol – ju, it is kept in absolute reserve. Last year his name – supposedly actually a pseudonym – was all over the international media when defectors in South Korea used his face for a provocative campaign of anti-diet brochures.

It is believed that the family of Ri Sol-ju belongs to the political elite of the hermetic country. According to the specialized blog Leadership oversight in North Korea, his father is the Air Force and Anti-Aircraft Commander of the Korean People’s Army.

Among the few known data, Ri is known to have grown up in Pyongyang before studying vocal music in China. As a singer she would have performed with the U’nhasu Orchestra, a musical group (probably already disbanded) that plays mainly with western instruments. It was also a cheerleader who visited South Korea in 2005 for the Asian track and field championships, according to a Seoul lawmaker.

Ri Sol – ju Yes Kim Jong-un reportedly married in 2009, although their nuptials were not confirmed by North Korean state media until 2012. The newspaper The South Korea’s Times reported that the father of the current dictator, Kim jong il, reportedly arranged the marriage in a hurry after suffering a stroke in 2008. Although there are no specific data, it is believed that The couple had three children.

Months ago, we knew the dictator had forced her to comply with eight rules:

1) Arranged marriage: Ri Sol-ju was forced to marry the Supreme Leader of North Korea in 2008 after Kim Jong-il, the father of her current husband, suffered a heart attack.

2) Adopt a new name after marriage: Ri Sol-ju is his new identity. According to various reports, her original name, date of birth and other documents were withheld after her marriage to the North Korean leader.

3) cut ties with your own family: Ri Sol-ju cannot visit her and hasn’t been there since she got married.

4) dress code– In their early years of marriage, Ri Sol-ju was seen sporting a Western style, personalized brooches, and many more. However, all of that has changed over the years and now her clothes are more traditional. Reports indicate that North Korea’s first lady has little choice in expressing herself through her clothes and hairstyles.

5) Strictly controlled movements: his public appearances are still under control. Except for national receptions or festivals, a woman cannot accompany her husband during the hours of the national address or event.

6) No unauthorized photos: No one can take pictures of Ri Sol-ju without permission from the North Korean leader.

7) You are not allowed to leave the country: Ri Sol-ju, who studied in China and visited South Korea as an artist, cannot travel outside of North Korea except for official travel.

8) Secret pregnancies: Due to the medieval mentality of the Supreme Family, Ri Sol-ju was forced to hide her pregnancies until delivery. Very few photos of her showing her pregnant have appeared online. It is believed that after two daughters, finally in 2017, she would have given birth to the male child, who could continue the dynasty.

(With information from Europa Press)

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