Amid the talks about Kim Jong Un's worsening health condition, the woman in his life have now caught the attention of the public eye.
Following talks about the dictator's sister's possible ascend in the regime, heads have turned into the members of Kim Jong Un's immediate family, particularly his wife. The dictator's wife Ri Sol-ju has lived her life in secret, which is not unusual for North Korea's secretive ruling class.
However, despite her private life, the first lady of the Hermit Kingdom recently gained attention after defectors in South Korea used provocative images of her in the leaflet campaign that they launched against Pyongyang.
After photos of his wife surfaced, the dictator was reportedly angered due to the insulting and dirty representation of his partner. It was also cited as one of the reasons why the liaison office with Seoul was blown up and the threat of military action was announced.
Who is Ri Sol-Ju?
According to The Daily Beast, there is very little information about the wife of the rogue nation's leaders. Many experts even believe that her name is only a pseudonym.
Ri is reportedly around 30 to 35 years old with her birth year estimated between 1985-1989.
Based on reports, Ri came from a family of the political elite. Her father was said to be a university professor, while her mother is the head of a local hospital's gynecology unit. However, there are also reports that claim that she came from a military family.
Meanwhile, Ri and the North Korean Dictator reportedly tied the knot in 2009, but their wedding was not officially announced by the North Korean media until three years later.
Ri Sol-Ju's Secret life
The Hermit Kingdom is known to be the world's most secretive state; thus, it is very common for the wives of its leaders to stay in the dark.
In the past, the spouses and consorts of the previous dictators, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong Il, the current dictator's grandfather and father, respectively have never appeared in public. The wives have also been rarely mentioned in the news from the state media.
However, according to the New York Post, Ri has lived differently than her predecessors. She has acted more like a first lady in the Western nations.
Kim's wife was first seen in an official event during the burial of Kim's father and predecessor.
After which, Ri has appeared in other public events. In 2018, she attended a banquet that followed Kim's summit with South Korea's President Moon Jae-in. In the same years, she also accompanied her husband in a state visit to China where they had dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife.
During her rare appearances, Ri became a hit in the fashion scene after being seen wearing designer outfits and luxury bags.
Ri Sol-Ju's standing and Kim Jong Un's health
As of the moment, what happens to Ri if Kim dies or becomes incapable of ruling still remains a mystery.
Based on reports, the couple has at least one male child who could be Kim's heir. However, Business Insider noted that Kim's son is reportedly too young to assume the leadership, thus, Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong has been named as his "de facto second-in-command."
Related article: Kim Yo Jong's Life in Danger? Fears Grow as Talks of Regime Take Over Surfaces
