Kim Jong-Un Wife: Who Is Ri Sol Ju, the First Lady of North Korea?

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)
There is a saying that goes "Behind every successful man, there is a strong woman." In the case of North Korea, Kim Jong Un's wife is beside him and supporting the Supreme Leader in every way she can.

There is a saying that goes "Behind every successful man, there is a strong woman." In the case of North Korea, Kim Jong Un's wife is beside him and supporting the Supreme Leader in every way she can.

Her name is Ri Sol Ju, who was introduced to the public as Kim Jong-Un's wife in 2012. However, according to South Korean intelligence officials, the couple had married in 2009, which was prepared in a hurry after the late Kim Jong-Il suffered a stroke in 2008.

They reportedly have at least three children, though their identities are still being kept secret.

Retired basketball superstar Dennis Rodman, who is a good friend of Kim, mentioned before that North Korea's leading couple has a baby named "Ju-ae".

Information on the reportedly 33-year-old Ms. Ri is not that much, but here are some known facts about the First Lady of North Korea:

Kim Jong-Un's Wife Is a Trailblazer

Ms. Ri was dubbed by the state media as "respected first lady"-- the first to be given that title in more than 40 years. Unlike the wives of North Korean leaders in the past, Ms. Ri is somewhat more visible to the public eye. She has joined her autocrat husband at high-level diplomatic events, though once in a while she disappears for extended periods.

Her appearance in a music performance honoring the birth of Kim Jong Il on February 16 was the first time in more than 12 months that she was seen in public, according to Wall Street Journal.

Ms. Ri's disappearances were not uncommon. She was out of the public spotlight for nine months in 2016, and approximately four months in 2017 and 2019.

The state media does not cover her periods of disappearance. Thus, her absence fueled rumors regarding her health and possible pregnancy.

The National Intelligence Service of South Korea told legislators that Ms. Ri was avoiding public appearances due to concerns about COVID-19 and may have been spending time with her children, per Newsweek.

A Multi-talented Woman

She was born in the northern city of Chongjin to an upper-class family with some connections in powerful government positions. Though, per BBC, intelligence reports describe her family as ordinary, she was able to take singing lessons in China.

According to analyst Cheong Seong-chang, Ms. Ri's father was a professor and her mother was an obstetrician.

Ms. Ri was previously a singer in North Korea's Unhasu Orchestra, an elite ensemble whose members are chosen by the government. She graduated from Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung University.

In 2005, she was a member of the North Korean cheerleading team that competed in the Asian Athletics Championships.

According to observers, Ms. Ri is the first woman in North Korea to take on a traditional first lady's role, using public appearances to strengthen an image as the country's caring mother.

Since she has been a performer since she was a child, Ms. Ri seemed confident and at ease in the spotlight as part of her husband's diplomatic public image campaign.