Kim Jong Un and the rest of the leading family of North Korea are notorious for being secretive, so it’s not wonder that Pyongyang has had no comment on who the young woman who has been pictured with their leader over the weekend is.
Yahoo News reports that she first appeared with Kim on Sunday at a ceremony that marked the 18th anniversary of his grandfather’s death. She is also believed to be the same woman pictured in a photograph that was released by the Korea News Service on Monday.
The photo shows Kim, the woman, and others clapping during a July 6th performance by Moranbong band in Pyonyang. The performance included appearances by Disney characters, which has unleashed criticism from the West over the unapproved use of trademark characters.
While no official details about her identity have been released, The Daily Mail has released an article claiming that the beautiful young woman is Hyon Song Wol, a pop singer whose credits include the songs “Footsteps of Soldiers,” I Love Pyongyang,” and “‘Excellent Horse-like Lady.”
They have also noted that the pair were previously romantically involved, but that Kim’s father, who passed away last year, forced Kim to break off the relationship with the pop star. According to a South Korean intelligence official,
“The two have known each other since they were in their teens and rumours about the two having an affair have been circulating among Pyongyang’s top elite.”
The Daily Mail notes that Yang Moo-Jin of Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies believes there’s little chance of the woman being Kim Jong Un’s lover, considering how rarely North Korea’s past first ladies made public appearances with the country’s leaders. Yang speculated:
“She could be Yo-Jong or perhaps a daughter of one of the mistresses of the late Kim Jong-Il… so that Jong-Un can publicly showcase the solidarity in the ruling family.”
Do you think that the unidentified woman is pop star Hyon Song Wol or maybe Kim Jong Un’s younger sister?
[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/adypZhHVBwg” width=”560? height=”315?]
