North Korea at Winter Olympics 2018: Who is Kim Jong-un’s sister?
THE young and powerful sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is about to step out of her brother’s long shadow.
SHE’S the youngest sibling of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, yet has one of the most important jobs in the regime.
Now Kim Yo-jong, who is being groomed to be part of North Korea’s new guard, has another mammoth task when she will represent her brother on the international stage in South Korea.
In a statement, South Korea’s Unification Ministry confirmed the younger Kim will be joining North Korea’s high-level delegation to the South on Friday.
The 23-member delegation will be led by North Korea’s ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam and also include Ri Son-gwon who, as head of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, is responsible for inter-Korean affairs.
However the decision to send the younger Kim is a clever and strategic one, according to leading North Korea expert Dr Leonid Petrov.
The visiting fellow at the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific told news.com.au that Kim Jong-un could not travel to South Korea because he could face arrest on a number of charges, including human rights abuses.
So the decision to send Yo-jong, who is a senior member of the party, means Kim is still represented by a key insider and by the person he trusts most.
It will also be the first time a member of the Kim dynasty and direct bloodline has ventured to South Korea since the end of the Korean War.
Dr Petrov said Yo-jong was clever, educated and most importantly had the implicit trust of her brother.
Dr Petrov said relations with the US were very low and Kim was making a smart move by trying to improve relations with Seoul.
Things such as trade between the North and South could bypass international sanctions given it would be classified as a domestic issue, for example.
“It’s excellent timing as relations are bad with the US and Moon Jae-in (South Korean President) has made it his policy to improve relations with the North,” Dr Petrov said.
Equally, Kim Jong-un is under pressure to improve relations with the South following the souring of Chinese and Russian support over the North’s weapons programs.
Both countries supported recent sanctions against his regime which meant Kim had lost a vital lifeline.
“This visit (to South Korea) will give him some reprieve,” Dr Petrov said.
He said in Kim choosing to send his sister, he was sending the person he trusted the most.
Dr Petrov said Yo-jong had even stood in for her brother running the country during times of illness and he trusted her not to defect and deliver his messages in good faith.
“She’s been promoted for a reason. She’s clever, ambitious and is close to her brother. He has cleared the path for his most trusted confidante — his sister.”
“She’s the de facto head of state — she’s met dignitaries and guests and is well-versed in diplomatic activities.
“Most importantly he can also trust her, he knows she won’t defect like some athletes might be tempted to, but knows she will come back.”
Mr Moon’s office welcomed North Korea’s decision, saying it showed its willingness to co-operate in easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Ms Kim will meet with Moon, a liberal who has expressed a desire to reach out to the North.
Some critics have also argued North Korea is trying to use the Olympics to weaken US-led sanctions and pressure against it and buy time to advance its weapons programs.
The BBC also highlighted she could face obstacles making it to Pyeongchang as she’s being targeted by US sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, but is not on the UN Security Council travel blacklist.
RIGHT-HAND WOMAN
Dr Petrov said the youngest Kim was regarded as the next heir because other siblings were considered illegitimate or not politically minded.
Kim and his sister also share the same mother, Ko Yong-hui, and father, late leader Kim Jong-il and therefore share the royal bloodline.
Kim’s older brother Kim Jong-chul was considered to effeminate by his late father and is said to be not politically active.
“If something happened to Kim Jong-un, she (Yo-jong) would be the next in line of succession,” Dr Petrov said.
“His older sister (Kim Sol-song) is illegitimate as was (now dead) Kim Jong-nam whose mother was not married to his father,” he said.
Veteran foreign correspondent and North Korea expert Jean Lee said the move to send Yo-jong to South Korea was hugely significant.
Ms Lee, a global fellow The Wilson Centre, said over Twitter the move was significant because Yo-jong would be the first member of the Kim family to visit South Korea.
I believe Kim Yo Jong would be the first member of Kim family to visit #SouthKorea. Two past summits betw #NorthKorea & South Korea leaders were held in #Pyongyang, not #Seoul.
— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 7, 2018
Ms Lee also said she played a crucial role in the family by “lionising” her brother and was part of North Korea’s new guard.
Kim has been grooming his trusted younger sister to step up as part of #NorthKorea’s new guard. Her role is to help lionize her big brother. Each Kim leader has had a family member in charge of #propaganda.
— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 7, 2018
She also questioned Kim’s motives.
Sending his trusted younger sister reveals how determined Kim is to use the #Olympics stage to make a point about inter-Korean relations. But is it about #peace or #propaganda?
— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 7, 2018
POWER BEHIND THE MAN
Since inheriting power from his father in 2011, Kim has placed his younger sister in various positions to strengthen the position of the family within the country’s leadership.
Believed to be around 30, Yo-jong was promoted by her brother last year to be an alternate member of the decision-making political bureau of the ruling party’s Central Committee, which analysts said showed that her activities are more substantive than previously thought.
The Central Committee is one of the leadership committees of the party, consisting of the politburo, the highest executive organ, as well as the secretariat.
Kim’s trusted sister has frequently been seen accompanying him on his “field guidance trips” and other events and is known to have been involved in the party’s propaganda operations.
However her main job has been protecting and maintaining her brother’s image.
She is also reportedly married to the son of Choe Ryong-hae, the powerful party secretary, the BBC reported.
— With Wires
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