Hidden Story of 'The Sister', Kim Yo-jong (1)

Ryu Hyun-woo's Black Books: Hidden Story of 'The Sister', Kim Yo-jong (1)

Hello everyone, and welcome to “Hyun-woo Ryu’s Black Books.” I’m your host, Yong-jae Mok.

In January, Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers’ Party of Korea, drew public attention when she appeared at North Korea’s New Year’s celebration performance accompanied by two children, presumed to be her own.

Kim Yo-jong is a familiar figure, having previously visited South Korea and issued numerous statements harshly criticizing both South Korea and the United States. However, as a member of North Korea’s so-called “royal family,” information about her remains very limited.

Starting today, on “Hyun-woo Ryu’s Black Books,” we will share lesser-known stories about Kim Yo-jong over the course of three episodes.
We are joined today, as always, by former North Korean acting ambassador to Kuwait, Hyun-woo Ryu.

[Host] Kim Yo-jong appeared at this year’s New Year’s celebration performance with a boy and a girl. Do you think these children could be her own?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] I believe they are indeed her children. After watching the footage released by Korean Central Television, I noticed that the children's ages closely matched what I had previously heard. Back in April 2015, while I was in Pyongyang, my father-in-law told me that Kim Yo-jong had given birth to a daughter. After the birth, various baby products were imported, and they were all for a baby girl.

At this year's (2025) New Year’s celebration, high-ranking officials like Jo Yong-won and Choe Ryong-hae also attended with their families. KCTV aired scenes showing these senior officials at the event with their families. Given that, Kim Yo-jong being there with both a boy and a girl strongly suggests they are her son and daughter. It would be unthinkable for her to appear with unrelated children.

Also, the children's ages match up with what we know about her childbirth history—2015 and 2018. During her visit to South Korea for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February 2018, Kim Yo-jong reportedly told a South Korean official that she was pregnant with her second child, a son. This was even reported by the media at the time.

Recently, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service also stated that, considering the estimated ages of the children, they are keeping the possibility open and conducting a detailed analysis.

[Host] Before the appearance of Kim Ju-ae, South Korea’s intelligence agencies had assumed that Kim Jong-un had a son. Is it possible they mistook Kim Yo-jong’s son for Kim Jong-un’s?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] Yes, I think that's possible. I’ve also seen reports suggesting that Kim Jong-un had a son born in 2010, older than Kim Ju-ae.

There’s been a lot of speculation, but as far as I know, Kim Ju-ae is actually the eldest child of Kim Jong-un. I even said this during a December 2022 appearance on the Chosun Ilbo YouTube channel Political Punch, explaining that Kim Ju-ae is believed to be his firstborn.

At the time, South Korean media reported that officials had long believed Kim Jong-un had a son born in 2010. This belief was largely based on a list of items highly likely to have been delivered directly to Kim Jong-un, including high-end toys and boy’s diapers that were confirmed to have been sent to his residence in 2010.

But we have to remember that Kim Jong-il was still alive in 2010. Until his death in December 2011, departments responsible for the “royal family,” like the Party’s Secretariat and Office 39, imported goods with his approval. So it’s more likely that one of Kim Jong-il’s children, not Kim Jong-un, had a son at that time.

[Host] Then is it possible that Ri Sol-ju gave birth to a son around 2010, while Kim Jong-il was still alive?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] While preparing for a recent lecture, I came across some materials showing that Ri Sol-ju’s last public performance as a singer was on February 5, 2011. She was still actively performing at events like the New Year’s concert of the Unhasu Orchestra.

If she had given birth to a son in 2010, she likely would not have continued such an active career. Ri Sol-ju first appeared in public with Kim Jong-un in July 2012 at a Moranbong Band performance. Later, in October 2012, she attended the 60th anniversary performance of Kim Il Sung Military University while visibly pregnant.

After attending the 2013 New Year’s celebration performance, she disappeared from public view until reappearing on February 16 for a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Kim Ju-ae was born in January 2013, aligning with this timeline. Based on these events, I believe Kim Ju-ae is their firstborn.

[Host] Last month, Kim Yo-jong appeared with children, attracting attention. Have you ever met her in person?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] Yes, I have. It was around September 2014. I visited the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery on Mt. Taesong with my family. Every year on September 21, the regime encourages visits to commemorate the death of Kim Jong-suk, Kim Jong-il’s mother.

My father-in-law, who was then the director of Office 39, joined us. After visiting the cemetery, he suggested we also stop by the grave of Ko Yong-hui, Kim Jong-un’s biological mother, who is referred to as the “Mother of Songun” in North Korea.

While we were walking, we heard someone from behind say, “Director! How are you?” It was Kim Yo-jong. She thanked my father-in-law for visiting her mother’s grave. He introduced us, and I shook hands with her.

Standing beside her was a tall, handsome man—around 180 cm tall. Judging from how casually my in-laws were chatting with him, it was clear they were familiar. I realized he matched the man I’d seen in Kim Yo-jong’s wedding photo—her husband.

When we arrived at Ko Yong-hui’s grave, Kim Yo-jong stepped aside and said, “Director, you must be busy—please go ahead and pay your respects first.”

Given that it was her mother’s grave and she belongs to the Baekdu bloodline, she had every right to go first. But offering the place to others showed real politeness. Back then, she didn’t have the “mouth of a demon” reputation she has today—judging by her recent statements, she’s now often seen as playing the villain for Kim Jong-un.

[Host] You just mentioned seeing Kim Yo-jong’s husband. South Korea’s intelligence agency suspects he was a college classmate. Some believe he even appeared in North Korean media. What’s your view on this?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] In June 2022, KCTV aired footage showing Kim Yo-jong handing a box of medicine to a handsome man. Some South Korean outlets speculated that he might be her husband. But the man in that footage was not the one I saw.

First, the man I saw was much taller than Kim Yo-jong. Second, online rumors say her husband is the second son of Choe Ryong-hae, but that’s completely false. Choe has only one son and one daughter—not two sons. His daughter is married to a singer from the Moranbong Band.

Moreover, my wife was close to Choe Ryong-hae’s daughter. She had a large birthmark on her right cheek, which deeply concerned her parents. Kim Jong-il even ordered that she be sent to Japan for surgery, which she received after traveling there by ship.

Anyway, when I saw Kim Yo-jong’s husband, he was in military uniform, which may have made him look even taller. He stood around 180 cm tall and had distinct features—honestly, he looked like a movie star.

When I asked my father-in-law about him, he said the man had attended a six-month special course at Kim Il Sung University with Kim Yo-jong and was then serving as a deputy director in the Organization Department of the General Political Bureau of the KPA.

My mother-in-law, remembering the wedding, said he looked even more handsome now than he did back then.

[Host] There have been many rumors about Kim Yo-jong’s family. Some have even claimed she was never married. Given North Korea’s secrecy, especially around the “royal family,” it’s understandable how little information escapes. We’ll continue exploring hidden stories about Kim Yo-jong in the next episode of Hyun-woo Ryu’s Black Books. Ambassador Ryu, thank you for joining us.

To read the original Korean article, click here:https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/b958d604c6b0c758-be14b7995317c2a4/north-korea-black-box-secret-story-husband-02122025091437.html

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