Hidden Story of 'The Sister', Kim Yo-jong (2)

Ryu Hyun-woo's Black Books: Hidden Story of 'The Sister', Kim Yo-jong (2)

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

Last week, former North Korean Acting Ambassador to Kuwait, Ryu Hyun-woo, shared stories about Kim Yo-jong’s family. Today, we’ll focus on Kim Yo-jong’s standing within North Korea.

Outside the country, Kim Yo-jong is often referred to using phrases like “North Korea’s No. 2” or “Spokesperson for General Secretary Kim Jong-un.”

Once again, we are joined by Ryu Hyun-woo to uncover hidden stories about Kim Yo-jong.

[Host] In North Korean media, Kim Yo-jong is referred to as a “Vice Department Director of the Workers’ Party.” However, the specifics of her role are not clearly stated. How would you assess her position?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] To the best of my knowledge, Kim Yo-jong currently holds the position of Vice Department Director in the Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD) of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

In North Korea, propaganda work operates under a monolithic leadership system, meaning the Party completely controls all propaganda and agitation activities. In short, without the approval of the PAD, no TV program or broadcast can be aired.

Within the PAD are divisions responsible for ideological indoctrination: the Thought Guidance Division, Agitation Division, Lecture Division, Publishing Division, Broadcasting Division, Newspaper Division, and Film and Arts Division. Kim Yo-jong oversees the overall operations of the PAD.

Before that, she served as the Event Director for the National Defense Commission. In that role, she was responsible for organizing and assisting with Kim Jong-un’s domestic activities.

I recall seeing South Korean media reports that referred to Kim Yo-jong as head of the Secretariat Department (본부서기실장), but that’s inaccurate. The Secretariat is more comparable to the office of a corporate chairman’s secretary in South Korea—not like the Blue House’s Presidential Secretariat, which supports policy and governance.

In other words, Kim Jong-un’s Secretariat does not have authority over policymaking. If Kim Yo-jong were head of the Secretariat, she wouldn’t be able to exercise practical authority like she does in the PAD.

Kim Yo-jong Secures Rations for Her “Mentor” Ri Jae-il After His Retirement

Let me share an episode. Around 2015, Ri Jae-il, then the First Vice Department Director of the PAD, retired due to health issues. During his retirement, he no longer received rations and often ran out of rice at home.

While active officials receive rations from the Central Party Distribution Center, retirees are transferred to local distribution centers, where supplies are limited. Ri Jae-il, for the first time, experienced food shortages and asked his former PAD colleagues to help resolve the issue.

This matter reached Kim Yo-jong. It’s said that after being appointed PAD Vice Director in 2014, she learned her job under Ri Jae-il. Perhaps unwilling to ignore her mentor’s hardship, she arranged for his family to continue receiving rations from the Central Party Distribution Center.

However, after Ri Jae-il retired, serious mistakes and incidents began occurring in the propaganda sector—at Rodong Sinmun, KCNA, and elsewhere. Kim Jong-un reportedly said, “We need to bring back Ri Jae-il, who has long overseen the propaganda sector.”

A few months later, Ri Jae-il returned to his post as First Vice Director of the PAD. Later, he privately asked my father-in-law to help get his grandson into the Daesong Guidance Bureau under Office 39, expressing concern about his family’s future.

He even advised my father-in-law, “When you retire, don’t be like an acorn in a dog’s food—solve all your children’s matters beforehand.”

[Host] You mentioned that after Ri Jae-il’s retirement, serious incidents occurred in Rodong Sinmun and KCNA. What kind of issues were these?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] To give one example—after Ri Jae-il stepped down, Rodong Sinmun and KCNA continued to refer to Kim Jong-un as “Our Beloved Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong-un.” Kim Jong-un instructed them, “Don’t insert my name everywhere. If my name is truly needed, moderate the phrasing and use ‘Party Central’ instead.”

He seemed uncomfortable with being personally named in every state affair, as it concentrated both credit and blame on him. In essence, he wanted to avoid being blamed for everything, even failures, simply because his name was attached.

But the propaganda officials didn’t fully grasp his intent. They continued using “Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong-un” in all publications. They had their own reasoning—“Party Central” had traditionally referred to Kim Jong-il.

For North Koreans, “the Suryong” refers to Kim Il-sung, “the General” refers to Kim Jong-il, and “the Marshal” refers to Kim Jong-un. So using “Party Central” caused confusion, as it evoked Kim Jong-il rather than Kim Jong-un.

As a result, officials at Rodong Sinmun, KCNA, and the PAD were dismissed or demoted.

Kim Yo-jong: Not North Korea’s No. 2, But Spokesperson for Kim Jong-un

[Host] What do you think about the view that Kim Yo-jong is effectively the second most powerful figure in North Korea or Kim Jong-un’s designated spokesperson?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] Kim Yo-jong garners attention because she’s Kim Jong-un’s sister—not because she’s the true No. 2 in power. North Korea is a deeply patriarchal society, so citizens pay attention to her primarily because of her bloodline—the so-called "Paektu bloodline."

If we were to hypothetically assign the No. 2 role, it would be someone like the First Vice Director or Director of the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), which oversees the military, State Security, public safety, the judiciary, and prosecution.

From a structural standpoint, Jo Yong-won, the Organizational Secretary, has far more power than Kim Yo-jong.

Most importantly, North Korea does not allow for a “No. 2.” To have one would suggest there’s someone who could potentially replace Kim Jong-un, which implies a breach in his absolute power.

Historically, there’s never been a No. 2 figure. Kim Il-sung’s brother, Kim Yong-ju, lost his position under Kim Jong-il. Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law, Jang Song-thaek, was executed by Kim Jong-un, despite holding key positions.

Absolute dictators do not tolerate potential rivals.

However, I fully agree that Kim Yo-jong is Kim Jong-un’s official spokesperson. No one represents his views more accurately than his own sibling.

In an authoritarian regime like North Korea, it’s unbecoming for the leader to respond to every minor issue. Having his sister speak on his behalf makes it clear to the world that her words reflect his intentions.

[Host] Kim Yo-jong frequently makes statements on foreign affairs. Could we say she’s deeply involved in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

[Ryu Hyun-woo] In North Korea, external affairs primarily involve diplomacy and inter-Korean relations. When the regime makes public statements internationally, it does so through those two channels.

What matters is who communicates Kim Jong-un’s intent and how. If the Foreign Minister or United Front Department Director releases a statement, it’s just policy. But if Kim Yo-jong does it under her own name, people interpret it as a direct reflection of Kim Jong-un’s views.

In a monarchy-like system, if Kim Yo-jong comments on diplomacy or inter-Korean affairs, it’s safe to assume she’s speaking for Kim Jong-un.

Her statement carries far more weight than a hundred spokesperson briefings.

That said, the actual work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is overseen by Choe Son-hui. Each sector in North Korea is compartmentalized and highly specialized, so Kim Yo-jong cannot handle propaganda, diplomacy, and inter-Korean affairs all at once—especially as these are sensitive areas.

Her statements on foreign affairs are nothing more than indirect expressions of Kim Jong-un’s will. She does not have a practical or decision-making role in diplomacy.

So the idea of a diplomatic chain of command—Kim Jong-un → Kim Yo-jong → Choe Son-hui—doesn’t actually exist.

If anything, Kim Yo-jong releases statements at Kim Jong-un’s request, but she holds no authority in the foreign ministry. Choe Son-hui reports directly to Kim Jong-un.

[Host] Thank you for your insights. We’ll continue our discussion on Kim Yo-jong’s hidden stories in the next episode of Ryu Hyun-woo’s Black Books. Thank you, Ambassador.

To read the original Koran article, click here: https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/b958d604c6b0c758-be14b7995317c2a4/north-korea-black-box-secret-story-spokesperson-02192025090949.html

#OGD #PaektuBloodline #KimYoJong