Sister of North Korea’s Kim married with children to ‘tall and handsome’ man, defector says

A former North Korean diplomat has revealed that Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of Pyongyang’s ruler Kim Jong-un, is married to a “tall and handsome” man and that two children who had appeared with her in a recent photograph released by state media are likely hers.

The revelation to South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo provided a rare first-hand account from a senior official of the secretive regime regarding the life of its highly private family.

Ryu Hyun-woo, North Korea’s acting ambassador to Kuwait when he defected to South Korea in 2019, told local media he had met Kim Yo-jong’s family in 2014 during a visit to the tomb of Ko Yong-hui, mother of the Kim siblings.

Speculation about Kim Yo-jong’s marital status began on New Year’s Day in 2015 when a newspaper photo showed her visiting an orphanage, wearing a ring.

Multiple media outlets also reported that she had in 2014 married Choe Song, the son of Choe Ryong-hae, one of North Korea’s most powerful officials.

According to Ryu, the pair had met through a six-month special course at Kim Il Sung University.