As the world awaits North Korea to make an announcement on the health of its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un, there has been speculation about his eventual successor if the reports of him being dead turn out to be true.
It seems that there isn’t much speculation inside the nuclear-state of North Korea about its next leader. The country has been ruled by the same family for over seven decades now. The family’s bloodline ‘Paektu’ is named after the highest peak in the Korean peninsula. The family is said to transfer the right to rule the state only to its direct members.
With no heir to the current leader Kim Jong-Un, it makes his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, the senior leader in the party, the likely candidate to fill the shoes of her brother who is reportedly dead or severely ill.
Who is Kim Yo Jong?
Kim Yo Jong is the youngest sibling of Kim Jong Un and the only daughter of Kim Jong II, the predecessor to Kim Jong-Un. As per the treasury department of the United States, Kim Yo Jong was born in Pyongyang on 26th September 1989 but South Korean intelligence claims her birth to be in the year 1987.
Following the footsteps of her elder brothers, she did her schooling in the city of Bern, Switzerland. She attended Leibefeld-Steinholzli public school while living in a nearby apartment. Living under an alias name of Pak Mi Hyang, she also underwent Ballet training during her stay in Bern. Similarly, her brothers Kim Jong Chol and Kim Jong Un too went by alias names of Pak Chol and Pak Un respectively during their years at Bern.
After returning to North Korea in the year 2000-01, she completed her higher education at Kim II Sung University at Pyongyang. Later, her father is believed to have her included in politics after she showed interest. Interestingly, Kim Yo Jong was kept away from the public eye for a decade since her return to North Korea. It is only at the funeral of Kim Jong II, her father, in 2011 she was unveiled to the media.
During her years of staying away from the media, she is believed to have been training for a leadership role and politics with her aunt Kim Kyong Hui. Now, she is in charge of North Korea’s propaganda affairs and as recently as a month ago, she was made an alternate member of the powerful Politburo.
Kim Yo Jong has appeared with her brother at various public meetings including the summits with the United States President Donald Trump. She is believed to be the No. 2 in terms of the leadership in the country. However, many believe it is unlikely as North Korea is highly patriarchal.
Source: Free Press Journal
