The wife and aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare appearance in the state media today, as the ruling family of the country has maintained a low profile during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Yu, and his aunt, Kim Kyung Hui, watched a performance at the Mansundae Theater in Pyongyang on New Year’s Eve, according to state television.
The last time Ri was seen in public was on September 9, the anniversary of the regime’s founding, when she accompanied her husband on a visit to the Kumsusan Sun Palace, where the stuffed bodies of Kim’s grandfather and father are located.
“When (Kim) appeared in the theater with his wife, Ri Sol Yoo, while music was being played for their reception, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers,” the state-run KCNA news agency reported.
Television footage shows Ri, wearing a traditional black-and-red dress, chatting and smiling with Kim during the show and then the couple taking to the stage to congratulate the artists and take a photo with them. .
The images also confirmed the first appearance since January 2020 of Kim’s aunt and former high-ranking official of the ruling Labor Party, Kim Kyung Hui, who watched the show sitting next to Ri.
Kim Jong Un was a central figure in the early years of the young leader’s government, but disappeared from the media after Kim ordered the execution of her powerful husband, Yang Sung Taek, accused of treason in 2013, before making a surprise reappearing six years later.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported in 2017 that it was battling an unexplained illness outside of Pyongyang.
Ri once garnered international attention as she often accompanied Kim to social, business and military events, in stark contrast to his father, Kim Jong Il, who rarely appeared in public with any of his wives.
She was absent from state media for more than a year before appearing at a concert last February, fueling speculation about her health and possible pregnancy. NIS told lawmakers that it was obviously avoiding outside activities because of COVID-19, but that it was “playing well with their children”. The agency believes Kim and Ri have three children, but little is known about them.
North Korea has not confirmed COVID-19 cases, but has closed its borders and has taken strict measures, such as travel restrictions.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
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