Kim Ju-ae
| Ri Sol-ju | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985–89 (age 27–32) Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
| Alma mater | Kumsong 2 Middle School Kim Il-sung University |
| Spouse(s) | Kim Jong-un |
| Children | Kim Ju-ae (b. 2012) |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | |
| Hancha | |
| Revised Romanization | Ri Seol-ju |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ri Sŏlju |
Ri Sol-ju or Lee Seol-ju (Hangul: 리설주; Hanja: 李雪主; RR: Ri Seol-ju; MR: Ri Sŏlju) (born c. 1985–89) is the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korean state media has officially identified her as "his wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju".
Kim Jong-un and his family have been characterized as "secretive". Very little information about Ri Sol-ju has appeared in official North Korean sources, but more speculative information has been reported in foreign media.
In 2012, Ri made several public appearances standing next to the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, causing speculation about who she might be. South Korean intelligence officials tentatively identified her as Hyon Song-wol, a former singer for the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble, a musical group popular in North Korea. However, on 25 July 2012, North Korean state media announced that she was actually Kim's wife, saying she was "his wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju".
In July 2012, at an elite gala concert in North Korea, Ri was stylishly "dressed in a trim black suit in the Chanel tradition", considered unusual for North Korean women. Along with other recent changes, such as the firing of a hard-line top general, Kim Jong-un's marriage is seen by analysts as "a continuation of what is either a policy change, or a propaganda offensive, or both".
Kenji Fujimoto, the former personal sushi chef of Kim Jong-il, said he met Ri on a recent trip to North Korea. He described her as "just so charming... I cannot describe her voice, it's so soft..." As a parting gift, Ri gave Fujimoto a Christian Dior handbag, which Ri was earlier reported to have.
From 2012 to 2014, Ri appeared occasionally in the North Korean media, accompanying her husband to events, but subsequently she has rarely been seen. She had long periods out of the public view in 2015 and 2016.
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Wikipedia