Kim Jong-un: “Missing” wife suddenly reappeared - ruler with a new title

Little is known about the private lives of North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju.

Now Ri suddenly reappears after a long time.

Pyongyang - It was gone for a long time, now it has appeared in public again: The wife of the North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un, Ri Sol-ju, has appeared again for the first time in more than a year.

At the side of her husband, she attended a concert in the capital Pyongyang on the birthday of his father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011, the state media reported on Wednesday.

In addition, pictures were published of the couple sitting next to each other smiling.

Recently there was wild speculation about Kim Jong-us wife.

There have been many allegations, from an execution to being sick with the coronavirus.

The birthday of Kim Jong-il is celebrated in the isolated country as "the day of the shining star".

On the occasion of this there was another surprise: Kim Jong-un was dubbed "President" in the reports of the state media.

Usually he is called the "Chairman".

North Korea: Kim Jong-us wife shows up again after a year

The South Korean news agency Yonhap had reported that Ri, who is estimated to be 31 years old, went to a concert with her husband in January last year.

She had not appeared in public since then.

In a report to MPs on the activities in North Korea, South Korea's secret service expressed the assumption on Tuesday that Ri may have been living in seclusion due to the corona pandemic, TV broadcaster Arirang reported.

The country has adopted strict protective measures for fear of the virus spreading.

Little is known of Kim Jong-uns and his wife's personal life, although they often appeared together before the pandemic.

Ri is said to come from a privileged family and previously performed as a singer.

The South Korean secret service suspects that they both have three children together.

Innovation from North Korea: ruler Kim Jong-un called "President"

In the reports of the state media, in addition to Kim Jong-uns, the title of General Secretary of the Workers' Party was also used in second place as “President for State Affairs” - a title of ruler he did not have until a few weeks ago.

So far, Kim Jong-un has been named chairman of the State Affairs Commission, which is the country's most important decision-making body.

He is also referred to as the "supreme leader" and "honored comrade".

The term "president" has appeared in the English reports in the state media since February 12, said a spokeswoman for the South Korean Unification Ministry.

The title is obviously used differently than in the case of his grandfather Kim Il-sung, who is revered as the "eternal president".

The spokeswoman pointed out that the Korean-language reports in North Korea used two different words for president when referring to Kim Jong-un and Kim Il-sung.

Video: Pyongyang: Standing ovation for Kim Jong-un at the Labor Party Congress in mid-January

Kim Il-sung, revered as the founder of the state in North Korea, died in 1994. According to a report in the

Chosun Ilbo

newspaper, the South Korean secret service suspects

that Kim Jong-us's title was changed from “Chairman” to “President” to give the ruler a new “People -First ”doctrine to appear“ more human ”.

In addition to Kim Jong-un's wife, another woman plays an important role in North Korea: his sister.

It penetrates more and more clearly into the power center.

(dpa / cibo)