Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 18 april 2018

To soften image, Kim Jong Un turns spotlight to sister, wife

By ERIC TALMADGE entered Olympic Stadium
Associated Press while U.S. Vice President
TOKYO (AP) — North Ko- Mike Pence, who was also
rean leader Kim Jong Un in the VIP box, sat stone-
appears to be trying out faced nearby.
a new tactic to boost the At 30, Kim Yo Jong could
image of his authoritarian well be her brother’s clos-
regime — he’s putting the est confidant, a role remi-
spotlight on the women in niscent of the relationship
his life. between Kim Jong Un’s
Over the past few months, father, Kim Jong Il, and his
Kim has increasingly shared aunt, Kim Kyong Hui. She
the stage with his younger and Kim Jong Un lived in
sister, who became an in- Switzerland in relative iso-
stant celebrity as his envoy lation for several years as
to the Pyeongchang Win- children. An alternate to
ter Olympics, and his wife, the ruling party’s power-
a former singer in her late ful politburo since October
20s. last year, she is believed to
For sure, there is only one be in charge of maintain-
star of the show in North Ko- ing her brother’s public im-
rea, and that is Kim himself. age and cult of personality.
But the greater public role Her public appearances
for Kim Yo Jong, his sis- In this April 14, 2018, file photo provided by the North Korean government, Ri Sol Ju claps while before Pyeongchang were
ter, and Ri Sol Ju, his wife, walking with her husband, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, in Pyongyang, North Korea. limited to occasional events
comes as Kim is embark- Associated Press where she was seen serving
ing on a “charm offensive” meet with President Donald of North Korea’s all-female Her real anointment may her brother. With her name
— a series of summits and Trump in May or June, rais- pop group, the Moranbong have come this week, almost never mentioned in
diplomatic moves that ing the possibility of a click- Band, another Kim Jong Un when she was bestowed the state media, and never
have significantly raised bait bonanza — Ri meeting creation. with a new honorific — “re- with an explanation of her
his international profile. The her U.S. counterpart, Mela- Ri was among a select vered first lady.” pedigree, it’s quite possible
timing suggests he’s hoping nia Trump. group of young women According to South Korea’s that until news of the Olym-
to change the optics of his But the time for that much dispatched to South Korea Chosun Ilbo newspaper, pic visit was aired, most
regime, if not its iron-fisted exposure might not be to cheer for North Korea’s that hasn’t been used by North Koreans had no idea
domestic policies, by pre- quite ripe. North Korea has team at the 2005 Asian the North’s state media who she was.
senting a softer face to the a somewhat complicated Athletics Championships, since 1974, when it referred That’s certainly not so any
outside world. relationship with the first suggesting she comes from to national founder Kim Il longer. Her return from the
The new look may be on lady concept. Kim’s grand- a family in good stand- Sung’s second wife, Kim South was front-page news,
display again later this father and father both had ing. She’s believed to be Song Ae. Previously, she as was her place right be-
month, when Kim is to sit multiple significant others, 28 years old. Little else is was simply “comrade Ri.” side her brother when a se-
down for his first summit and personal matters in- known about her. Kim’s younger sister, mean- nior South Korean delega-
with South Korean Presi- volving members of the Kim Unlike Kim’s father — the while, has also entered the tion made a follow-up visit
dent Moon Jae-in. South family are treated with the identity of his mother was stage in a big way. in March.
Korean media suggest Kim utmost discretion by the long kept a state secret — Her coming-out party On Sunday, she and wife
is planning to bring his wife North’s propaganda ma- Kim has appeared with his came in February, when Ri — looking as glamor-
to the April 27 meeting on chine. wife fairly frequently since she became the first mem- ous as ever — were back
the south side of the Demili- Even so, Ri would seem to their first official outing to- ber of the North’s Kim dy- in the pages of the ruling
tarized Zone that divides be a natural for the part. gether, to an amusement nasty to travel to South Ko- party newspaper greet-
the two nations. She is poised, comfortable park in 2012. She was with rea, for the opening cere- ing a senior Chinese del-
If he does, it would be in in the limelight and usually him when former NBA star mony of the Olympics. She egation and watching a
keeping with the North’s dressed in expensive outfits. Dennis Rodman serenaded quickly proceeded to steal performance of Giselle by
new normal. She trained in the perform- Kim with a birthday song the show, looking almost China’s national ballet the
Ri accompanied Kim on ing arts from a young age, before an exhibition bas- regal as she held court with night before.
his surprise trip to China singing with the Unhasu ketball game in 2014. South Korean President That was also something of
for a summit with President Orchestra before she and A few extended absences Moon and other interna- a landmark. It was possibly
Xi Jinping last month and Kim married, reportedly in were likely due to pregnan- tional dignitaries. the only time the “revered
was seen looking quite styl- 2009 or 2010, the year be- cies. She and Kim report- In one of the Games’ most first lady” has been fea-
ish as she beamed beside fore Kim assumed power. A edly have three children, telling moments, Moon tured by the state media
him at state functions. After singer herself, it’s believed though that, too, has never stood to shake her hand attending an event without
Moon, Kim is scheduled to she is close to the members been officially confirmed. as a joint North-South team Kim Jong Un by her side.q