Mysterious woman again seen flanking NK leader

An unidentified woman, left, watches North Korean leader Kimg Jong-un talking to a child at a kindergarten in Pyongyang. This is the third appearance — first on July 5 and second on July 8 — of the woman with the young leader, who rose to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-il last December. (Photo : Yonhap)

A chicly-dressed woman was seen closely flanking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to a Pyongyang kindergarten in state TV footage shown Sunday, reinforcing speculation she may be the wife of the young leader.

The unidentified woman appears to be the same person who caught the attention of the outside world on July 5 when she was seen seated right next to the leader during a music concert.

Analysts said at the time she might be either Kim’s wife or a younger sister.

The woman was seen again on July 8 paying tribute to late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, bowing deeply while standing next to the leader, as uniformed North Korean military officials raised their hands in salute behind the couple dressed in black.

On Sunday, the North’s state TV released footage showing Kim bending over to talk to children during the kindergarten visit as the woman, clad in a yellow polka dot dress and a luxuriouslooking white cardigan with a stylish hairstyle and high-heeled shoes, looked on next to him.

North Korean officials accompanying the leader were seen standing a few steps behind them.

State media did not identify who she was, but her act was seen as that of a first lady.

Few personal details are known about the young North Korean leader, including his marital status and exact age, except that he studied in Switzerland when he was young. Kim assumed control of the communist nation after his father Kim Jong-il died in December.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute, said the woman appears to be Kim’s wife, and the North appears to be releasing the images of her to dispel any misgivings among the North Korean public that their leader is too young. <The Korea Times>

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