Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong has not been seen officially in public for nearly five months, with her name absent from the list of attendees at Kim Jong Un’s official ceremonies. Her last appearance came during the 4th meeting of the 13th Supreme People’s Assembly on June 29, where she was included in a Rodong Sinmun photo of the event, sitting in an audience seat.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported on October 19 during a parliamentary audit by the Intelligence Committee that Kim Yo Jong is still exercising her authority and frequently punishes officials for even minor infractions. She appears to have considerable influence as a close confidant of Kim Jong Un beyond her official position of vice director of the Workers Party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department. The NIS also suggested that her public absence could mean that she is pregnant or receiving medical care.
Kim Yo Jong, seen in a documentary about Kim Jong Un on November 14
Kim Yo Jong recently appeared in a documentary celebrating Kim Jong Un, broadcast by North Korea’s Korean Central Television on November 14. The documentary reports on the public activities undertaken by Kim Jong Un in September and October, with Kim Yo Jong appearing in a scene with Kim Jong Un during a photo session at the 7th Congress of the North Korean Trade Union held on October 30. She can be seen receiving flowers given to Kim Jong Un by the participants.
No signs of sickness or pregnancy could be identified in her appearance in the documentary. She can be seen naturally accepting flowers given to Kim Jong Un despite the presence of other officials in the vicinity. Her behavior seems to support the assumption that she is the ‘second in power,’ in charge of official ceremonies attended by Kim Jong Un.
Kim Yo Jong’s name deliberately omitted from the list of attendees
However, Kim Yo Jong’s name has been kept conspicuously absent from the list of attendees. The people mentioned by the media as participating in the event include Choe Ryong Hae, Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] vice chairman for Workers’ and Social Organizations and vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission; Kim Ki Nam, WPK vice chairman for Propaganda and Agitation; Ri Il Hwan, department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Ju Yong Gil, chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea. Kim Yo Jong’s name was deliberately omitted from the list despite her close proximity to Kim Jong Un.
It thus seems more plausible that reports on Kim Yo Jong’s public activities are intentionally censored, rather than explanations of illness or pregnancy. She appears to remain in charge of important state affairs near Kim Jong Un as an authoritative figure avoiding public exposure.
The regime may be intentionally concealing Kim Yo Jong’s authority to avoid further public criticism of the age of those (Kim Jong Un 32, Kim Yo Jong 29) who are at the helm of the country.
In a totalitarian dictatorship like North Korea, the distance from the supreme leader is equal to the degree of power wielded, meaning that Kim Yo Jong’s authority likely exceeds that of the members of the Standing Committee of the Party’s Politburo or vice-chairmen of the State Affairs Commission.
