Central Committee Deputy Director Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, made a surprise inspection visit to Pyongyang’s Hospital No. 11 in mid-November, Daily NK has learned.
This comes after her brother recently authorized her to inspect “rear area” (logistics) units and facilities.
A Daily NK source in North Korea said Thursday that Kim made an unscheduled inspection of Hospital No. 11, a joint civilian-military hospital in Pyongyang’s Taedonggang District, on Nov. 16.
According to the source, Kim – accompanied by personnel from the party’s Military Government Guidance Department – inspected the hospitals’ drug warehouse, cafeteria and other facilities.
Kim first inspected the drug warehouse. Although the hospital’s ledger had boasted that the facility was prepared for all contingencies with winter training set to begin, she found empty first aid kits.
Hastily assembling at the hospital upon news of Kim’s surprise visit, the hospital’s director and head of the rear area department went to the warehouse to explain that due to a sudden spike in patients, they had used wartime supplies and planned to restock medications once cross-border trade restarted.
However, Kim retorted that the military would have no medicines to save casualties should a war begin now.
Inspecting the hospital cafeteria, Kim looked at the rice box and asked how many people it could feed. The cafeteria staff told her 23 to 25 people. She then ordered regulation servings of rice be served on 25 military trays.
However, the rice filled only 18 of the trays, with the other seven remaining empty.
Kim again ordered staff to scoop the rice into the trays, adjusting the amount so that all 25 were filled. They did so, but the amount of rice on each tray was far less than the regulation amount.
Kim demanded an unvarnished assessment on things on the ground, calmly asking hospital staff how much more rice they would need to provide patients with the regulation amount and how much they would need if there were a sudden influx of patients.
She said everyone was a “revolutionary warrior” for her brother, and as such they all have a duty to accurately report the situation. She added that the will of the Supreme Commander – i.e., her brother – is to get soldiers to precisely execute party policy by getting a quick handle on real conditions, not to “revolutionize” or punish anyone.
However, after Kim’s visit, hospital cadres in charge of rear area affairs were reportedly punished with transfers out of Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, the source said when she visited Hospital No. 11, Kim wore sunglasses, keeping them on “in dignified fashion” as she ascertained the situation in the facility. At the end, she removed her sunglasses and calmly spoke in an affectionate way, smiling with her eyes. He said families attached to the Ministry of Defense’s Army Health Bureau soon got word that people in attendance were very moved by what they saw.
According to the source, the supply chief of the cafeteria of Hospital No. 11, who saw Ko Yong-hui – the mother of Kim Jong Un – when she accompanied late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on an on-the-spot guidance visit, said Kim reminded him of Ko, telling people, “It was like seeing the Pyongyang Mother [Ko].” The source said this comment has gotten around by word of mouth.
