Seoul:
South Korea’s spy company mentioned Friday it was analysing uncommon state media footage exhibiting the highly effective sister of North Korean chief Kim Jong Un with two youngsters — saying they might be hers.
Key regime spokeswoman Kim Yo Jong was noticed with two children — a boy and a lady — whereas attending North Korea’s New Year artwork efficiency.
She was seen holding the boy’s hand because the three walked collectively.
The remoted North has by no means formally disclosed any details about Kim Yo Jong’s marital standing or youngsters, however Seoul’s spy company mentioned it was analyzing whether or not the kids within the state media footage had been hers.
“We are conducting an in depth evaluation whereas conserving the likelihood open,” it mentioned in an announcement.
The National Intelligence Service mentioned they’d beforehand detected that Kim Yo Jong may need youngsters, and those she was photographed with had been within the right age vary.
Seoul’s unification ministry informed AFP that the artwork efficiency occasion in Pyongyang is known to be one the place members are anticipated to accompany their members of the family, however mentioned it was “uncommon” to see Kim Yo Jong with youngsters.
State media footage additionally confirmed chief Kim along with his teenage daughter, often called Ju Ae.
Seoul-based specialist web site NK News mentioned the discharge of the photographs may be a part of a “propaganda effort to humanise regime officers”.
“It additionally follows a pattern that began earlier in 2022 of exhibiting elite officers in Kim Jong Un’s internal circle arriving at particular occasions or donating catastrophe aid with their spouses and members of the family,” it mentioned.
Kim Yo Jong has lengthy been amongst her brother’s closest lieutenants, and probably the most influential ladies within the remoted regime.
Born in 1988, in line with the South Korean authorities, she is certainly one of three youngsters born to Kim’s father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, and his third identified accomplice, former dancer Ko Yong Hui.
She was educated in Switzerland alongside her brother and rose quickly up the ranks as soon as he inherited energy after their father’s demise in 2011.
In April 2015, Seoul’s spy company mentioned that Kim Yo Jong was presumed to be giving delivery the next month.
Later, in 2018, the spy company within the South mentioned it was understood that Kim was pregnant throughout her go to to South Korea in February of that yr for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
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