Kim Yo-jong

Sometime in early 2015, Kim Yo-jong married Choe Song, the second son of Choe Ryong-hae, an important member of the Presidium and Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea. Although the news has never been officially verified she has been seen with a band on her wedding ring finger.

In May 2015, she gave birth to a child, whose father remains unidentified. While some say that the child has been fathered by a fellow student of Kim Il-sung University, others believe him to be an official of the WPK, while still others believe him to be her bodyguard.

Kim Yo-jong was born on 26 September 1987, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Her father, Kim Jong-il, was the ruler of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. He showered great love on her, calling her “Sweet, Sweet Yo Jong” and “Princess Yo Jong.”.

Her mother, Ko Yong-hui, was her father’s third consort. A Japanese born former dancer, Ko Yong-hui is referred as "The Respected Mother who is the Most Faithful and Loyal 'Subject' to the Dear Leader Comrade Supreme Commander", "The Mother of Pyongyang", and "The Mother of Great Songun Korea."

Kim Yo-jong was born youngest of her parents’ three children, having two elder brothers named Kim Jong-chul (born in 1981) and Kim Jong-un (born in 1984). Among them, Kim Jong-un is the current Supreme Leader of North Korea, inheriting the role after his father’s death in 2011.

She also has two half siblings. Her half-brother, Kim Jong-nam was born in 1971 out of her father’s partnership with Song Hye-rimand and her half-sister, Kim Sul-song, was born in 1974 out of her father’s liaison with Kim Young-sook.

Kim Yo-jong and her brothers were sent to Switzerland for their schooling, possibly to keep them away from the influence of their grandfather, Kim Il-sung. Here they attended Hessgut Schule, a state-run, German-speaking establishment in the suburb of Liebefeld outside Berne and lived in a close-by apartment.

Kim Yo-jong lived away from public glare until 2010. However, it is believed that she started playing a junior role in the ruling Korean Workers’ Party since 2007 and after their father suffered two strokes in 2008 she began to play a vital role in arranging Kim Jong-un’s succession.

In September 2010, she was first photographed attending the Third Conference of the Korean Workers’ Party. In this picture, she stood beside her father’s secretary and possibly his mistress, Kim Ok.

In this 2010 conference, she was selected an “alternate member” of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee within the Korean Workers’ Party. Since the Political Bureau was the highest decision making body, the position made her one of the most important women of the country.

By 2011, she had regular presence in her father’s entourage. When Kim Jong-il died in December 2011, she was seen mourning at the side of her brother, Kim Jong-un, leading the funeral procession of central officials. However, she was neither a member of the funeral committee nor was she ever named.

Beginning 2012, she was given the position of the tour manager for Kim Jong-un under the National Defense Commission. By then, Kim Jong-un had become the Supreme Leader of North Korea and therefore the post further elevated her position in the hierarchy.