On April 27th, Kim Yoo was in Panmunjom. Photo/Korea-North Korea Summit Media Report Group
Text/Cao Ran reporter/Xu Fangqing
This article first appeared in the 859th issue of "China News Weekly"
As the gate with the flags of North Korea and the United States neatly placed on both sides opened, North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and US President Trump walked into the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore and sat at the signing table.
Kim Yo-jung, who was standing sideways in front of the door, followed his brother to the table, stretched out his hand to open the seat for Kim Jong-un, and placed a pen beside his brother. Immediately, in a black suit, she retreated to the side of Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong-un picked up the pen specially prepared by his sister, and signed the joint statement of the meeting between North Korean and American leaders in Singapore with Trump. This moment at 13:30 on June 12, 2018, became a historic moment in the history of North Korea-US relations and the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.
Trump said after signing that this historic document "will solve a huge and serious problem for the world." Behind them, Kim Yo-jung and US Secretary of State Pompeo exchanged a joint statement in Korean and English with a smile on their faces.
About a month and a half ago, a scene similar to that in the Singapore meeting appeared in Panmunjom. On the morning of April 27, 2018, Kim Yu-jung and Kim Jong-un crossed the north-south military boundary of Panmunjom. After walking into the venue of the third meeting between the leaders of the DPRK and South Korea, Kim Jong-un was going to sign the guest book provided by Moon Jae-in, and Kim Yo-jung, who was carrying a black briefcase, immediately handed his brother a pen.
"We can evaluate it like this: in the Singapore meeting, she can talk about foreign policy and deliver a pen to Kim Jong-un." Johns Hopkins University North Korea expert Michael Madden is receiving "China News Weekly" Said in the interview.
Madden was called by The Washington Post as a "researcher who has a private communication channel with the North Korean government". He revealed to China News Weekly that he is writing a new report on Kim Yo-jung, which will go beyond previous reports. Western media's all cognition and judgment of Kim Yo-jung's identity According to the latest information he has, Kim Yo-jung participated in leading missile tests and North Korea-US diplomacy.
Now, the diplomatic consultation between North Korea and the United States on the issue of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has just begun. Joseph De Thomas, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Affairs who has been involved in North Korea-U.S. negotiations and consultations for many years, and current Penn State University professor Joseph De Thomas predicted to China News Weekly that this negotiation process will take "months or even years." "It is obvious that Kim Yo-jung will play an important role in this process that cannot be underestimated.
On April 27, South Korean President Moon Jae-in (second from left) and North Korean State Council Chairman Kim Jong-un (second from right) held a meeting in Panmunjom. The right one is Jin Yuzheng. Photo/Korea and North Korea summit media report team
from "princess" to "comrade"
Just after 9 am on April 27, 2018, North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in entered the third North-South Korean leader The meeting place "Peace House". In a greeting, Moon Jae-in suddenly pointed to Kim Yo-jung, the First Deputy Minister of the Central Committee of the Labor Party who followed Kim Jong-un into the venue: “Deputy Minister Kim has become a star in our South Korea.” The media reporters present at
observed and laughed. In the sound, Jin Yuzheng blushed. This is not the first time that Kim Yo-jung, who is about 30 years old, has shown a shy expression in inter-Korean exchanges this year. According to Yonhap News Agency, on February 11, when Ren Zhongxi, head of the secretary of the Blue House of South Korea, held a farewell dinner for Kim Yoo-jung who was visiting South Korea as Kim Jong-un's special envoy, Kim Yo-jung was "slightly shy" when he delivered a speech. But this did not affect her performance as a special envoy, and for Moon Jae-in to bring news of Kim Jong-un's willingness to hold a meeting between leaders of the DPRK and South Korea.
“Although Kim Yoo-jung professed to be bad words, she expressed her opinions methodically and freely.” Zhao Mingjun, Minister of Unification of South Korea, commented on his negotiating opponent after “closely understanding”, “I believe in relations between Korea and North Korea in the future. As for North Korea’s external work, Kim and Jung-jeong can play an important role.”
But so far, basic information such as Kim’s age, education, resume, position, and work in charge is still somewhat mysterious. The Washington Post reported in February this year with emotion: "We know very little about Kim Jong-un, and even less about Kim Yo-jung."
De Thomas also admitted in an interview with China News Weekly that the understanding of North Korea within the US government is not as broad or as high as that of other countries, and one of the reasons for the failure of US-North Korea diplomacy in history is It is "obviously does not understand the other side's government".
On February 12, 2018, the Korean Central News Agency released a photo of Kim Jong-un meeting with a high-level North Korean delegation visiting South Korea in Pyongyang. As Kim Jong Un's special envoy to Seoul, Kim Yo Jong stood beside the top leader of North Korea, holding his brother's arm in both hands. This is the first time that North Korean state media has published a photo of the brother and sister who are intimately dependent on each other. In this regard, Madden told China News Weekly that during the childhood of , Kim Jong-un and Kim Yu-jung had a very close relationship.
As for the birth date of Kim Yo-jung, South Korea and the United States have not yet reached a unified opinion. On January 11, 2017, the U.S. Treasury Department marked Kim Yo-jung’s birthday as September 26, 1989 in a sanctions list. An official from the Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea subsequently stated that according to the information held by the ROK, Kim Yo-jung was born in 1987. On April 27 this year, when the South Korean government released the list of attendees at the welcome dinner for the third inter-Korean leaders’ meeting, it marked Kim Yo-jung’s birth date as "unknown."
"As for the birth time of the top North Korean government officials, there are often two to three years of difference between different sources." Madden revealed to China News Weekly. What is certain is that Jin Hezheng was born between 1987 and 1989. As the third child of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Go Young-hee, Kim Yo-jung is 6 to 8 years old from his elder brother Kim Jong-chul, and 4 to 6 years old from Kim Jong-un.
"Kim Jong-chul went to Switzerland earlier than Kim Jong-un and Kim Yo-jung." Madden, who had a personal relationship with Kim Yo-jung’s half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, said that Kim Yo-jung and Kim Jong-un went to study in Switzerland. It is exactly the same as the time of returning to North Korea, "This means that the two brothers and sisters spent time at their home in North Korea and Berne, Switzerland."
Kim Yu-jung and Kim Jong-un are also favored by their father, Kim Jong-il. According to Kenji Fujimoto, the former chef of Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Il often let Kim Yu-jung and Kim Jong-un sit next to him when he ate. "Kim Jong-un is sitting next to the first lady, and Kim Yu-jong is sitting next to his father." Kenji Fujimoto said, and Kim Jong called "sweet sweet Yo Jong" or "Princess Yo Jong" daily. According to the British "Guardian" report, after sending the two brothers and sisters to study in Switzerland, in order to alleviate their loneliness in a foreign land, Kim Jong-il specially dispatched musicians from North Korea to accompany them. According to Madden, after returning from Switzerland, Kim Yu-jung-ji and Kim Jong-un entered Kim Il Sung Military University to study. Yonhap News and other media reported that Kim Yo-jung entered Kim Il Sung University to study computer science after returning home. According to CNN, Kim Yo-jung also went to the West to study in 2004. In the same year, Gao Yingji died in Paris.
Kim Yo-jung, as an adult, is still favored by his father. In 2002, when he received Western guests, Kim Jong-il praised his little daughter for “interested in politics and hopes to make a difference in North Korean politics”. Konstantin Pulikowski, the special envoy for Russian Far East affairs who has traveled to North Korea many times, recalled that Kim Jong-il believed that Kim Yo-jung was "smart and has excellent leadership skills."
After finishing his university studies, Kim Yo-jung quickly embarked on the path of "making a difference in North Korean politics." According to the US "Newsweek" report, she became a grassroots cadre of the Labor Party in 2007. The Washington Post stated that from 2010 to 2011, Kim Yo-jung had assisted Kim Jong-un in more political work.
"Kim Yoo accumulated a lot of political experience in the last two years before Kim Jong Il's death, just like participating in the'master class' of North Korea's political elite." Madden told China News Weekly.
In May 2009, when Kim Jong-il visited Wonsan Agricultural University, North Korean TV announced a photo with Kim Yo-jung's participation, showing that she had begun to accompany her father to appear in public; South Korean media also confirmed in some meetings in 2010. The figure of Jin Yuzheng.
On December 17, 2011, Kim Jong Il passed away. Since then, Kim Yoo Jung has appeared more and more in the lens of North Korean state media. At the farewell ceremony on December 28, she followed a high-ranking People's Army into the mourning hall and bowed to Kim Jong Il's coffin. But at that time, the North Korean media did not mention Kim Yo-jung's name.
the next two years, The high-level personnel of the North Korean government changes frequently. Data released by the Ministry of Unification of South Korea in October 2013 showed that after Kim Jong-un took office, he adjusted the positions of 97 senior party, government and military officials, accounting for 40% of the total number of relevant senior officials. Five of the eight senior officials who "helped spirits" with Kim Jong Un at the farewell ceremony for Kim Jong Il's body were fired. In less than two years, the candidates of the People’s Armed Forces and the People’s Army Chief of Staff have been changed three times. At the same time, Li Xuezhu, Mrs. Kim Jong-un, who has no political status, began to accompany her husband to attend events in July 2012.
During this period, Kim Yo-jung’s name has not yet appeared in North Korean newspapers, but the Western media has regarded him as an important figure when the North Korean leader takes over. CNN quoted Madden as the “White House Office of Kim Jong-un”. director". In July 2012, at the completion ceremony of the Lingra People’s Amusement Park in Pyongyang, high-level North Korean officials lined up to welcome Kim Jong-un and his wife, while Kim Yo-jeong stood alone on the flowerbed.
In this event where Li Xuezhu was publicly reported by North Korean media for the first time, Reuters keenly captured the role of Kim Yoo-jung, "as if she was setting up this event." In July of the following year, Madden also publicly stated that Kim Yu-jung and Kim Jong-un’s "private secretariat" were coordinating and managing the schedule, logistics and safety of leaders' visits, work inspections and other public activities.
On March 9, 2014, Kim Yo-jung walked out from behind the scenes for the first time. On the same day, Kim Jong-un was elected as the acting member of the No. 111 Baektousan constituency with 100% approval. The North Korean Central Television broadcast a close-up of the "Comrade Kim Yo-jung" vote. Starting from April 21, Kim Yo-jung’s name frequently appeared in North Korean official media reports. She accompanied Kim Jong-un to the first combat flight technology competition, watched the performance of the Mudan Peak Orchestra, and inspected cultural sites such as the Shincheon Museum. There were 10 times on November 27.
On November 27, when the Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Yo-jung accompanied Kim Jong-un to inspect the Pyongyang 4.26 cartoon film studio, it was the first time that Kim Yo-jung was referred to as "Deputy Minister of the Party Central Committee." Two days later, Reuters reported that the position of Jin Yuzheng was the deputy minister of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Labor Party, and that “people who are nominally her superiors are likely to obey her orders”.
On April 27, the Chairman of the North Korean State Council, Kim Jong-un (middle), and South Korean President Moon Jae-in exchanged and signed the "Panmunjom Declaration for the Realization of Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Peninsula" in Panmunjom. On the left is Jin Yuzheng. Photo: The media report group
created a benevolent and great man
during the summit between South Korea and North Korea. Since then, Kim Yoo's position in North Korean politics has been rising. In March 2016, a source revealed to Yonhap News that Kim Yo-jung also served as the Deputy Minister of the Organizational Guidance Department of the Party of Labor and "played a central role" in the two departments. Two months later, the Workers’ Party of Korea held its National Congress for the first time in 36 years. Kim Jong-un was elected chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party and Kim Yo-jung was elected as a member of the Central Committee for the first time. On June 29, Kim Yo-jung appeared again at the fourth meeting of the 13th Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea. Yonhap News speculated that she might become the acting member of Parliament through a by-election.
On May 10, 2016, Kim Yoo stood by his brother during a large parade celebration held in Kim Il Sung Plaza. Ten days later, Kim Yu-jung accompanied Kim Jong-un to inspect the near-completed Natural History Museum and the Central Zoo. For the first time in the report, the "Labor Shimbun" listed her name in front of Zhao Yong-won, who had previously ranked first among the deputy ministers of the Central Committee of the Labor Party.
On October 7, 2017, Kim Jong Un chaired the second plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Labor Party. Kim Yo-jung, who was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the Labor Party for just one year, became an alternate member of the Politburo and the first vice minister of the Party Central Committee. The highest leading body of the party.
On December 22, Li Youzhen, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea, said at a regular press conference that he observed Kim Yo-jung ascending to the rostrum of the 5th Party Branch Chairperson Conference and sitting beside Cui Longhai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee. Seven days later, the Meritorious National Chorus and the Mudanfeng Orchestra performed for the 5th General Assembly of the Party Branch Chairpersons. Kim Yo-jung once again sat in the same row of special seats with Kim Jong-un, Cui Longhai and others. South Korean media said that this means that she has been promoted to the inner circle of the party. CNN speculated in the report that “Kim Yoo-jung is now the top 20 figures in the North Korean leadership.”
The person Kim Jong-un can trust is someone who can influence and calm his mood.A person who can provide him with the information he needs without reservation and without shy. "Madden told China News Weekly. The British "Guardian" also believes that "Kim Jong-un has the greatest trust and confidence in his sister." Kim Yoo's rapid promotion in a short period of time means that "a change of era." That is, Kim Jong-un is trying to completely break with the people surrounding his father."
Madden believes that Kim Yo-jung also represents the high-level public image of North Korean youth elites. "These young elites are in their 20s to 40s, most of them They have not yet obtained publicly high-level positions in the North Korean government, but they also need some form of public recognition and affirmation. "Madden told China News Weekly, "Due to his work experience and his special relationship with leaders, Jin Yuzheng has become a symbol of this group of people. "
Yonhap News Agency analyzed that Kim Jong-un may encourage Li Xuezhu and Kim Yo-jung to appear in public activities, highlighting his image of pursuing peace. Madden believes that Kim Jong-un’s reuse of his family “means that Pyongyang does not consider changing its political system. Has a high degree of confidence in his political system and political culture. "
On February 7, 2018, when the news that Kim Yo-jung-jung and Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, visited South Korea together, Kim Yi-qian, the spokesperson of the Blue House of the Presidential Palace of South Korea, said: “Whereas Kim Yoo is an important figure in the Labor Party, and she is expected to have considerable discretion in this trip, which is more important than Kim Yong Nam's coming to Korea alone. "
Since then, there were also Blue House officials who revealed to Yonhap News that Kim Yoo-jung’s visit was more meaningful than that of the Workers’ Party Central Committee Vice Chairman Kim Young-cheol, who subsequently visited South Korea. All parties, including the South Korean and American governments, believed that Kim Yo-jung was actually in fact. The weight of the role far exceeds the responsibilities of her position.
"Kim Yoo is in charge of work in Pyongyang, including propaganda, cultural affairs, and expanded to other areas. "Madden told China News Weekly. On December 18, 2014, South Korean government officials revealed that North Korea would strengthen the image of Kim Jong-un as a great man, and Kim Yo-jung, then deputy head of the Central Propaganda Department of the Workers’ Party, was considered Leading this work.
The following year when Kim Yu-jung took office, Yonhap News Agency was given the opportunity to interview Korean media in Pyongyang for the first time in five years, and found that the appearance of the streets has been completely different: “The main buildings in the city center are all propagating the North Korean system. Large banners, which emphasize loyalty to Kim Jong-un. The most common slogan is "to thoroughly implement the programmatic tasks proposed by the beloved General Kim Jong-un in the New Year's message." "
was in a horse riding club on display. Yonhap News Agency reporters also observed that the club even had a room dedicated to various materials related to Kim Jong-un. There were large-scale photos of Kim Jong-un and Kim Jong-il in his childhood.
Maddenze An article pointed out the major changes in the North Korean official media, including the media starting to report that Mrs. Kim Jong-un’s attendance at the event, the failure of the rocket launch and the execution of Jang Sung-taek, etc., which would not be made public as usual, appeared in official reports. It took three or five days in the past. The news that will be updated can even be released within 24 hours. "This may be due to the supervision of young people," Madden said. "They have lived or studied outside North Korea, and they understand Western crisis public relations, news cycles, and even Media strategy. "
Kim Yo-jung’s "media strategy" does not seem to be limited to reforming the old news propaganda methods. On January 8, 2014, Kim Jong-un and his wife attended the North Korea-U.S. basketball game held at the Pyongyang Stadium. This is Kim Jong-un’s favorite American basketball. The match organized by the star Rodman ended in a 47:39 victory for the North Korean team. The Korean Central News Agency mentioned for the first time in the report that the wives of North Korean leaders Park Bongzhu, Cui Longhai, and Jiang Suk-joo attended the event. After the game, Kim Jong-un did not publish any politically strong views. Instead, he said with some ease that he "watched a wonderful game and hoped that the American basketball players would have a good time during their stay."
"I spent some leisure time at the beach with Kim Jong Un and his family." In an interview with The Guardian, Rodman said, “We shared a lot of food and drinks and discussed how to develop their basketball team. I hugged their daughter and talked with Ms. Li Xuezhu. Kim Jong-un is a good father and he has a wonderful family. "
This "closest exchange" between Kim Jong-un and the Western world before 2018 seems to have nothing to do with politics. However, according to the Guardian, it was Kim Yo-jung who "made up Kim Jong-un and former NBA star Rodman." An unlikely friendship.” The paper also stated that Kim Jong-unThe inspiration for women to visit theme parks, schools and ordinary people also came from Kim Yo-jung.
On June 12, at the Capella Hotel in Singapore, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un (front row left) and US President Trump (front row right) attended the signing ceremony. On the left of the back row is Jin Yuzheng. Photo/Visual China
"can touch everything on Kim Jong-un's desk"
On December 30, 2014, Kim Yo-jung accompanied Kim Jong-un to visit the artillery training of the People’s Army’s female rocket launcher unit. This was the first time that the brothers and sisters visited the military training together. After that, Kim Yo-jung changed his original way of accompanying Kim Jong-un to cultural propaganda activities and began to appear in Kim Jong-un's inspection of North Korean artillery shooting competitions and inspections of the People's Army. Madden described Kim Jong-un's role in these events as "coordinating Kim Jong-un's concierge security work and managing his schedule."
In a large-scale parade celebration on May 10, 2016, Kim Yu-jung and Kim Jong-un appeared on the podium together. The screen showed that she was standing next to her brother and personally collected the flowers presented to Kim Jong-un by the young pioneers. This is the first time that North Korean state media has shown details of Kim Yo-jung's concierge and security services for the top leader. Two years later, the same scene appeared in Panmunjom. On the morning of April 27, 2018, Kim Yu-jung and his brother crossed the military demarcation line of Panmunjom, and received flowers from Korean children for Kim Jong-un.
That night, Kim Yo-jung attended the welcome dinner hosted by Moon Jae-in for Kim Jong-un and sat at the main table. She continued to play the role of "Secretary Kim Jong Un", and was seated next to Ren Zhongxi, the head of the Blue House Secretary in accordance with the arrangement of high-level North Korea and South Korea. The video showed that the two smiled and exchanged many times. When Kim Jong-un was about to make a toast, Kim Yo-jung took out the manuscript from the briefcase and handed it over.
On May 26, she warmly welcomed the visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the gate of the "Unification Pavilion", and became one of the two high-ranking North Korean officials participating in this temporary North-South summit.
Before the working lunch of the DPRK-US leaders' meeting at noon on June 12, Kim Yu-jung opened his seat for Kim Jong-un who had just entered the banquet hall. However, when he saw that President Trump across the table had no intention of taking a seat, the live broadcast showed that Kim Jong Un gently pushed the seat back with his hand.
"If you are a North Korean and you want Kim Jong-un's support, then perhaps you should become a friend of Kim Yu-jung first." According to Time magazine in the United States, Kim Yu-jung's work as a secretary is obviously more than just pulling chairs and handing over. Pen and welcoming sent. "She can touch anything on Kim Jong-un's desk." In an interview with China News Weekly, Madden also pointed out that Kim's "secretary" work also includes "deciding which senior cadres can get access to Kim Jong-un." More important content.
"Jin Yuzheng's daily work and her involvement in matters are much broader than we had previously imagined." Madden stated that he is writing a new report on the relationship between Jin Yuzheng and Kim Jong Un. He revealed that the information he had obtained showed that Kim Yoo is currently holding positions in some policy groups in Kim Jong Un’s office (the Office of the Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Office of the Chairman of the State Council). In the past two years, she has also been responsible for missile and weapon testing. A member of the decision-making team.
As early as March 9, 2016, KCNA reported that Kim Yu-jung accompanied Kim Jong-un to meet with scientific and technological workers in the nuclear weapons research department to guide the weaponization of nuclear weapons. During the inspection, Kim Jong-un and his entourage learned about the achievements of North Korea's weaponization of nuclear weapons, and "pay attention to the research on the weaponization of various types of tactical and strategic ballistic rocket warheads loaded with nuclear weapons."
Kim Jong-un spoke highly of the relevant scientific research results, saying that "the reasonable structural design and production of nuclear warheads that can cause thermonuclear reactions in an instant is very remarkable." "This is the real nuclear deterrence. North Koreans can do whatever they want." In addition to Kim Yo-jung, the top North Korean officials who accompanied Kim Jong-un on this inspection were only People’s Army Strategic Army Commander Kim Lok-kyun and the Labor Party’s Deputy Central Minister Hong Young-qi in charge of military affairs.
On February 11, the North Korean Art Troupe held its second performance in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean President Moon Jae-in (second from right), Kim Yong Nam, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea (first from left), and the first deputy minister of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea Jin Yuzheng (second from left) watched the performance together. Figure / Vision China
The key member of the new leadership of the Kim Jong-un era
Madden observed that another new mission of Kim Yo-jung is to participate in the diplomatic work of North Korea, including diplomacy with South Korea, China, and the United States. "She found a balance between the roles of an elite involved in decision-making and an affairs official responsible for handing pen documents." Kim Yu-jung himself revealed at the farewell dinner on February 11 that she was suddenly sent to South Korea. It was also unexpected. According to Newsweek, this reuse truly proves that Kim Yo-jung is "a member of the new leadership of Kim Jong-un's era."
When Kim Yo-jung and Kim Yong-nam led a delegation to visit South Korea from February 9th to 11th, attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and hold talks with Moon Jae-in, she had already made history. This is the first time that North Koreans have visited the Blue House after a lapse of eight and a half years since August 2009. It is also the first time a member of the Kim family of North Korea, who has "Baektu Mountain blood", has entered the Presidential Palace in South Korea.
Kim Yo-jung, who has been in charge of the propaganda work for a long time, almost arranged this visit perfectly. When the North Korean delegation arrived at Incheon International Airport on February 9, South Korean reporters were pleasantly surprised to learn that the flight name of the delegation’s special plane "PRK-615" was full of meaning and was taken from the deceased The "June 15 Joint Declaration" signed by North and South leaders Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il. According to sources from the Blue House, when meeting with the South Korean president, Kim Yo-jung did not first reveal his status as a special envoy to the South Korean side. It was not until Moon Jae-in asked that she “replied that she came on special orders from the Chairman of the State Council”. At the following luncheon, Kim Yo-jung and Moon Jae-in also made a joke of "looking forward to meeting in Pyongyang soon".
The subsequent developments have shown that Kim Yo-jung's special envoy trip was a success. According to KCNA reports, on February 12, Kim Yo-jung, who had just returned to Pyongyang, “reported to Kim Jong-un carefully about his contacts with President Moon Jae-in and other high-level Southerners, as well as his understanding of the southern intentions and US trends during this event.” This is also the first time that North Korean official media has disclosed the possibility that the North Korean government is paying attention to the dialogue between North Korea and the United States. On the same day, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station spoke highly of the visit, saying that this visit is "meaningful for improving relations between South Korea and North Korea and maintaining peace on the peninsula."
Subsequently, Kim Yoo's position in North Korean politics rose again. On April 13, she was independently responsible for welcoming Song Tao, the head of the Chinese delegation and head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, at the Pyongyang Airport. She also visited the hotel where Song Tao stayed. Visiting the Chinese Art Troupe led by Song Tao. Yonhap News Agency pointed out: “North Korean media often report the individual activities of the Politburo Standing Committee members of the Workers’ Party, and it is rare to report the public activities of the First Deputy Minister alone.”
brought back “US trends” from Seoul for Kim Jong-un. Months later, the top leader of North Korea, accompanied by his sister, went to Singapore to hold the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries since the Korean War with US President Trump.
"She feels very comfortable. Although she has heavy responsibilities and is unavoidable under pressure, she is cautious and restrained, but she does not show her face and always keeps smiling." On March 9 this year, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myung-kyun once commented on Kim Yo-jung.
Duty Editor: Yu Yang
