Kim family

North Korea's leadership has been effectively dynastic, with the first three leader being members of the Kim family -- descendants of the first leader Kim Il-sung.

Trusted members of the Kim family are given senior administrative posts. Untrusted members of the Kim family either live lives of obscurity, or are targetted for assassination.

The second and third leaders have been Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un, the current leader, is morbidly obese, reckless with his diet, and is a heavy smoker. When he has disappeared for extended periods of time commentators have speculated that, either he has had to withdraw for treatment for a serious health concern, or that he has died, and survivors aren't ready to reveal his death. Although he is relatively young, commentators expect him to die soon.

Three other members of the Kim family commentators have named as likely successors are: Kim Pyong-il, Kim Jong-un's uncle; Kim Yo-jong, his sister and most trusted advisor; and Kim Jong-un's daughter Kim Ju-ae, who is just a school-child.^[1]

Kim Jong-un has had at least two family members killed. In the early months of his regime commentators believed he had chosen Jang Song-thaek, the husband of an aunt to serve as a mentor -- until Kim Jong-un ordered him to be executed by a burst of fire from an anti-aircraft cannon. He tracked down and had killed an older half brother, Kim Jong-nam, in a bizarre incident where two individuals smeared his face with the VX nerve agent.

Kim Jong-un has been romantically linked to at least three women, who are known or suspected to have borne children he sired^[2]:

Hyon Song-wol, Kim Jong-un's first girlfriend, who his father did not regard as a suitable wife, is suspected of bearing him a son, said to be named Kim Il-bong.^[2]
Ri Sol-ju, Kim Jong-un's only known wife, bore Kim at least one daughter, known in the west as Kim Ju-ae, possibly in 2013. In 2026 South Korean intelligence officials concluded he was designating her his choice of heir.
Kim is suspected to have fathered another child, with a foreign entertainer.

Kim Il-sung's other son Kim Pyong-il, had also been under consideration as his successor

Kim Jong-chul is another older brother to Kim Jong-un]]

Other prominent member of the family include Kim Jong-il's sister, Kim Kyung-hiu, and her husband Jang Song-thaek.^[3] Her husband had been trusted to hold very high offices, under both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Commentators suggested that, due to his youth and inexperience, her husband would serve as a mentor to his nephew Kim Jong-un, and play an even more important role. However, Kim Jong-un turned against him, and he was given a death sentence. His execution was carried out by blasting him with a burst of fire from an anti-aircraft cannon.

References

↑ Karolina Wojtasik (2011). "in a Communist State. The Case of Democratic People's Republic of Korea". In The Scale of Globalization. Think Globally, Act Locally, Change Individually in the 21st Century (PDF). University of Ostrava. pp. 368–373. ISBN 978-80-7368-963-6. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 "North Korean leader's daughter known by wrong name: expert". The Korea Times. 2023-11-16. Archived from the original on 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2023-11-16. 'Kim’s first child is a son, and his name is Il-bong,' Choe said, adding that he is an illegitimate child and his mother is North Korean singer-turned-politician Hyon Song-wol. 'Kim’s youngest child is believed to be five years old or less. It remains unknown whether that child is a girl or a boy, but the child was born out of wedlock, too. The mother of that child is a Korean Japanese pianist. She is known by her first name Ryo-sim. But I don’t have any further details about her,' he added.
↑ Jung Da-min (2020-01-27). "Kim Jong-un's aunt makes 1st public appearance in 6 years". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2026-02-26. Kim Kyong-hui, the aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a once-influential figure in the country's leadership, has made her first public appearance in six years, quashing rumors that she had been killed or sent into exile. She had been out of the public eye since her husband Jang Song-thaek was executed in December 2013.

[FamilyPowerSuccession-1] Karolina Wojtasik (2011). "in a Communist State. The Case of Democratic People's Republic of Korea". In The Scale of Globalization. Think Globally, Act Locally, Change Individually in the 21st Century (PDF). University of Ostrava. pp. 368–373. ISBN 978-80-7368-963-6. Retrieved 2026-02-27.

[koreatimes2023-11-16-2] 2.0 ^2.1 "North Korean leader's daughter known by wrong name: expert". The Korea Times. 2023-11-16. Archived from the original on 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2023-11-16. 'Kim’s first child is a son, and his name is Il-bong,' Choe said, adding that he is an illegitimate child and his mother is North Korean singer-turned-politician Hyon Song-wol. 'Kim’s youngest child is believed to be five years old or less. It remains unknown whether that child is a girl or a boy, but the child was born out of wedlock, too. The mother of that child is a Korean Japanese pianist. She is known by her first name Ryo-sim. But I don’t have any further details about her,' he added.

[koreatimes2020-01-27-3] Jung Da-min (2020-01-27). "Kim Jong-un's aunt makes 1st public appearance in 6 years". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2026-02-26. Kim Kyong-hui, the aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a once-influential figure in the country's leadership, has made her first public appearance in six years, quashing rumors that she had been killed or sent into exile. She had been out of the public eye since her husband Jang Song-thaek was executed in December 2013.

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See also

References