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KCNA via Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, who was named by the state broadcaster as Ri Sol Ju, visit the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground, in Pyongyang, in this undated picture released by the North's KCNA news agency on Wednesday.
North Korea's new young leader, Kim Jong Un, is married, state media said Wednesday, putting an end to weeks of speculation over the relationship with a woman seen at his side during a recent gala.
Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju" on Tuesday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, an announcer said without giving any more details about Ri, including how long the couple had been married.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is apparently a married man now that state media announced the leader toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju." NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Seven months after inheriting the country from his father, Kim Jong Il, the twenty-something leader has been shown in the media several times with the young woman, including at a concert where Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters appeared and at tours of various North Korean sites.
While the woman had not been identified until now, media and analysts in the South were quick to guess that she was his wife.
Angus Walker, Beijing correspondent for NBC partner ITV News, quoted South Korean media as saying the woman was a top-scoring college graduate who had been handpicked by Kim's uncle to be the leader's spouse.
'Mystery woman' stirs talk of changing times in North Korea
Changing style
Kim Jong Un ascended to power in Pyongyang in December 2011. He is the third in his family to rule the country, which was led by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, subsequently ruled North Korea until his death in 2011. Kim Il Sung is still revered as North Korea's eternal president.
Kim's public appearances with the woman are a striking change from his father's style. Kim Jong Il's rule was known for its secrecy. State media did not mention his companions and his children, including Kim Jong Un, who was virtually unknown before his formal introduction to the world in late 2010.
N. Korea's Kim Jong Un issues rare public drubbing -- of a roller coaster
The new leader's style is considered more similar to his grandfather, who built homes, parks and schools and was often shown alongside his wife, Kim Jong Suk, and with children in his arms.
The speculation about Kim Jong Un's private life has coincided with high tension on the Korean Peninsula following a North Korean long-range rocket launch in April and repeated threats by Pyongyang to attack the South.
Consolidating power
Last week, Kim Jong Un was named marshal of the army, the country's top military rank, in a move that added to his glittering array of titles and cements his power in the 1.2 million-strong military.
KCNA via Reuters
Kim and his new wife "comrade Ri Sol Ju" toured the park as a crowd cheered their leader, state television reported.
The new title completes Kim Jong Un's elevation following his father's death. He already heads the Workers' Party of Korea and is First Chairman of the National Defense Commission.
Source: Kim to reform North Korean economy after purge
Kim has steadily worked to impose his own stamp on the top leadership of North Korea, and earlier this month ousted Vice Marshal Ri Yong Ho, the country's leading military figure, who was seen as close to Kim Jong Il.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Hopefully the desire to start a family should prevent finger wanderings toward red buttons.
If you have followed anything about this kid, you will see he is nothing last the his dad or grandfather. He is down to earth, does not want to create bloodshed and has shown pro western ambitions. He is playing a delicate game of chess, slowly take down the old school fanatics. I'm interested to see where he will lead the country... So far its been good....
Lol, GimDan obv from north korea. The idea that he is "down to earth" is amusing.
GimDan, I'm not a neo-con warhawk by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, I'm a liberal with very anti-war sentiments, BUT I see nothing good in this third generation nutjob. He is a danger to the region and the west. We need to keep a very close eye on him and his regime.
AYoung - Oh. I Hope you are correct! Your thought was delivered in a comical manner but . . . oh, I hope you are right!
Pfeffdaddy1- anymore hot air? Do explain your view since you know so much. And no, I'm an Irish Eskimo Army vet. STFU unless you have something useful to add.
How can you say "does not want to create bloodshed and has shown pro western ambitions"???? Where does THAT come from ???
Who are you to say this guy is good???
Anyone with a haircut like his doesn't have pro-western ambitions.
He has "Fonzi" ambitions.
Pfeffdaddy1- look at his policies and the reports coming out of the country! He has been systemically removing the military from power since he took office!! Putting civilian boards in place to take over the economy and domestic issues!!! How is that not a step forward?
He can marry the smartest and highest scoring college student he can find, his kids are still going to be idiots. His gene pool is just too shallow and tainted to breed anything other than Oompa Loompa's.
Kim jon un was the one that went to school in Switzerland and snuck out of North Korea to go to Tokyo Disneyland. That may just have been a spoiled rich kid hijinx, but the more NK's leaders are exposed to the modern, "civilized" (more or less) world, I think the better off their people and the rest of us will be. Still a lot to be learned about this guy, but the fact he's not giving venomous speeches in Mussolini-era fatigues, and actually smiles, is a good sign, and improvement over his predecessors. There are a lot of generals in NK that will want the status quo, so if Un is going to relax things, it's going to have to go slow. I'd say watch NK closely, but try not to trigger a situation that will give his generals fodder to force him to act.
Really could care less, though I wonder if this women did so by choice or not?
At any rate in response to GimDan I will agree doughboy hasn't done anything provocative so to speak, so why not hope for the best? Doesn't mean that suggests we just say well gee golly he seems like a nice guy and not pay attention to N. Korea anymore, far from it. At least we can hope there will be a change.
It is time
GimDan - How how much do we believe in the reports coming out of North Korea? (considering the source of the reports)
He has been in power for only 6 months. I would wait for more tangible evidence before arriving at any of your conclusions about this new leadership...
sullyness, that was his brother who snuck out of N. Korea and tried to enter Japan so that he could visit Disneyland. Your right about the schooling in Switzerland.
Poor girl...just as a citizen of N Korea, hasn't she suffered enough?
This is called, "The Honeymoon Period", both leading the country of North Korea, and marrying his matched up wife by Un's uncle.
The Honeymoon for the couple may be long or short, but the Honeymoon in leading North Korea will later be revealed by his actions., Most likely he will become more hardened, and indoctrinated to take on the role of his Father. Why else would his father have picked him, one of many sons?
North Korea "ain't" gonna change--They are still one of the most powerful Nuclear Countries that cannot be trusted.
Just glad to see "Bob's Big Boy" landed himself a side of fries.
With current missle testings & nuclear capacities, I still get the impression that he is nothing but a wolf in sheeps clothing & a major threat to all in the area.
Mitt has a plan for North Korea. He will convert them to LDS.
Amusement park? Looks like what some people have in their back yard.
Maybe Jong Un has some young Un's on the way.
she is very pretty; just let us hope, he has decided to pull back from the brink; if it were not for U.S., food aid there would be mass starvation in N. Korea, if he is reaching out to the west, then let us get busy and look for concessions, we have been at war in Korea for 62 years, enough already.
They probably watch old episodes of 'Love American Style' together.
It does provide a human aspect to the North Koreans so I have to say my congradulations.
Lol...what the hell are you war-monging a$$holes so afraid of.
: pimp smacks American Socialist so hard that his stupid ass head flies off of his body. That is the response that you deserve for such insolence and arrogance, you jerk.
Amusement parks seem to please the Kim kids. Kim Jung Un's brother once got caught entering Japan because he wanted to visit Disneyland. How about "Disney Diplomacy"? We invite the newlyweds to Disney World, and then build one in Pyongyang. It might tame the entire family. It's better than a DMZ, nuclear weapons and all the other crazy stuff that goes on there.
We certainly don't know much about Kim, but I wish him well in his new relationship, and I pray he makes efforts to reverse the relationship his country has with the rest of the world. If he works however slowly to improve the relationship with the rest of the world, then God bless. At the very least, new blood needs a new chance. He has a chance to be that country's savior.
One thing is for sure, people need to wait for evidence of who he really is before making judgments about the guy. Just as you wouldn't blame me for my father's sins, you shouldn't blame him for his fathers sins.
Waiting for the comment dismissing my statement accusing me of being from NK or some "liberal." Because disagreeing with me by providing a rational thought contrary to what I said isn't as catchy.
He is a monster she is a whore- got it.
@A.Young and GimDan,
I SERIOUSLY hope that the both of you are correct. :)
As for Kim I was going to make one of my snarky comments something along the lines of 2 legs or 4 but what the hell I'm gonna be nice today. They actually look happy and I hope (and PRAY) that they find PEACE and joy together. I read somewhere that he has a rather impressive I.Q. here's hoping that his E.Q. is up there as well and that both are utilized for PEACEFUL purposes.
Anyone have their address so that I can send a card and wedding present?
Richard-1971294
Quick addition:
I'm with ya sir! I Loved your post:)
thetruthteller-3478699....
Lol....thetruthteller
: pimp smacks American Socialist so hard that his stupid ass head flies off of his body. That is the response that you deserve for such insolence and arrogance, you jerk.
And the far right speaks, take a good look people...its mitts base.
I'm a big bad Merican' derp derp....
His idealogy on western civilization and incorporating many of its aspects into his life growing up conclude that there is plenty of tangible evidence. You're not willing to take the time to look up that information is all.
Also, well said Gimdan, I couldn't agree more. It's most certainly been an interesting change to see less of the rhetoric the world saw spewed from Kim Jong Li. Contrary to what many are saying, in the current time from of Un being in power, Li would have already blasted off at the mouth on several occasions just to stir the pot up. Haven't seen any formal statements from Un conducting himself in such a fashion, and with the recent military change that he has made, I see him grabbing the bull by the horns and controlling the country as he sees fit (which hasn't been all that bad).
On another note, Mickey Mouse and other "amusements" that are associated with western cultures, were previously not allowed in their country. The change alone leads people to believe it's a change in values under the new leadership, and more freedom associated with the changes.
Nice water park, enjoy all the fun food and beverages while your country starves.
I was a North Korean intelligence analyst for a number of years in the late 1960's. This is a country which has played a skillful but dangerous game of brinkmanship since 1953. They are not stupid and are not crazy. Young Kim is likely to continue to play the same game because they currently hold all the aces in the deck:
1) The Ace of Diamonds is that ever since 1953 the North Koreans have been building and stockpiling thousands of underground bunkers, depots, and fortifications. They have thousands that we know of and probably an equal number that we do not know about. Part of the known ones are dummies or shell game transients, so they all have to be treated with equal concern. To put it into perspective, North Korea has more bunkers than we have "bunker-buster" bombs. And the bunkers would even shrug off anything except a direct hit from a nuke.
2) The Ace of hearts. Most of the Americans (around 20,000 of 28,000) in Korea are "forward-deployed" meaning that they are right along the DMZ. They refer to themselves as a "speed bump" because in any general attack by North Korea, they would become combat-ineffective within the first 15 minutes. This because there are literally thousands of artillery, mortar, rocket and missile positions that are hardened and pre-surveyed. Most are indirect fire. The first few minutes of a bombardment would simply destroy all forward-deployed American and ROK forces.
3) The Ace of Clubs. Most Americans do not seem to understand the geography involved. The Seoul-Inchon Corridon is right along the western DMZ and you can see NOrth Korea from the streets of Seoul. This area contains South Korea's financial, industrial, and political capitals along with about 40% of its population. About 60% of South Korea's industry and its major port are in the Corridor. The entire Corridon would be immediately destroyed at the outbreak of any hostilities. South Korea would simply cease to exist as a functioning country until after the war was concluded and rebbuilding could start. There are thousands of guns, rockets, missiles, mortars, etc that are in peek-and-shoot bunkers and are pre-surveyed as well.
4) The Ace of Spades. North Korea has nukes. Building a working atomic bomb is something a reasonably smart high school senior could do with access to a machine shop, a camera store, and the explosives and fissile material. They are currently estimated to haze a dozen or more. The fizzled rocket that keeps coming up was most likely really indended to launch a satellite. It is a poor candidate for military uses because it is too ponderous to use without giving a huge warning. What NK is doing that is dangerous is that they are swapping nuclear technology to Iran for Iranian solid fuel military rocket expertise. NK already possesses homegrown SCUD missile variants that could deliver a nuclear payload to virtually anywhere in South Korea with only one small "trick." All they have to do is to strip the shielding from such a bomb to make it light enough to launch atop a SCUD. It would kill the weapons and rocket crews, but hey, we're talking war here.
North Korea counts on China, South Korea, the US and Japan to recognize that they are holding all the aces and not to make a miscalculation. So far that restraint has been applied by every President since Truman. None has found a way to deal with NK at all.
Something to watch young Kim on is that since 1953, NK has always accompanied changes in military and political leadership with provocative incidents against the US or South Korea. They do this in oprder to "exercise" the chain of command while they watch for even the slightest hint of hesitation, refusal, or ineptitude. I had friends on an American RC-123 that was shot down aboput 90nm off the North Korean coast in the central Sea of Japan. And the shootdown happened because the Air Fporces Vice-Marshal had been suddenly replaced.
But something else that bears watching for, though personally I don't think it is a huge possibility, is that young Kim has been closely watching the recent events in Myanmar as the military who run the country expand basic freedoms and move slowly toward civilian government. There is the possibility that young Kim will try to duplicate the rush of foreign investment that is trying to get in on the ground floor of a more open Myanmar. There is always that possibility and it has to be allowed to happen if it is in the cards.
Only time will tell if he actually wants to fix things.
We shall see, the real optimism of the whole thing is that he was raised/educated in Switzerland. Their education system and society much like our own with the exception that they are very pro-gun rights unlike our every growing pacifists in the US.
Odds so far are in favor of him taking the government in the right direction.
Lwt us sincerely hope this was not an arranged marriage to keep some general close to the center of power.
Who is this guys barber? He should be shot.
She probably IS his barber. What other woman would ever get that close to him?
You've never seen a 'bowl' cut?
I think it's Stevie wonder
At least he hires the handicapped. I'll give him that.
dont say his barber should be shot..now the poor guy probably will be..when you lay your head down tonight..thank God you werent born in N Korea
Most dangerous job in the world used to be Saddam Husseirn's private helicopter pilot. He had them shot quicker than Pez from a dispenser. Guess now that distinguished liability has been passed onto the Kim-whatever Family barber?
He thinks it makes him look 2 lbs. thinner !!
Guess it's time for him to produce "an heir and a spare."
Both named MENTAL LE ILL and SOM TING WONG.
LOL! @starbuck49 you made my morning!
Hahaha - wrong on many levels but I love it!
starbuck49 you are too funny! That made my morning too(i just about fell out of my seat from laughing so hard!
I dribbled my coffee!! LOL :-) !!
I agree....Starbuck49, thanks for giving me my belly laugh for today!
Is this guy's grand ambition to be a Mousketeer? Maybe Disney could arrange a disarmament for lifetime pass treaty.
Mickey Mouse is an appropriate Disney character to represent North Korea.
At least his vacations seem much less expensive than our dear Leader's vacations have been!
Disney is the perfect backdrop for this guy.. he already looks Goofy!
"I just inherited North Korea, and I'm going to Disney World". Sounds like it would make a nice commercial?
Will someone PLEASE call the fashion police? The Stalin Tuxedo look just ain't happenin'.
Maybe we could send him to Seaworld for a pool swin with the old Shamu??
Awwwww...isn't he a cutie.....and of course her!
And check out them huge, perfectly square heads!
Boy oh boy, I just got back on after a brief suspension. I could really make a laugh track for this guy.
Yeah, and I guess Tyler did not notice your picture when you acted like a jerk off. Kinda like driving a Red Vette through a speed trapped school zone.....It looks like an aborigine with white lipstick and eye makeup, LOL!!
Maybe this is a good sign!
Wow they are actually smiling in the picture. Maybe there will be positive changes to come in N. Korea.
Their mouths are wired open that way.
The pseudo-Disney show a few weeks ago and this tour of a "people's pleasure ground" give Mr. Kim a creepy Michael Jackson-like vibe. He should stick to activities befitting an evil dictator like inspecting missiles or nuclear weapons facilities.
Let's hope she can improve his outlook on life.
Two weeks ago he staged a big event with Disney characters. Now he appears at a water park of some sort. My guess is that in exchange for rights to visit Disneyland, he would give up nuclear weapons. He reminds me of a North Korean version of George W. Bush--not too bright.
Then he could fly in wearing a too small flight suit, stand in front of a big banner saying "Mission Accomplished", with a goofy grin on his face?
He got married and got a job. Model young person. If only all our kids could be just like him.
The caption says that she's an "unidentified woman", but then it goes on to identify her as "Ri Sol Ju". How could you miss that?
Oh, great! A JU-ish Princess!
NOT funny and a very offensive comment to make.
I was just thinking............maybe she could talk him into dying his hair blonde and getting a toungue ring!
I believe we all hope that N.K. will become more united with there own people and better relations with the west and other countries.
Does the sun shine in N. Korea? I've never seen just blue skies in any picture of that place. BTW, those suits at a water park are just bang'in! The only thing that would have made this better is if Kim would have dove into that fountain.
Maybe now he will get laid and be a little less aggressive than his father.
If she can get over the distaste of what she would have to do, maybe he WILL get laid.
Lets hope for the best.It is good to see this couple smiling.I hope it's not fake..Good luck..
He could have dove into the fountain exclaiming, "Look at me! I'm a North Korean rocket!"
I have a hunch that Kim is not what pop thought he was. We shall see!
Congrads to the couple! Hopefully this is the first of many softer sides to North Korean leader. Best Wishes.
Twitter users follow @ KimJongNumberUn <<< very funny
Well, congratulations to North Korea's famous couple! Comrade Ri Sol Ju says to hubby, "Honey, how about getting rid of half your tanks and replacing it with Disneyland?" ... "Let's changed that red button and used it as a switch for our Christmas tree at that new Gen. Macarthur Park" .
I wonder if she had a choice to refuse the marriage proposal :P
Of course she had a "choice" to refuse the marriage proposal. The only thing that would have happened if she refused was that she would have been executed and three generations worth of her family would be off to the Concentration Camp. Such the life in North Korea
Good question- and the answer is probably a "no".
These people are so laughable- they refer to one another as "comrade" and anywhere this guy goes are these old men dressed in goofy looking military uniforms with badges & awards draped all over them. They're like one large cult rather than an actual country.
Hey.....wait a minute, they look just like the Scientologist down here in Florida. You don't think he is friends with Tom Cruise and John Travolta, do you? Let's see-fake military uniform-check, goofy looking haircut-check, beard by his side-check, deer-in-the-headlight-look by associates-check. I think there is a much bigger story here than is being told. Is he really L. Ron Hubbard's illegitimate son...........Inquiring minds want to know? He could just be a secret Thetan!! YOW, where's TMZ when you need them?
You hit it on my exact concern...I'm sure she had no choice and even if she did, why would she not want to leave a world of rationing and famine..I've helped smuggle bibles in and people out and it is almost if not a feudal society. She is screwed if he gets tired of here ...she gets to go to a camp and disappear or mark my words she will either need to put up with numerous mistresses or comply with polyamory. Once has done with the squirt guns in the park and his hormones kick in, it should get interesting