Kim Yo Jong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kim Yo Jong
김여정
Kim in 2018
Member of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea
Incumbent
Assumed office September 2021
President	Kim Jong Un
Deputy Director of the Publicity and Information Department
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 November 2014
General Secretary	Kim Jong Un
Director	Kim Ki-nam Pak Kwang-ho Ri Il-hwan
Preceded by	Ri Jae-il
Personal details
Born	(1987-09-26) 26 September 1987 (age 37) Pyongyang, North Korea
Political party	Workers' Party of Korea (since 2007)
Spouse	Choe Song ​ (m. 2014)​ (alleged)
Children	2 (alleged)
Parents	Kim Jong Il Ko Yong Hui
Relatives	Kim family
Alma mater	Kim Il Sung University
Signature
Korean name
Hangul	김여정
Hanja	金與正
RR	Gim Yeojeong
MR	Kim Yŏjŏng

Kim Yo Jong (Hangul: 김여정; born 26 September 1987) is a North Korean politician and diplomat. She is the younger sister of North Korea's current leader, Kim Jong Un. Kim Yo Jong works as the Deputy Department Director of the Publicity and Information Department for the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Since September 2021, she has also been a member of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, which is an important government group.

She was also an alternate member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, a top decision-making body, from 2017 to 2019 and again from 2020 to 2021. Some people think she could even become the next leader of North Korea.

Early Life and Education

Kim Yo Jong is the youngest child of Kim Jong Il, who was North Korea's second leader, and his wife, Ko Yong Hui. While some sources say she was born on September 26, 1989, others, especially in South Korea, believe her birth year was 1987. She was born in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Kim spent her early childhood at her mother's home with her brothers. From 1996 to December 2000, she studied in Bern, Switzerland, at a public school called Liebefeld-Steinhölzli. During this time, she used the name "Pak Mi-hyang." It is believed she became very close to her older brother, Kim Jong Un, during these years. After returning to Pyongyang, she studied computer science at Kim Il Sung University.

Beginning a Political Career

In 2007, Kim Yo Jong started working for the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). She might have worked with her father or her aunt, Kim Kyong-hui. Around 2009 and 2010, she helped with her father's plans for his son, Kim Jong Un, to take over leadership. She also worked in the National Defense Commission and for her father's personal office.

She started appearing with her father in public in March 2009. However, people didn't really notice her until September 2010, when she was seen at an important meeting of the WPK.

Early Public Appearances

Kim Yo Jong became more known during the funeral of her father, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011. She was seen with Kim Jong Un and other important officials. In early 2012, she reportedly got a job helping her brother, Kim Jong Un, with his travel plans, schedule, and security. She wasn't often in the news, but in November 2012, a North Korean TV channel showed her with Kim Jong Un at a military event.

Official Recognition

Kim was first officially mentioned in North Korean state media in March 2014. This happened when she went with her brother to vote for the Supreme People's Assembly. She was called a "senior official" of the WPK's main committee. In October 2014, it was reported that she took over some of her brother's duties while he was getting medical treatment. The next month, she became the First Deputy Director of the party's Propaganda and Agitation Department.

Kim Yo Jong (far right, upper row) with other leaders at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Leading the Publicity Department

As a vice-director in the Publicity and Information Department, Kim helps to strengthen Kim Jong Un's power. She does this by working on projects that promote his image and ideas. By July 2015, reports said she was actually leading the department, even though someone else was the official director. She also has a vice-ministerial job, but what she does there is not fully known. She often goes with Kim Jong Un on his trips to different places.

Talks inside the Peace House in April 2018

People say she is the main person behind creating a strong public image for her brother, similar to how their grandfather, Kim Il Sung, was seen. A former North Korean diplomat, Thae Yong-ho, said in 2017 that Kim Yo Jong organized all the big public events in North Korea. She was also said to have encouraged her brother to appear as a "man of the people." For example, she encouraged him to ride fairground rides and be friends with basketball star Dennis Rodman.

In January 2017, the United States Department of the Treasury put her on a special list. This was because of claims about human rights issues in North Korea.

Joining the Politburo

In October 2017, Kim Yo Jong became an alternate member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea. She was only the second woman to join this very important decision-making group. Many people thought her promotion meant she was taking over the role of her aunt, Kim Kyong-hui, who had not been very active in the government. It was also suggested that her new position might put her in charge of the State Security Department.

Special Diplomatic Role

Kim with her brother meeting U.S. President Donald Trump at the 2018 Singapore Summit

On February 9, 2018, Kim attended the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Pyeongchang, South Korea. This was a very important event because it was the first time a member of the ruling Kim family had visited South Korea since the Korean War. She met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on February 10. She told him she was sent as a special representative from Kim Jong Un and also gave Moon a personal letter from her brother.

Later, Kim was part of her brother's team during important meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. These included the 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit and the 2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit. She continued to be involved in diplomatic matters, even releasing an official statement in March 2020 as a top deputy director of the party.

Experts believe that Kim Yo Jong's rise to power is part of Kim Jong Un's plan to bring younger people into important government roles. This helps to replace older officials who worked with his father and might have had doubts about Kim Jong Un's leadership.

Recent Activities

Kim was chosen to be a member of the Supreme People's Assembly in the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election. In April 2019, she was briefly removed from the Politburo but was put back in April 2020. She was again not included in the Politburo chosen after the 8th Party Congress in January 2021. She was also changed from first deputy department director to deputy department director. However, some experts say her influence in the government has not changed.

In March 2021, Kim spoke out against joint military exercises held in South Korea, calling them a "serious challenge." She also warned the government of President Joe Biden. Kim said that North Korea might close down groups that work with South Korea if relations did not improve. She also mentioned that these ideas had been shared with Kim Jong Un.

In September 2021, it was reported that Kim was promoted to be a member of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.

In September 2022, Kim responded to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's offer to help North Korea's economy if it gave up its nuclear weapons. Kim gave a speech saying that Yoon should "shut his mouth." She also blamed South Korea for bringing COVID-19 into North Korea and threatened to get back at South Korea if the virus returned.

In September 2023, Kim Yo Jong went with Kim Jong Un to a meeting in Russia with Russian President Vladimir Putin. She was seen with Kim Jong Un when he signed a visitor book at a space center.

Internet Attention

In April 2020, there were rumors that Kim Jong Un was not well. This made many people pay attention to Kim Yo Jong as a possible future leader of North Korea. During this time, she became very popular on social media. People made informational videos and became "fans" of her. In August of the same year, she gained even more attention when it was reported that Kim Jong Un might have been in a coma.

Personal Life

In late 2014, it was reported that she married Choe Song, who is the second son of a government official named Choe Ryong-hae. Choe Song is thought to have studied at Kim Il Sung University with her. He might work for a special office of the Workers' Party of Korea or for a military group that protects the country's leader. Kim Yo Jong reportedly had a child in May 2015. During the 2018 Winter Olympics, she was reported to have said she was pregnant.

At a New Year's performance on December 31, 2024, Kim Yo Jong was seen with two children, a boy and a girl, who are believed to be hers. This was the first time she appeared with children in state media. These children were also seen again at the launch ceremony of the Choe Hyon destroyer on April 25, 2025.

See also

In Spanish: Kim Yo-jong para niños

• Politics of North Korea
• Women in North Korea