Ri Sol-ju facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Respected First Lady Ri Sol-ju
리설주
Ri in 2018
First Lady of North Korea
Current
Assumed role 15 April 2018
Supreme Leader	Kim Jong Un
Preceded by	Kim Song-ae
Personal details
Born	c. 1985–1989 (age 36–40) Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, North Korea
Spouse	Kim Jong Un ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	2 unconfirmed, 1 confirmed: Kim Ju Ae
Alma mater	Kim Il Sung University
Korean name
Hangul	리설주
Hanja	李雪主
RR	Ri Seolju
MR	Ri Sŏlchu

Ri Sol-ju (Chosŏn'gŭl: 리설주) is the wife of Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea. This means she is the current First Lady of North Korea. She was likely born between 1985 and 1989.

Not much official information about her is shared by North Korea. However, news from other countries has shared more details about her life. She often appears in public with her husband. Sometimes, she is not seen publicly for long periods. In April 2018, North Korean media announced her new important title: "Respected First Lady." This was a big honor, as this title had not been used since 1974. Around this time, she also started taking on important roles in diplomacy, meeting leaders from other countries.

About Ri Sol-ju

The family of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is known for being very private. Because of this, very little official information about Ri Sol-ju is available. However, foreign news sources have shared more details, though some of it is based on guesses.

Her Early Life and Background

We don't know much for sure about where Ri Sol-ju came from. Some experts even think her name might not be her real one. Reports suggest she was born between 1985 and 1989. She was reportedly born in Chongjin, a city in North Korea.

Her family is said to be part of North Korea's important political families. Her mother is reportedly a doctor who leads a gynecology department. Her father is said to be a professor. Ri Sol-ju is believed to have gone to Geumsung 2 Middle School in Pyongyang. She also reportedly studied vocal music in China. Some reports say she is related to Ri Pyong-chol, a former general and close advisor to Kim Jong Un.

Some news outlets have identified Ri Sol-ju as a singer from the Unhasu Orchestra. This group has performed in other countries. It is said that North Korean officials have tried to hide her past as a singer. They reportedly took away popular unofficial recordings of her performances. In 2012, she was reportedly studying for a science degree at Kim Il Sung University.

Ri Sol-ju reportedly visited South Korea in 2005. She was part of a North Korean cheerleading team for the Asian Athletics Championships. She was one of 90 cheerleaders who cheered "We are one!" During that trip, she reportedly told a South Korean teacher that they hoped for Korea to be reunited soon.

Her Marriage and Children

News reports say that Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, quickly arranged his son's marriage after he had a stroke in 2008. Ri Sol-ju and Kim Jong Un reportedly got married in 2009. The public first learned she was Kim Jong Un's wife in July 2012.

Ri Sol-ju may have had a child in 2010, which was reported to be a boy. In December 2012, it was reported that she was visibly pregnant. However, North Korean officials did not comment on this. In March 2013, former basketball player Dennis Rodman visited Kim Jong Un in North Korea. Rodman later said in September 2013 that the couple had a daughter named Kim Ju Ae. He described Kim Jong Un as a "good dad" with a "beautiful family."

South Korean intelligence officials reported that Ri Sol-ju gave birth to a third child in February 2017. The gender of this child is not known. In November 2022, North Korean state media showed photos of Kim Jong Un with his young daughter at a missile launch site. Many observers believe this child was Kim Ju Ae.

As First Lady of North Korea

In 2012, Ri Sol-ju started appearing often next to Kim Jong Un in public. This made people wonder who she was. On July 25, 2012, North Korean state media announced that she was Kim's wife, calling her "his wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju." This announcement was a big change. Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, had never introduced his wives to the public.

In July 2012, Ri Sol-ju was seen at a concert in North Korea. She wore a stylish black suit, which was unusual for North Korean women at the time. This, along with other changes, made experts think that Kim Jong Un was changing policies or trying new ways to present himself.

In September 2012, Kenji Fujimoto, who used to be Kim Jong Il's personal sushi chef, met Ri Sol-ju. He described her as "charming" and said her voice was "so soft." As a gift, Ri Sol-ju gave Fujimoto a Christian Dior handbag. She had been seen carrying a similar bag earlier.

From 2012 to 2014, Ri Sol-ju appeared in North Korean media sometimes, going to events with her husband. After that, she was seen less often. She had long periods out of the public eye in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

In 2018, Ri Sol-ju started taking on a diplomatic role. In March 2018, she visited China with her husband. They met China's leader Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan. In April 2018, before a meeting between North and South Korea, Ri Sol-ju's title was changed to "Respected First Lady." This was the first time this title had been used in North Korea since 1974. The previous person to hold this title was Kim Song-ae, the second wife of Kim Il Sung. The change was announced by a famous news anchor, Ri Chun-hee. Ri Sol-ju attended the summit, becoming the first wife of a North Korean leader to do so. She met the First Lady of South Korea, Kim Jung-sook. They seemed to get along well during their meetings that year. In May, she met with US diplomats and helped to reduce tensions. She also helped host the visit of China's leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan in June 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Ri Sol-ju para niños

• Unhasu Orchestra