Mystery woman to N.Korean leader solved - its his WIFE

Original blog post: Mystery solved? N. Korean leader`s mystery woman reveled

A girl can't say no if the Dear Leader wants a wife: Kim Jong-un marries mystery woman spotted at his side

• Named by state broadcaster as Ri Sol-ju
• The naming of his wife silenced the rumours that his mystery woman was a married pop-star with whom he reportedly had an affair
• His wife is also a performer, it is alleged, with YouTube videos where the woman pictured with the leader performs

By DAILY MAIL
July 25, 2012

Britain has David Cameron enthusing about his date nights with wife Samantha.

America has the Obamas happily puckering up for the kiss cam at a baseball match.And North Korea – well, North Korea has the announcement that its leader has a wife.

The country’s official state broadcaster made the revelation after weeks of speculation over the identity of a woman who has been seen accompanying Kim Jong-un at recent engagements.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and his wife, named as Ri Sol-ju, visit the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground in Pyongyang in these undated pictures

It named her as ‘Comrade Ri Sol-Ju’, and she is believed to be in her twenties or early thirties.

By the notoriously secretive standards of the communist state, it’s practically a Hello magazine world exclusive.

The announcement is the first insight the world has had into the private life of Kim, 28.

State television said Miss Ri took part in a ceremony marking the completion of a Pyongyang amusement park.

A smiling leader and his wife at the amusement park. It has not been confirmed how long the couple have been married

It released a photo of her walking alongside Kim, wearing a red polka dot jacket and smiling nervously.

North Korean watchers in South Korea had previously said the woman might be Hyon Song-wol, a former singer with the Bochonbo Electronic Music Band.

Intelligence agencies had suggested Kim and the pop singer first became romantically involved ten years ago, after he returned home from his studies at a private academy in Switzerland.

It was claimed that Kim’s late father, Kim Jong-il, had ordered him to end the relationship, and she ended up marrying an officer in the North Korean army instead.

Kim Jong-un visit the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground, which is nearing completion. It is the latest move in the young leaders bid to be more like his grandfather rather than his father Kim Jong-il

Other educated guesses suggested the mystery woman might be a younger sister.

South Korea’s unification ministry said yesterday that it appeared Miss Ri was the woman who had been pictured several times at Kim’s side at public events in recent weeks.

Photos aired by state television recently showed her standing beside Kim during a visit to a kindergarten, smiling as he hugged and talked to children.
Kim, the world’s youngest head of state, became leader last December following the death of his father.

Married: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with Ri Sol-ju, the woman state media have confirmed is his wife

Jubilation in N. Korea: Leader Kim Jong-Un named Marshal of nation`s military, country`s top military rank

Dancing on the street of Pyongyang... after soldiers learn Kim Jong Un has given himself top military job

• Son of Kim Jong-Il is already leader of Korean People's Army
• Scenes of jubilation from soldiers as son of former leader is revealed as head of military

By DAILY MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE
July 18, 2012

North Korean soldiers danced in the streets and shopping centres of Pyongyang yesterday after it was announced that leader Kim Jong Un was named as head of the reclusive nation’s military.

State media said in a special noon bulletin that North Korea’s military, government and political leadership had decided to award the top title to Kim, who already is supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army.

It solidifies his standing seven months into Kim’s rule and follows several days of reshuffling at the highest levels of the military.

Stand easy: North Korean soldiers from the Korean People's Army dance in Pyongyang following the Kim Jong Un announcement

Celebration time: Thousands of soldiers gathered following the announcement that Kim Jong Un would become the head of North Korea's military

[...]

The title of marshal - held previously by Kim’s father and grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung - is 'another brick in the wall of consolidating Kim Jong Un’s power, across party, state and military institutions,' said John Delury, a North Korea analyst at Yonsei University in South Korea.

Members of the military in North Korea had gathered to offer their new leader 'their highest glory and congratulations.'

New regime: Kim Jong Un, pictured here with former military chief Ri Yong Ho in February, was made supreme commander of the Korean People's Army in December following the death of his father

Choreographed: Kim Jong Un, who is already supreme commander of North Korea's army, is now the head of the nation's entire military

Soldiers and students in uniform filled the streets of the capital to celebrate, dancing and singing patriotic songs despite the rain.

'I am pleased that our cherished desire came into reality,' Kim Jong Gum, a student at the Kang Pan Sok Revolutionary School dressed in a military uniform, told The Associated Press. 'July 18th: This day will be remembered in our hearts as another meaningful and auspicious day.'

He was made supreme commander of the army in December, just days after his father’s death from a heart attack...

(Read the full article at DAILY MAIL)

Is there more than meets the eye with North Korea`s sudden and recent agreement to freeze uranium enrichment for food aid?

* FILE ** North Korea’s spent nuclear fuel rods, kept 

in a cooling pond, are seen at the nuclear facilities in 

Yongbyon, North Korea, about 60 miles north of the 

capital, in this 1996 photo released by South Korea’s 

Yonhap News Agency in 2003. (AP Photo/Yonhap 

News Agency, File)

N. Korea agrees to freeze nuclear programs for U.S. food aid
Washington Times
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

North Korea will put a moratorium on nuclear tests, long-range missile launches and uranium enrichment activities at its major Yongbyon nuclear facility, the State Department announced Wednesday.
Pyongyang will also allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to return to North Korea to “verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment activities at Yongbyon and confirm the disablement of the 5-MW reactor and associated facilities,” said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

In exchange, the United States has agreed to deliver a significant food-aid package to North Korea.

The announcement marks a new step in the tense relations between the West and North Korea following the death late last year of longtime North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il.

His passing set in motion an uncertain transfer of power to his son, 27-year-old Kim Jong-un, who is slated to become the youngest person to head a nation with nuclear weapons.

While the State Department took care not to characterize the agreement as a quid pro quo, Ms. Nuland said U.S. officials have agreed to meet with representatives from Pyongyang.

They will “finalize administrative details necessary to move forward with our proposed package of 240,000 metric tons of nutritional assistance along with the intensive monitoring required for the delivery of such assistance,” she said.

The sudden concessions by Pyongyang, and agreement by the United States arrives on the heals of a meeting last week in Beijing between Glyn Davies, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, and Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s first vice foreign minister.

U.S. officials also reaffirmed that Washington has no “hostile intent toward” North Korea and “is prepared to take steps to improve our bilateral relationship in the spirit of mutual respect for sovereignty and equality,” Ms. Nuland said.

“The United States still has profound concerns regarding North Korean behavior across a wide range of areas, but today´s announcement reflects important, if limited, progress in addressing some of these,” she said.

The Feb. 23 meeting in Beijing also signaled the first thaw in relations toward Pyongyang since six-nation talks with North Korea broke down after the communist government violated a 2005 agreement to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons in exchange for aid and security guarantees.

The six-nation talks — involving the United States, Russia, China, Japan and North and South Korea — were declared effectively dead in 2009 when North Korea claimed to have successfully created an underground nuclear explosion.


RT News (02/29/12) on N. Korea`s recent statement to freeze enrichment for food aid:

This TV footage from the National Chinese Television channel shows North Korea's cooling tower seconds before its public demolition at Yongbyon nuclear complex. (AFP Photo / CCTV) (RT News Feb 29, 2012)

Read/Additional Info:
N. Korea to halt nuke enrichment, missile tests - US (RT News, Feb 29, 2012)