SEOUL – Kim Jong Un’s wife made her first public appearance in more than a year when she attended a concert in celebration of one of the biggest holidays in North Korea.
Ri Sol Ju, who was presumably in her early thirties, had been absent from the state media since January 25, 2020 when she was photographed at a theater performance on New Year’s Day. Ri’s public absence has sparked speculation that she may be pregnant, sick and caring for a sick family member.
South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers this week that Ri’s low profile could be due to concerns about Covid-19.
But during Tuesday’s concert, North Korea’s first lady is shown smiling and without a face mask, while she walks next to Mr. Kim sits in a crowded Pyongyang theater. She watched a song-and-dance performance in honor of the birthday of Kim Jong Il, the current leader’s deceased father, during the country’s “Day of the Shining Star” holiday.
Ri, who was first mentioned as Kim Jong Un’s wife in 2012, initially appeared regularly in state media, a move that, according to Pyongyang viewers, was aimed at humanizing the dictator with fresh faces. In 2018, she was traveling to Beijing when her husband met Chinese leader Xi Jinping and later played host to other state visits to Pyongyang by foreign leaders such as South Korean President Moon Jae-in.