Why Kim Jong Un never talks about his mother - or her controversial bloodline
Summary
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un never talks about his mother, Ko Yong Hui, because her background does not fit the official story of the family's sacred bloodline. She was born in Japan to Korean immigrants and belonged to a socially lower group in North Korea, which conflicts with the regime’s image of pure heritage.Key Facts
- Kim Jong Un has not publicly mentioned his mother by name in 15 years of ruling North Korea.
- The regime bases its legitimacy on the “Mount Paektu” bloodline, tied to Korea’s mythical founder and North Korea’s first leader.
- Kim’s mother, Ko Yong Hui, was born in Osaka, Japan, around 1952, into a family of “Zainichi Koreans” (ethnic Koreans living in Japan).
- Ko’s family moved to North Korea as part of a migration program promising a good life, but they were viewed as socially lower (“jjaepo”) and faced discrimination.
- North Korea’s songbun system ranks people by social status; Ko’s group was considered part of the “wavering class,” meaning they were not fully trusted.
- Ko Yong Hui worked in an elite arts troupe and caught the attention of Kim Jong Il, who had other wives and mistresses.
- Kim Jong Il and Ko Yong Hui had three children, including Kim Jong Un.
- The regime hides Ko’s identity to maintain the myth of a pure and sacred family bloodline from Mount Paektu.
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