Princewill Pius
Kim Yo Jong — not to be confused with her brother, leader Kim Jong Un — has been in the public eye for quite some time, despite only being in her early 30s. According to Biography.com, she debuted in politics in 2007 when she joined the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), which is no surprise considering both her brother and late father were members. She worked her way up to being a high-ranking official during a turbulent time when her father suffered from strokes. The littlest Kim took on increasing roles in politics leading up to her father’s death, and was reportedly groomed for political life by her aunt Kim Kyong-hui, who was also a prominent member of the WPK.
Despite being a frontrunner in the party and the candidate most likely to replace her brother, neither of them were always in North Korea. Kim Yo Jong actually spent a good chunk of her life in Switzerland, where she was sent at just 9 years old to continue her education under a pseudonym, along with her brother. The two lived there with their aunt and uncle, and the isolating experience is said to have drawn them closer together as siblings.
But it’s not her time in Switzerland that could jeopardize her reign, if it does come to fruition. It’s her womanhood that could get in the way of her power, seeing that female leaders are still considered untraditional in the country.
Written by: Nicki
