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Wife, family, height, age, and net worth: There are many mysteries surrounding North Korean president Kim Jong-Un. Not much information is considered reliable.
Kim Jong-Un: Date of birth, family background, hobbies
Even his year of birth is the subject of speculation. Some say 1982, others say 1983. An aunt on his mother’s side said that he was born on January 8, 1984, in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Since the country is largely isolated, the information listed here about Jong-Un is not all completely reliable.
- His grandfather Kim Il-Sung (born in 1912, died in 1994) founded the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 1948 and is revered in North Korea as the “Eternal President” even after his death.
- Jong-Un’s father Kim Jong-Il took over the office of president in 1994. The “Beloved Leader” died in 2011. Jong-Un’s mother, Ko Yong-Hi, a Japanese-born Korean dancer, died of cancer in 2004. Since Jong-Il’s death, Jong-Un has been the supreme military and dictatorial ruler of North Korea.
- Jong-Un has several siblings and half-siblings from his father’s various wives. His sister Kim Yo-Jong, born in 1987, is considered a possible successor to Jong-Un.
- According to his aunt, Kim Jong-Un was given a general’s uniform as a gift on his eighth birthday. Since then, soldiers have shown him military respect.
- In a North Korean TV report on the occasion of his birthday in 2012, he was described as a “military genius” because he is said to have written essays on war strategies at the age of sixteen.
- He is said to have spent a long period of his school days under a false name as the alleged son of embassy employees in Switzerland at various schools, including in Bern. However, there is no evidence of this. These are merely speculations.
- His performance at school is said to have been mediocre. Jong-Un also took singing lessons and enjoyed singing folk songs loudly. Over time, he also learned to speak Bernese German quite well. A former classmate said that Jong-Un often listened to the North Korean national anthem at that time.
- According to his aunt, Jong-Un was a quick-tempered child. When his mother asked him to study instead of playing, he reportedly responded with a hunger strike.
- His only interest was basketball; he allegedly even went to bed with the ball. When playing, he always wore Michael Jordan’s jersey with the number 23 and Nike Air shoes.
- Another indication that Jong-Un is a big NBA fan is his friendship with former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman, who won championship titles for the Chicago Bulls alongside Jordan in the 1990s. This friendship attracted international attention.
Kim Jong-Un has a wife, children, and nuclear weapons, but no scruples
On July 25, 2012, North Korean state media announced Kim Jong-Un’s marriage to Ri Sol-Ju. However, there are indications that the wedding had already taken place in 2009. His wife is a singer. According to rumors, the couple has three children. The couple’s children are a son (born in 2010), a daughter named Ju Ae (born in 2012 or 2013), and another child of unknown gender (born in 2017).
- The politician deliberately keeps his family out of the public eye. He once told former US Secretary of State Pompeo that he wants to avoid his descendants “carrying the nuclear weapon on their backs their whole lives.”
- On the other hand, there are indications that he does not shy away from having members of his own family executed in order to maintain his power. He is said to have had an aunt, an uncle, and possibly also a half-brother murdered.
- He is also accused of numerous human rights violations. For example, refugees are shot at the border with South Korea, people are illegally detained in prison camps or publicly executed.
- Jong-Un repeatedly attracts attention with military threats against South Korea and the West. The country’s nuclear weapons program and missile tests are gloriously staged on state television.
- In a speech to the military in 2013, he said: “When the order comes, you should break the hips of the enemies, completely cut their windpipes, and show them what a real war looks like.”
- According to reports, including from dw.com, North Korea is seeking exponential armament in its nuclear weapons program and is estimated to have about 50 nuclear warheads.
- Self-declared nuclear power North Korea says it has made further progress in developing strategically important missiles. In mid-September 2021, the Academy of Defense Science successfully tested two new types of “long-range” cruise missiles that hit their targets 1,500 kilometers away in the sea, state media reported. According to experts, North Korea also hinted that the new guided missile is designed to carry nuclear warheads.
- May 12, 2022: For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than two years ago, isolated North Korea has officially confirmed cases of infection with the pathogen. According to state media, the capital Pyongyang has been affected by the outbreak of the Omicron subvariant BA.2. In view of the “emergency,” ruler Kim Jong Un has ordered all cities and counties to be strictly sealed off to prevent the virus from spreading further.
- End of July 2022: China continues to move closer to North Korea, two horror scenarios loom in the Far East
- August 11, 2022: Kim Jong Un has declared the coronavirus eradicated in his country. Kim solemnly announced victory in the fight to eradicate the “new coronavirus,” state media reported. His sister Kim Yo Jong hinted that her brother himself had contracted Covid-19. He had suffered from a high fever, it was reported.
Rich bon vivant: wealth, alcohol, cigarettes, and fine meat
The North Korean president’s fortune is estimated at €4.2 billion, with some sources such as uamr.de even putting it at €5 billion. This stands in stark contrast to the fact that a large part of the North Korean population is extremely poor and malnourished.
- In 2014 alone, he spent €13.25 million on luxury cars. In addition to cars, he also owns submarines, yachts, and airplanes. He also has a choice of 13 palatial residences, some of which have their own race tracks and train stations. He even owns a private ski resort.
- The politician reportedly spends nearly $30 million a year on hard liquor. It is said that he often drinks two bottles of fine champagne with his meals. He is also said to be a passionate meat eater with a weakness for rare Kobe beef. He is also fond of cheese, especially Emmental.
- His total annual expenditure on luxury goods is said to amount to around 500 million euros.
- He is also considered a chain smoker, going through up to four packs a day. With a height of 170 cm and an estimated weight of just under 136 kg, he is considered a high-risk candidate for cardiovascular disease.
- In April and May 2020, he disappeared from public view for an extended period. This led to speculation about his health, possible heart surgery, or even the dictator’s death. According to another theory, he stayed out of the public eye for fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. In early May, photos appeared showing Kim Jong-Un at a fertilizer factory.
- There is also speculation that North Korea’s leader suffers from insomnia and stress-related skin diseases.
