Forget Kate and William: the wedding of the century was in Pyongyang
Seoul (AsiaNews) - After a week of increasingly
insistent rumors, the government of North Korea confirmed yesterday
that the young dictator Kim Jong-un has married his 'girlfriend Sol Ri-ju.
" The
news has been inserted, almost in passing in a long report carried by state
television on the the Stalinist leader's inauguration of first amusement park
in Pyongyang
and the whole country. The
report did not say how long they are married, but several sources - including AsiaNews that - had already spoken of a
year of marriage.
What
is certain is that "companion Ri" accompanied her husband since the
death of his father Kim Jong-il, last December. In
images from the "dear leader's" funeral the third son and heir is seen always
dressed in black, with a young woman behind him. Together
the two have opened a nursery school, went to a concert and sat next to each
other at the spin-off Disney show that angered the U.S. multi-national for non-payment
of royalties.
During
his visit to the " Pleasure
Park of the people of
Rungna," says a source, "the two were all smiles and caught being
very tender towards each other. As for its being a combined marriage, it seems
to be a marriage of love. " The
reference is to the custom that is still very popular in North Korea, of
arranged marriages through a matchmaker who is careful to match young people of
the same extraction.
In
this case the matchmaker was the dictator's powerful uncle Jang Song-taek, a
friend of the companion Ri's parents' ". The
source tells AsiaNews that the young
woman "is about 2 years younger than Jong-un, who is believed to be 30. She comes from Chongjin,
North Hamgyong
Province, and graduated from Kim Il-sung
University. She is
currently pursuing a doctorate in the same university. "
The
young man is perfect extraction: "She is the daughter of a professor of
physics [North Korea
relies entirely on developing its nuclear program ed] and a gynecologist. It
seems to good to be true: her parents represent the nation's development and
care for women,
two flagships of the propaganda. " The
courtship began two years ago: "Everybody saw the black Mercedes that
brought gifts to the house of Ri during the holidays."
The
source concludes: "Beyond these details, it is interesting to note Jong-un's
break from the stiff regime created by
his father and grandfather. Unlike them, his life is in the public square,
he even appears on a fairground ride. He applauds Mickey Mouse and launches
fast-food restaurants. Pop culture is on the up in Pyongyang. "
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12/02/2016 15:14
02/12/2009
