Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reappeared in public after an absence of over a year.
According to government media reports, yesterday Ri Sol-ju attended a concert with her husband, an event to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-il, the late father and predecessor of the the Pyongyang ruler.
Until January 2019, Ri often joined Kim in his public appearances. For several observers, the North Korean "first lady" left the scene due to health problems or a pregnancy. In a meeting with Parliament, South Korean intelligence said yesterday that Ri has avoided public meetings for fear of the Covid-19 pandemic and to look after her children.
According to experts, Ri comes from a family that belongs to the regime" nobility". Her father is a professor; her mother is a midwife. Ri, is believed to be 31, sang in the prestigious Unhasu Orchestra. She reportedly married Kim in 2009: the couple are thought to have three children.
Analysts claim that with Ri's return, North Korea wants to give the idea that it has successfully countered the spread of the coronavirus.
From the images circulated it can be seen that the concert spectators - including Kim and his wife - do not wear protective masks and do not keep their distance. Pyongyang has repeatedly stated that it has not registered any cases of infection, a position questioned by the international scientific community. The government has taken drastic preventive measures, such as closing the borders.
