Jeong Seong-jang, Director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy at the Sejong Institute, claims
"Testimony from Kim Jong-un's aunt and uncle in the United States in 2021"
New claims have emerged regarding the birth and designation of Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, attracting attention. On the 20th, Jeong Seong-jang, head of the Korea Strategy Center at the Sejong Institute, held a press conference at the Yonhap News Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the publication of his book “The Kim Jong-un We Don’t Know”, asserting that Kim’s birthplace is Pyongyang, not Wonsan, Gangwon Province. He also stated that former National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il designated Kim Jong-un as his successor when he was eight years old, saying “He resembles me.”
On the 16th, a grand groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 10,000 residential units in Phase 4 of the Hwaseong District in Pyongyang was held, attended by Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 17th. Yonhap News Agency
Jeong revealed that he met Kim Jong-un’s maternal aunt, Ko Yong-suk, and her husband, Ri Kang, who defected to the United States, in March 2021. At that time, Ri Kang reportedly claimed that Kim Jong-un’s birthplace was the “No. 2 House,” a guesthouse located in the Samseok District in the northeast of Pyongyang. Furthermore, Kim Jong-nam’s aunt, Sung Hye-rang, described Kim Jong-un’s mother, Ko Yong-hui, as a “Cheolbong-ri woman” in her memoirs, and since there is a Cheolbong-ri guesthouse in the Samseok District, Ri Kang’s reference to the “Samseok District guesthouse” was interpreted as referring to the “Cheolbong-ri guesthouse.”
Jeong stated, “In North Korea, the No. 2 House is the second most important residence after Kim Jong-il’s mansion, that is, the house where the wives live,” adding, “This shows that when Kim Jong-un was born, Ko Yong-hui had not yet secured the position of the main wife.” He judged the testimony credible because Ko Yong-suk married Ri Kang following Kim Jong-il’s instruction that someone should take care of Ko Yong-hui during her pregnancy with Kim Jong-un, and Ri Kang was responsible for repairing the electrical and communication facilities at Kim Jong-il’s mansion, frequently entering the house.
Until now, Kim Jong-un’s birthplace was known to be Wonsan, Gangwon Province. During the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers’ Party, who visited South Korea, reportedly answered Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon’s question about her hometown by saying, “I was born in Pyongyang, and only my brother (Kim Jong-un) was born in Wonsan.”
Jung Sung-jang, Director of the Korea Peninsula Strategy Center at the Sejong Institute. Photo by Heo Young-han
Jeong also claimed that former Chairman Kim Jong-il highly valued Kim Jong-un’s courage and had early on designated him as his successor. According to him, Ri Kang said, “On Kim Jong-un’s eighth birthday, at a drinking party attended by Kim Jong-il and his close aides, a praise song for Kim Jong-un called ‘Footsteps’ was performed, and at that time, Kim Jong-il said, ‘My successor is Jong-un,’ which I heard directly.” When Ri Kang asked, “Isn’t that too early?” Kim Jong-il replied, “Because he resembles me.” Kim Jong-un’s elder brother, Kim Jong-chul, reportedly said, “He has a gentle personality and is not suitable as a successor.”
Regarding Kim Jong-un recently appearing with his daughter Kim Ju-ae at official events, showing signs of designating her as his successor, an analysis suggested, “Kim Ju-ae was likely designated early as a successor because she possesses innate qualities such as physique.” Jeong explained, “Kim Jong-un’s early public appearance of Kim Ju-ae seems to be intended to overcome North Korea’s son preference and the prejudice that women cannot become supreme leaders,” adding that Kim Jong-un likely considered his own health as well.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
