Who is Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong?
Basketball star Dennis Rodman has given grave warnings about the health of his friend, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Dennis, who visited North Korean in 2013 and said he had made a ‘friend for life’ in Mr Kim, spoke on Good Morning Britain in the wake of rumours that the leader was either in a ‘vegetative state’ or dead following heart surgery.
When Dennis was asked if he knew how Mr Kim was doing, he replied: ‘I do have communications with North Korea, but I can say this though – If you see his sister on TV, running the country, now you know something is wrong, that’s all I’m going give you.’
As reports of Kim Jong Un’s death – which originated on CNN – continue to circulate, here’s a closer look at his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong.
Who is Kim Yo Jong?
Ms Kim is a politician in her native North Korea.
Her exact date of birth is not known – The U.S. Treasury has it that her birthday is 26 September 1989, however, South Korean sources have it that she was born on the same day in 1987.
She’s often photographed next to her brother, and analysts have predicted that she could take over if he was suddenly unable to rule.
Mr Kim and Ms Kim are said to have a close relationship as a result of spending 1996 to 2000 studying in isolation together in Switzerland.
When she got back to North Korea, it’s thought Ms Kim continued her education at the Kim Il-sung Military University and went on to study computer science at the Kim Il-sung University.
It’s thought that she already has a history of taking over state duties when her brother is indesposed, particularly in October 2014.
She was removed from the politburo – an executive committee for communist political parties – in April 2019, but was reinstated again this April.
This has further added to the speculation that she could be being lined up to take over if Mr Kim is unable to rule.
MORE: Dennis Rodman’s grave warning about Kim Jong Un’s sister being on TV
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