ALONE: Kim Jong Un’s wife made her first public appearance in more than a year when she attended a concert celebrating one of North Korea’s most important festivals.
Ri Sol Ju, believed to be in her thirties, had been absent from the state media since January 25, 2020, when she was photographed in a theatrical performance on Lunar New Year’s Day. Ms. Ri’s public absence fueled speculation that she could be pregnant, ill, caring for a sick or purged relative.
This week the South Korean spy agency told lawmakers that Ms. Ri’s low profile could be due to concerns about Covid-19.
But at Tuesday’s concert, the North Korean first lady was shown smiling and without a mask, sitting next to Mr. Kim in a full Pyongyang theater. He saw a dance and song performance in honor of the birthday of Kim Jong Il, the current leader’s late father, during the country’s “Bright Star Day” holiday.
Ri, first mentioned as Kim Jong Un’s wife in 2012, initially appeared frequently in state media, a move Pyongyang observers said aimed at humanizing the new-faced dictator. In 2018, she traveled to Beijing when her husband met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and then hosted other state visits to Pyongyang by foreign leaders such as South Korean President Moon Jae-in.