North Korean state media ended weeks of speculation today, announcing that the mystery woman who has accompanied North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on recent public events is his wife.
Referring to her as Ri Sol Ju, the station reported on the couple's visit to Neung Ra People's Resort during the 8 p.m. broadcast, identifying Ri by name for the first time, and identifying her as "wife" four times during the news report.
"As welcome music played, our Marshal Kim Jong Un and his wife comrade Ri Sol Ju came to the inauguration," the announcer read.
Ri, wearing a black skirt with a burgundy jacket in black heels, was shown walking alongside Kim at the resort followed by Kim's uncle Jang Song-Taek, the Vice Chairman of National Defense Commission and known to be the power behind the new leader. In another scene, she was seen sitting on the right side of Kim while being briefed by officials.
Ri, a short-haired woman who appears to be in her 20s or early 30s, made her first public appearance with Kim on July 5, wearing a yellow polka dot dress and white jacket, during a concert in Pyongyang.
Since then, she's been seen walking next to the new leader on a visit to the mausoleum of his father and late leader Kim Il Sung. On Tuesday, state television aired photos of the woman standing next to Kim during a visit to a kindergarten. She was seen smiling, as Kim hugged and talked to children, with officials standing behind the couple.
