April 20, 2024
Analysis

Why the death of Kim Il Sung’s wife is unlikely to cause much turbulence

Absent role in state media for several decades, death of Kim Song Ae unlikely to have much impact

South Korean intelligence now considers Kim Il Sung’s ex-wife Kim Song Ae – born in 1924 – to be officially dead, although the Ministry of Unification said it would “share” information only after thorough investigation.

At first glance, the death of a member of the Kim family clan might normally be a big deal. One could therefore even start speculating about it as being one of the reasons Kim Jong Un appears unlikely to come to Seoul before the end of 2018, as he was expected to do.

Become a member for less than $4 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.