Sister act: North Korea ups the ante with an increasingly outspoken Kim Yo Jong



Analysis Sister act: North Korea ups the ante with an increasingly outspoken Kim Yo Jong Pyongyang knows that international focus is on the leader's sister — and that her statements will get Trump's attention Markus V. Garlauskas July 14, 2020 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Pyeongyang Press Corps The statement by Kim Yo Jong on 10 July was unusual in terms of style and wording, making it worthy of additional focused attention and analysis. However, its primary themes are consistent in substance with the Kim regime’s strategic lines of public messaging this year. Its wording is also consistent with establishing an increasingly important and unique role for Kim Yo Jong within the regime in support of her brother, but not as his “number two” or designated successor. When North Korean state media disseminates an apparently unprecedented type of English-language message from a North Korean official other than the © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Analysis

Sister act: North Korea ups the ante with an increasingly outspoken Kim Yo Jong

Pyongyang knows that international focus is on the leader's sister — and that her statements will get Trump's attention

Markus V. Garlauskas July 14, 2020

Sister act: North Korea ups the ante with an increasingly outspoken Kim Yo Jong

Pyeongyang Press Corps

The statement by Kim Yo Jong on 10 July was unusual in terms of style and wording, making it worthy of additional focused attention and analysis. However, its primary themes are consistent in substance with the Kim regime’s strategic lines of public messaging this year.

Its wording is also consistent with establishing an increasingly important and unique role for Kim Yo Jong within the regime in support of her brother, but not as his “number two” or designated successor.

When North Korean state media disseminates an apparently unprecedented type of English-language message from a North Korean official other than the

About the Author

Markus V. Garlauskas

Markus V. Garlauskas led the U.S. intelligence community’s strategic analysis on North Korea as the National Intelligence Officer for North Korea from July 2014 to June 2020, after serving in U.S. Forces Korea for twelve years. Following the conclusion of his appointment to the Senior National Intelligence Service, he joined the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security of the Atlantic Council as a nonresident senior fellow with its Asia Security Initiative. He also teaches a graduate course titled “Strategic Analysis: North Korea” for Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program. Follow him on Twitter.

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