Kim Jong-un’s sister begins SoKor visit
PYEONGCHANG (AP) — In a stunning turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s younger sister arrived in South Korea yesterday to be her brother’s special envoy to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Kim Yo-jong, who is probably Kim’s closest confidant and is a senior cadre in North Korea’s ruling party, is the first member of the Kim dynasty to visit South Korea, though her grandfather, Kim Il-sung, traveled to areas occupied by his troops south of what is now the Demilitarized Zone during the 1950-53 Korean War.
The trip has the potential to become something of a coming out party — certainly for Kim Yo-jong, but also for her deeply isolated country.
Kim Jong-un hasn’t set foot outside North Korea or met a single head of state since he assumed power upon the death of their father, Kim Jong-il, in late 2011. His single-minded pursuit of a nuclear arsenal to counter what he sees as the threat of invasion by the United States has ratcheted up tensions not only with his rivals, but also with primary trading partner China and with Russia, once a key benefactor.
The arrival was broadcast live on South Korean television. Looking confident and relaxed, she had a brief meeting with South Korean officials, including Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, before being whisked away in a black limousine and catching the high-speed train to Pyeongchang.