Japan Yomiuri "Kim Yo-jong Prepared as Acting Authority in North Korea Emergency"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party and younger sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, is being prepared to act as the supreme leader in emergencies. It is expected that if Chairman Kim becomes unable to govern due to death or other reasons, power will be concentrated in his younger sister, Kim Yo-jong.

On the 22nd, Yomiuri Shimbun cited sources from South Korea, the United States, and Japan, reporting that preparations have been underway since the end of last year for Kim Yo-jong to act as the supreme leader in emergencies. According to the report, when the Workers' Party Central Committee plenary meeting was held in Pyongyang at the end of last year, an internal decision was made that if Chairman Kim becomes unable to govern due to death or other reasons, "all authority will be concentrated in Kim Yo-jong."

Yomiuri, citing South Korea-US-Japan sources, reported, "Since then, many directives have been issued to the party and military under Kim Yo-jong's name." Although Kim Yo-jong is known to belong to the Party Propaganda and Agitation Department responsible for regime propaganda, there are observations that she was appointed as the first deputy director of the Organization and Guidance Department, a key department controlling personnel rights, following the Party Central Committee plenary meeting at the end of last year. Regarding Chairman Kim's health, Yomiuri also reported that information has emerged that a French medical team visited North Korea in January due to a complex worsening of hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes.

Kim Yo-jong is known as a so-called 'Baekdu bloodline' inheriting the blood of President Kim Il-sung and is the younger sister of Chairman Kim. They studied together in Switzerland. She is known as the second most trusted figure in North Korea after Chairman Kim. Kim Yo-jong also issued statements regarding inter-Korean and North Korea-US relations under her own name on March 3 and 22 of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.