The extreme restrictions Kim Jong-un’s wife Ri Sol-ju is subject to
Bizarre stories from North Korea
It’s no secret that North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un loves making headlines. One bizarre story after another about the communist country and its leader is constantly served to the world.
Extremist practices
There is no exception in the dictator’s family life, as his wife, Ri Sol-ju, the First Lady of North Korea, must conform to many extreme traditionalist practices.
She was forced to marry
First of all, Ri Sol-ju and Kim Jong-un were forced to marry each other according to the Korea Times. The newspaper reported that when Kim Jong-un’s father Kim Jong-il had a stroke in 2008, he ordered that his son marry Ri Sol-ju and there was no questioning the supreme leader.
They changed her first name
Ri Sol-ju had to leave her birth name behind after becoming Kim Jong-un’s wife. Her entire past was deliberately hidden and her real name and year of birth are a mystery to the public, according to South Korea intelligence reports.
Not allowed to see her family
It is said that Ri Sol-ju has not seen her parents since she married Kim. It’s not that she comes from an obscure family in North Korea. On the contrary, she comes from a wealthy and respected family, according to South Korean media, which makes restricting her access to her family rather unusual.
Not allowed to choose her clothes
Ri Sol-ju’s clothing is conservative and needs her husband’s approval, according to ABC News, though she wears designer clothes and is considered a ‘fashion icon’ to North Korean women. She’s not allowed to wear jeans, even though she wore more Western-style clothing in the early days of their marriage.
Not allowed to choose her hairstyle
Likewise, after giving birth to her first child in 2010, Ri Sol-ju’s hairstyle has seemed to stay the same in all pictures made public of her.
She cannot appear in public on her own
It is impossible to see Ri Sol-ju alone. She’s always seen with Kim. Her children are also not allowed to be seen at public events. That’s why even in the age of social media not a single picture of their kids has ever been seen, although there are some speculations in the internet.
Ri-Sol ju can’t appear in the press without permission
Without Kim Jung-un’s direct permission, no one dares to take a photo of the first lady or the family, according to South Korean media.
She cannot leave North Korea
Ri Sol-ju is not allowed to travel or take tours outside her country. She can only participate in funeral-related visits upon the death of a leader and, of course, accompanied by her husband, according to South Korean media outlets.
Forced to hide her pregnancies
Ri has lived under strict protection ever since she became part of the ruling family of North Korea. But that level of security and isolation is further strengthened whenever she’s been pregnant, when she has dissapeared from the public eye for several months.
Forced into giving birth right after marriage
Some South Korean media outlets say Ri was forced into childbirth right after marriage. According to most, she married Kim in 2009 and gave birth in 2010. Although a few others say the couple got married in 2010.
Pressured to give birth to a son
Several South Korean media speculate that Ri and Kim have three children: two daughters and a son, although this has never been officially confirmed by the government. Sources reported Ri was constantly pressured to have more children until she had a son.
