When she went to the North defying all S. Korean laws, she predictably got a thunderous welcome at a Pyongyang stadium, and even met Kim Il-sung. After her return from N. Korea, she was arrested and sentenced to 4 years in prison.
However, she was touted as a "brave" heroine by S. Korean "Juche" left. She is akin to Hanoi Jane of U.S. in that respect. Hanoi Jane had better luck with her life, though.
Despite being rabidly anti-American pro-North, she studied, and lived in U.S.. Now we learned that she put her son into a head-start English program. Somehow, she values her access to U.S.-inspired global order. Many hardcore lefties are like her. They want to be in a system they so vehemently proclaim to hate.
Still, it is a real tragedy to lose her son like that.
Yes, it is a tragedy. The mother's politics, however wrong and harmful, don't take away from the deep sadness of a child's death.