Free Republic

/begin my summary N. Korea: Who is the real fourth wife of Kim Jong-il?(we got it wrong) Hwang Il-do According to Sept. 1 issue of Shin-dong-a, S. Korean monthly news magazine, high-level N. Korean defectors and Fujimoto Kenji, one-time Japanese chef for Kim Jong-il, all agreed that the initial photo of Kim OK is wrong, which was identified by news agency Yonhap and later by S. Korean TV Network MBC from photos of N. Korean delegation to U.S. in 2000. They say that the woman in the photo is just a mere staff, not the fourth wife of Kim Jong-il...

/begin my translationKim Jong-il: Built Nuke Shelter 10 Years Ago; Fourth Wife, Kim OK, his  Safe Keeper   The author of  'Kim Jong-il's Chef' reveals more in his third publicationSept. issue of 'Monthly Chosun' reports"I saw them bring fake 100 thousand dollars to Europe and coming back with real dollars"   Fujimoto Kenji, a Japanese who worked as 'Kim Jong-il's chef' for thirteen years since 1987, published last month another book, titled 'Dear General Who Loved Books and Women.' This is his third book, following 'Kim Jong-il's Chef,' and 'Kim Jong-il's Private Life.' September issue of 'Monthly Chosun' reported some excerpts from the...

Kim Jong-sook, Kim Jong-il's mother Sung Hye-rim, Kim Jong-il's first long-term mistress Kim Jong-nam, the son of Sung Hye-rim and Kim Jong-il(top photo; the boy at the center in the photo at the right) The older boy in the right picture later defected to S. Korea, who was killed by a N. Korean hit team in '97. Ko Yong-hee, Kim Jong-il's second long-term mistress, and her son, Kim Jong-chol, a likely heir to Kim Jong-il

/begin my translation Kim Jong-il's Wife, Ko Yong-hee, died on Aug. 13 08/30/04 Ko Yong-hee(age:51), the wife of N. Korean leader Kim Jong-il, died of heart failure at the dawn of Aug. 13, highly credible Chinese sources on N. Korea confirmed on Aug. 30. The sources revealed that they had verified Ko's death through multiple channels, adding that they had already had her funeral without making a public announcement, in order to follow the policy of keeping Kim Jong-il's personal life private and also out of fear that power struggles may erupt over who is going to succeed Kim. According...

A Mystery About a Mistress in North Korea By JAMES BROOKE Published: August 27, 2004 EOUL, South Korea, Aug. 26 - South Korean government officials are struggling to confirm persistent reports from North Korea of the recent death of its leader Kim Jong Il's favorite mistress, a former dancer who was elevated in the Communist state's pantheon to the status of "respected mother." The woman, Koh Young Hee, a Japanese-born Korean dancer, was treated in Paris last spring for advanced cancer. Over the summer, Ms. Koh, the 51-year-old mother of two of Mr. Kim's sons, was flown back to the...

Ko Yong-hee, Kim Jong-il's wife in critical condition Ko Yong-hee(50), the wife of N. Korean leader Kim Jong-il was wounded in a car crash late last month and is in critical condition, Sankei Shimbun(a Japanese daily) reported. She was injured while trying to step into her car. She suffered a serious head injury, according to Sankei's source on N. Korea.

TOKYO (AP) - North Korea has launched a campaign to promote the 21-year-old son of leader Kim Jong Il as his successor, Kyodo News reported Saturday. Kim Jong Il turns 61 on Sunday and there is no suggestion that he will step down soon or is in poor health. The Japanese news agency said a classified North Korean military document reverentially referred to Kim's current wife Ko Yong Hee as "mother" and "loyal subject." The North started a similar campaign in the mid-1970s to idolize Kim Jong Il's mother when he was earmarked to succeed his father, Kim Il...