All eyes on Kim Jong-il's consort
Wed, September 24 2008
Experts believe Kim is retaining a firm grip on power, running the nation from his bed with the help of military and communist party chiefs. But they are not discounting the role of the woman who is seen by some as the de facto first lady.
“She is the closest person personally to Kim Jong-il,” said Marcus Noland, a North Korea expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “She’s the one guarding the bedroom or hospital door. She would be in a position to convey his preferences.”
Kim, 66, reportedly suffered a stroke last month and is recuperating after emergency brain surgery. But North Korean officials deny that Kim, who was last seen in public more than a month ago, is ill.
Kim took over from his father, Kim Il-sung, in 1994. He has three sons – Jong Nam, Jong Chul and Jong Un – but does not appear to have anointed any of them as his heir.
The longer he remains bedridden, the greater the likelihood of a power vacuum, say analysts, and Kim Ok may be poised to fill any void. They speculate that Kim’s dependence on her during his illness may further bolster her political clout.
Little is known about her. Kim is believed to have had three wives before taking her as his consort several years ago. She reportedly accompanied him on his secret visit to China in 2006.
She is said to be a pianist in her 40s who has served as the leader’s secretary since the 1980s.
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