Who Is Kim Jong-un Wife
Introduction
Kim Jong-un’s wife is Ri Sol-ju, a former North Korean singer and cheerleader believed to have been born sometime between 1985 and 1989 in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province. Kim Jong-un is the Supreme Leader of North Korea, the third member of the Kim family to rule the country, and one of the most secretive heads of state in the world.
Because North Korea tightly controls information about its leadership, very little about Kim Jong-un’s wife has ever been officially confirmed — even basic facts like her exact birth date remain a matter of public debate rather than public record. This article pulls together everything that has been reliably reported about Ri Sol-ju: her background, her rise to public view in 2012, her marriage to Kim Jong-un, their children, and her role today as North Korea’s first lady.
Who Is Ri Sol-ju?
Ri Sol-ju’s exact date of birth has never been officially released. Various analysts and reports place her birth year anywhere between 1985 and 1989, and some sources suggest she was born on September 28, 1989, though this has not been independently verified. She is generally believed to have been born in Chongjin, a city in North Hamgyong Province, though even her birthplace is sometimes disputed.
Analysts who study North Korean leadership, including researchers at NK Leadership Watch, report that her family belongs to the country’s political elite: her father is said to have served as an officer in North Korea’s Air and Anti-Air Forces, and her mother is reported to have led a gynecology ward. She is also rumored to be a relative — a granddaughter or grandniece — of Ri Pyong-chol, a senior North Korean military official. She reportedly attended Kumsong 2 Middle School in Pyongyang before continuing her education at Kim Il-sung University, one of North Korea’s most prestigious institutions.
Ri Sol-ju’s Career & Public Life
Before marrying into North Korea’s ruling family, Ri Sol-ju is widely reported to have worked as a performer. South Korean intelligence sources and North Korean defector reports suggest she sang with the Unhasu Orchestra, a state performance troupe, and may have been linked to an arts unit connected to North Korea’s Ministry of State Security. Some reports also claim she traveled to South Korea in 2005 as part of a North Korean cheerleading squad during a sporting event, though this detail has not been confirmed by primary sources.
Since her public identification as Kim Jong-un’s wife in 2012, her “career” has shifted entirely into the ceremonial role of first lady. She regularly appears alongside Kim Jong-un at military parades, cultural events, and international summits, including meetings with foreign leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping. As with nearly everything about North Korea’s ruling family, there is no publicly available or verifiable information about her personal net worth.
How Did Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju Meet?
Unlike most celebrity couples, there is no known public “how they met” story for Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju, because North Korean marriages within the ruling elite are widely believed to be arranged rather than the result of public courtship. According to reporting cited by outlets such as NK Leadership Watch, the marriage was arranged after Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un’s father, suffered a stroke in 2008 and moved quickly to settle his son’s succession and personal life.
Some accounts suggest Ri Sol-ju was vetted and matched with Kim Jong-un with the involvement of his aunt, Kim Kyong-hui, and her husband, Jang Song-thaek. The couple reportedly married in 2009, though the exact date, location, and any details of an engagement have never been made public. There was no formal announcement of the marriage at the time — it remained a closely guarded secret for years.
Marriage & Wedding Details
North Korean state media has never confirmed a wedding date, venue, or ceremony details for Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju, which is consistent with the extreme secrecy surrounding the personal lives of the country’s ruling family. Most researchers estimate the marriage took place in 2009, before Kim Jong-un was formally named his father’s successor.
The couple’s relationship only became publicly known in July 2012, when North Korean state media referred to Ri Sol-ju as Kim Jong-un’s “wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju” during coverage of a public event. That announcement itself was notable: Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un’s father, had never publicly introduced his own wives during his rule, so acknowledging Ri Sol-ju as first lady was seen as a deliberate shift in how the regime wanted to present its new young leader.
Children & Family Life
Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju are widely believed to have three children, though North Korea has never released an official, complete accounting of them. Reports suggest their first child, a son, was born around 2010. Their second child, a daughter named Kim Ju-ae, became publicly known after former NBA star Dennis Rodman visited North Korea in 2013 and mentioned meeting the couple’s baby daughter.
Kim Ju-ae has since appeared publicly alongside her father at high-profile events, including missile launches, drawing international attention as a possible signal about the country’s succession plans. South Korean intelligence officials have reported that Ri Sol-ju gave birth to a third child in February 2017, though that child’s name and gender have not been confirmed. As with most details about the family, information about their day-to-day life remains almost entirely hidden from public view.
Ri Sol-ju on Social Media
Ri Sol-ju does not have any known public social media presence. North Korea heavily restricts internet access for its citizens, including senior officials and the ruling family, and there are no verified Instagram, Twitter/X, or Facebook accounts belonging to her. Any accounts claiming to represent her online are not authenticated and should be treated as unofficial or fake. The only images and footage of Ri Sol-ju available to the public come through North Korean state media releases and occasional coverage from foreign press during diplomatic events.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ri Sol-ju |
| Date of Birth | Unconfirmed; estimated c. 1985–1989 |
| Nationality | North Korean |
| Profession | Former singer/performer; current First Lady of North Korea |
| Married to | Kim Jong-un |
| Marriage Year | 2009 (reported; unconfirmed) |
| Children | 3 (reported; not all officially confirmed) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
FAQ Section
Q: What is Kim Jong-un’s wife’s name?
A: Kim Jong-un’s wife is Ri Sol-ju. She has served as North Korea’s first lady since being publicly identified in 2012.
Q: How old is Ri Sol-ju?
A: Her exact age isn’t officially known. Most estimates place her birth year between 1985 and 1989.
Q: What does Ri Sol-ju do for a living?
A: She was reportedly a singer and performer before her marriage. Today, her public role is as North Korea’s first lady.
Q: When did Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju get married?
A: They are believed to have married in 2009, though North Korea has never confirmed an official date. Their marriage wasn’t publicly acknowledged until 2012.
Q: How many kids do Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju have?
A: They are believed to have three children, including a daughter named Kim Ju-ae. Full details about all three have not been officially released.
Conclusion
Ri Sol-ju remains one of the most talked-about yet least understood figures connected to North Korea’s leadership. As Kim Jong-un’s wife, she has taken on a far more visible public role than any previous North Korean first lady, appearing at state events, military parades, and international summits. Still, because of North Korea’s extreme secrecy, much of her personal story — her exact age, her wedding details, and her private family life — remains unofficial or unconfirmed. What is clear is that Kim Jong-un’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, has become a defining part of how the regime presents itself to the world.