hankyoreh

where the purge of Jang Song-thaek was decided. The men at Kim’s sides are expected to form the next generation of leadership in North Korea.

By Ha Eo-young, staff reporter

Following the purge of former Party Administrative Division director Jang Song-thaek, it appears that believe that North Korea’s Baekdu bloodline (descendants of Kim Il-sung), of which leader Kim Jong-un is the head, has consolidated its grip on power. During this process, it seems unlikely that government officials who are grouped with Jang will manage to avoid being purged. First vice director Ri Yong-ha and vice director Jang Su-gil may have been early examples of this.

The first question is concerning the whereabouts of Kim Kyong-hui, 67, wife of Jang and aunt of Kim Jong-un. In the history of North Korean purges, there are examples of one spouse being purged or fired for wrongdoing while the other spouse was unaffected. However, Kim has not been seen at an official event since September, and she did not appear to be present at the meeting of the party’s Political Bureau on Dec. 8 when it was decided to purge Jang.

There are also some who believe she may attend the upcoming memorial ceremony on the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il in order to validate the execution of her husband, Jang, and lend her support to the one-person regime of Kim Jong-un. The argument is that using Kim Kyong-hui to fill the empty spot left by Jang would not be unreasonable in light of the importance placed on blood lines in the North Korean system.

However, experts believe that Kim’s symbolic role of guardian of Kim Jong-un has been tarnished by the execution of her husband and that it is possible that Kim may have to retire in the power shuffle that is to follow.

Kim Jong-un’s wife Ri Sol-ju is another point of focus. She has not made any public appearances for the past two months even though she is the first lady of North Korea, making her the subject of various rumors. It is understood that Jang introduced Ri to Kim Jong-un. Before her marriage, Ri was a singer for the Unhasu Orchestra, which was under Jang’s supervision. While some observers believe that she is being kept out of the public eye for this reason, the fact that she maintains her position as wife of Kim Jong-un, the sole ruler in North Korea, has led to expectations that her connection with Jang does not pose that much of a problem.

It also appears that Kim Jong-chul, another member of the Baekdu line, will continue to support Kim Jong-un from behind the scenes without any official title. Kim Jong-chul studied in Switzerland with his younger brother Kim Jong-un, and there are rumors that he personally led the State Security Ministry and Guard Command during Jang’s ouster.

Kim Jong-un’s younger sister Kim Yeo-jong is reportedly a manager in the Party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department and at the National Defense Commission, sources say. Analysts expect that Kim Yeo-jong will inherit the responsibilities currently held by her aunt Kim Kyong-hui.

Observers are also interested in Kim Jong-un’s older sister Kim Sul-song. One theory is that she is a housewife, while others suggest that she was the person who masterminded Jang’s purge. While Kim Sul-song currently has no official title, overseas media have identified her as a hidden powerbroker in North Korea.

As the Baekdu line solidifies its grip on power, the purge of Jang Song-thaek’s followers is expected to continue. The death sentence delivered in Jang’s case described him as the leader of insurrection, and an expression severely criticizing the “Jang Song-thaek gang” also appeared. So far, analysts believe that there could be tens of thousands of followers of Jang in the Party, the cabinet, and the military.

In particular, the court’s decision mentioned departments in the Party’s central committee, affiliated organizations, and the North Korean army, stating that military leaders who were connected with the department of youth projects and affiliated organizations were plotting insurrection, suggesting that these may be the main targets of the purge.

Dec. 17 will be the second anniversary of the death of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. It may be that how his son Kim Jong-un and other figures appear on this occasion will foreshadow what will happen in the coming reorganization of government.

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