A persistent mystery surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is the extreme secrecy maintained regarding his mother, Ko Yong Hui. Throughout his 15 years in power, Kim has never once identified her by name in public. This silence is deeply rooted in the regime’s reliance on the “Mount Paektu” bloodline, a lineage purportedly linked to the mythical founder of the Korean people. In a nation that emphasizes hereditary purity, the identity of the supreme leader’s mother is viewed as a significant threat to his authority.
The state’s narrative claims the Korean story began at Mount Paektu, which reportedly served as a hideout for founder Kim Il Sung while fighting against the Japanese between 1910 and 1945. While official records claim Kim Jong Il was born on those sacred slopes, evidence indicates he was likely born in Russia. Nevertheless, the mountain is used to justify the dynasty. Exiled diplomat Ryu Hyun-woo noted in his book, Kim Jong Un’s Secret Vault, that Kim Jong Un became the heir in his 20s without prior achievements, relying entirely on this sacred lineage.
The reality of Ko Yong Hui’s background contrasts sharply with this myth. Biographers indicate she was born in Osaka in 1952, to parents from Jeju Island. As “Zainichi Koreans,” her family moved to North Korea between 1959 and 1984, joining roughly 93,000 others lured by promises of an ideal life. Eventually, these migrants were labeled “jjaepo,” a derogatory term for those perceived as contaminated by foreign ideologies. Under the country’s strict songbun social classification, they belong to the “wavering class,” facing surveillance and limited opportunities. Experts, such as Kim Hyung-su, suggest the concept of the leader being the son of a jjaepo is unimaginable for the regime.
Ko Yong Hui was a member of the elite Mansudae Art Troupe when she attracted the attention of Kim Jong Il. According to a 2025 book by Japanese reporter Yoji Gomi, her dancing skills and natural beauty captivated him. Though Kim Jong Il was already married to a woman selected by his father, he had three children with Ko. Due to the severe stigma surrounding children born out of wedlock, Ko and her children were kept 210 km (130 miles) away from Pyongyang in the coastal town of Wonsan. She never married the supreme leader and was never recognized as a daughter-in-law by Kim Il Sung.
Following the death of Kim Il Sung, Ko became the de-facto first lady, accompanying her partner on military tours and offering input on policy. An official documentary from 2011 featured her, but the film was never released publicly. It was shown to senior party officials in June 2012 before being recalled after leaking via smuggled USB drives because it sparked public curiosity that threatened to expose her background. Ko passed away in 2004 from breast cancer in Paris, and her death went unmentioned by state media.
Kim Jong Un ultimately inherited power because his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was sidelined for advocating reform, and his brother, Kim Jong Chul, was ruled out due to an opium addiction. Ko is believed to have worked to position her son as the next leader to protect their family. Analysts note that Kim Jong Un’s birthday is not a national holiday, likely to prevent scrutiny of his mother’s identity. This perceived deficiency may have influenced his decision to publicly introduce his wife, Ri Sol Ju—who possesses better songbun—and his daughter at an early stage. Experts warn that if the public learned of his mother’s Japanese origins, it could destabilize the entire hereditary system, acting with the force of a nuclear bomb on North Korean society.
