Kim Jong-un’s sister to accompany North Korean delegation to Pyeongchang Olympics

Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the central committee of the North Korean Workers’ Party, sees off members of the Samjiyon musical performance group at Pyongyang Station on Feb. 5. (Yonhap News)

Kim Yo-jong is the first member of the ruling family to set foot in South Korea

Kim Yo-jong, first vice director of the central committee of the North Korean Workers’ Party (KWP) and younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, will be a member of the high-ranking delegation that will be visiting South Korea on Feb. 9 to celebrate the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Kim Yo-jong is Kim Jong-un’s only younger sister, and the decision to place a member of his immediate family on the delegation is a significant gesture. Kim Yo-jong’s upcoming visit to South Korea can be taken to mean that Kim Jong-un strongly desires to improve inter-Korean relations.

“This afternoon, North Korea sent us a message notifying us of who will be on the high-level delegation led by Kim Yong-nam, the president of the Presidium of the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly. The three members of the delegation will be Kim Yo-jong, first vice director of the central committee of the North Korean Workers’ Party; Choe Hwi, chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee; and Ri Son-gwon, chair of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland,” the Unification Ministry said on the afternoon of Feb. 7. This is the first time that a direct family member of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung will visit South Korea since the Korean War.

Blue House spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum welcomed the announcement, remarking that “North Korea’s delegation appears to convey its determination to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula along with celebrating the Winter Olympics.” Kim added that the inclusion of Kim Yo-jong was “especially” significant since she plays an important role in the Korean Workers’ Party as the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.”

“The South Korean government will work hard to ensure that all necessary preparations are taken while the high-level delegation is staying in South Korea,” Kim said Ui-gyeom said.

Since Kim Yo-jong is planning to stay in South Korea from Feb. 9 to 11, she might meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House on Feb. 10 with Kim Yong-nam and the rest of the high-ranking delegation.

A schedule of Moon’s summit diplomacy during the Pyeongchang Olympics that was released by the Blue House earlier shows that no other summits are lined up for Feb. 10. This is the highest-ranking North Korean delegation to ever visit South Korea, including Kim Yo-jong and Kim Yong-nam (North Korea’s head of state according to the North Korean constitution), and if the delegation is given the honors appropriate for a summit, Moon could invite them to lunch or dinner. “The delegation will play a much bigger role than if Kim Yong-nam were coming by himself,” said a senior official at the Blue House.

“We have to assume that a real powerbroker is visiting,” said Koo Kab-woo, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, after learning that Kim Yo-jong will be visiting South Korea. “This appears to be a more assertive move than sending KWP Central Committee Vice Chairman Choe Ryong-hae.”

“We believe that the selection of figures from the KWP, the government and the world of sports significantly reflects the visit’s objective of celebrating the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics,” the Unification Ministry said. But the fact that Kim Yo-jong and Choe Hwi are both subject to sanctions by the US Treasury Department and that Choe was furthermore placed under a travel ban by UN Security Council Resolution No. 2356 is likely to spark controversy. The list sent by North Korea also includes 16 support staff (including Ri Taek-gon and Kim Song-hye) and three reporters.

By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter

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