Kim Jong Eun is married, North Korea confirms

[Poll_Blind]

Source: Washington Post

TOKYO — North Korean state media on Wednesday revealed that leader Kim Jong Eun is married, a jarring announcement in a country that has long kept its first ladies nearly invisible.

The announcement ends weeks of speculation about the identity of a slender woman — with a stylish bob of hair — who’d accompanied Kim in several recent public appearances.

State media identified the woman as Kim’s wife, “Comrade Ri Sol Ju.” But there was no mention of Ri’s age or of how long the couple has been married.

The first lady’s emergence ends a four-decade period where significant others of the ruling Kim family were kept almost entirely behind the scenes. The North’s willingness to give Ri a high profile adds to mounting evidence that Kim, appointed just seven months ago as North Korea’s leader, is trying to create a more personable image than that of his dour, reclusive father.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/kim-jong-eun-is-married-north-korea-confirms/2012/07/25/gJQARLr08W_story.html

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Please join me in congratulating the new bride and groom as they embark on their new life together!

Like all newly-married couples they're picking out dinnerware, selecting mass mind control techniques they wish to employ against their starving citizens and looking toward the future- their 50th Anniversary Crowning as King & Queen of Peace in a ceremony presided over by US congressmen!



PB

[Tikki]

1. Well, babies come from somewhere...unless, N. Korea has got that 'cloning' thing down now....

Tikki

[jberryhill]

2. Where are they registered for gifts?

I checked Macy's and Sears.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Unfortunately the midget sub carrying the gifts bumped into a tuna and the crew commited suicide.

There's another one on its way back to Japan for more gifts and possibly some slow-moving sales ladies as well.

PB

[cloudbase]

28. The Disney Store. n/t

[4th law of robotics]

44. All they asked for was kind wishes

perhaps a donation to the North Korean veterans fund oh and if you have any laying around some plutonium. A few kilos should do it.

[marshall]

47. The Obama Event Registry is still open

That would be the best choice for Americans who want to gift the happy couple.

[dballance]

3. Cold blooded US

From the article at the link:

"Despite North Korea’s efforts to cultivate Kim’s warm image, however, the young leader oversees one of the world’s most cold-blooded states, one whose government funnels its money to weapons, provides scant food for its people, and punishes those who criticize the status quo."

Gees, change a few words and it sounds like the US. "funnels its money to weapons, provides scant food and punishes those who criticize the status quo."

Check, check and check.

[harun]

4. +1, Check, check, check

[fil62793skx]

11. an NK apologist? jeez..

[Posteritatis]

14. It's confusing as hell, but yeah, we've got a few around here.

My favourites are the ones who claim North Korea's freer than Western countries in general, or the US in particular.

[jberryhill]

31. I'm keeping my eye on the new MIRT volunteer

[EX500rider]

35. My fav were the ones who said they were so happy 'cause they were "always smiling" in pics..lol n/t

[Posteritatis]

37. Don't forget "their constitution says they have rights, so they're freer than us!" (nt)

[4th law of robotics]

46. Strangely enough there were a few americans who defected

to NK.

And apparently even after being treated as celebrities and being given access to luxuries no average NK citizen could even dream of many were still not happy about it.

Crossing the Line is a good documentary on Netflix that covers this.

[dballance]

23. How do you figure that? I didn't defend NK at all. /eom

[Posteritatis]

29. Comparing any western country to North Korea is pretty damned off the rails. (nt)

[Marrah_G]

20. You really can't compare us with them

The people of North Korean are and have been suffering horribly for a very long time.

[PavePusher]

25. Yeah.....

'cause the U.S. is just like N.K.

Yes, we have some problems. But if you seriously think that there are real parallels, you should probably go live there for a year or two.

Just like this guy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17767626

[FrodosPet]

41. Thousands of DUers are in prison as we speak

And you can't walk down the streets without stepping over the bodies of the starving.

Sorry, even with our flaws, I'm not accepting that the United States is as oppressive as North Korea.

Nice try at massive hyperbole, though.

[4th law of robotics]

45. Right on cue

you're right. The US and North Korea are exactly the same.

Hence all the American defectors who have their families shot in reprisal. Oh and the waves of famine that hit us regularly (leading to an obesity epidemic?).

[dballance]

48. I'm not going back to subtle commentary on the US and it's hi-jacking by the right.

Too bad if "IN YOUR FACE" bothers so many of you but the subtle route is what got us to where we are today.

If you're not walking by bridges and overpasses with homeless, hungry people with all their meager belongings in a shopping cart here in the US then you're lucky. I see it every day. If you haven't driven passed the Rescue Mission and seen the line of people snake out the front door and ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK then you are lucky. I have and it happens every day.

If you haven't seen the kids - yes kids, teenagers, in the town square drumming on the back of overturned plastic paint drums to try to make it seem more like performance art than begging you are lucky. I have seen them. They travel in groups of at least three or four for protection. Many have their loyal dogs to help with that protection so they can try to sleep at night somewhere that is not secure. The dog will alert them to strangers approaching and wake them.

If you think we don't stifle descent like despotic dictators do then talk to the record number of whistle-blowers who are being prosecuted. Or think about Bradley Manning who has spent most of the last couple of years in solitary. Much of it in only his underwear with just a blanket. Got to make an example for others so no one else dare risk their comfy apartment and trips to Chick-Fil-A.

Talk to the Occupy protestors who have been pepper-sprayed, tased, and infiltrated by government agents. Talk to the possible protestors in Chicago who were imprisoned and then had trumped up charges filed against them before they even hit the streets. SWAT teams descending on them in the middle of the night.

Talk to that Pastor who's video I saw here on DU yesterday. He was arrested, his head was bashed into broken glass and then the pavement. He has eleven stitches. All because he didn't want to have his car searched. So the Border Patrol, which was no where near the border in this event, brought in a dog and claimed the dog alerted. Despite the dog didn't bark or sit by the car which is usally what a dog does to alert. No the pastor's real crime was not cooperating like a sheep. (now I know I saw many comments about the pastor and how he's a bigot etc. but no human deserves what he got).

As for weapons. I'm taking bets now that the sequester that is supposed to cut defense spending next year will never happen. The MIC is too entrenched in too many representatives and senators districts and in their campaign funds. Just think of the poor, the infirm, the hungry and the homeless as each new weapons system rolls off the line - always late and always over budget. But hey, like Rmoney says the "Soviet Union," which hasn't existed since 1991 is our biggest threat. I can't see why China would be a threat. They already have all our jobs and a lot of our debt. Besides there wouldn't be enough Wal-Marts to ship cheap, substandard goods to if they didn't have trade with the US. And GOD forbid if we can't get our next version of the iPhone.

No we are not as bad as NK. It's an awful place. We don't "disappear" people and then just shoot them. We still take the time to trump up lame charges and prosecute them through our "justice" system.

But make no mistake that slope that is alleged to be so slippery is not that far in front of us.

[miyazaki]

56. Good post. Forget the hyenas. n/t

[fil62793skx]

57. yawn

[dballance]

59. Well, that's certainly an insightful and thought-provoking response

So sorry I bored you.

[Renew Deal]

6. Congrats to the happy couple

Hopefully she was married by choice.

[littlewolf]

7. everyone has a choice

firing squads ... forced labor camps .... or do what your told to do ...

[fil62793skx]

49. ^this.

[docgee]

8. Sorry Ladies! Guess he's off the market. nt.

[Bossy Monkey]

9. Oh goddammit! There goes my pitch for "The Bachelor: Hermit Kingdom Dictator Edition" n/t

[Poll_Blind]

12. LOL! I'd start watching TV again for that! nt

PB

[Bonhomme Richard]

10. My gut tells me, if he survives, that he is......

going to change that country.

[unc70]

16. Agree. A good chance. Swiss educated.

He apparently was educated in Switzerland. Supposedly a fan of Michael Jordan.

[Bonhomme Richard]

17. Astute enough to get rid of the head of the Army.

That's a big start.

[Marrah_G]

21. I hope he does, for the sake of the N korean people

[Posteritatis]

13. Well, monarchs do need heirs. (nt)

[DeSwiss]

15. Boy that was quick. Pregnant?

Are we about to be graced with a house full of lil' Uns?


I'll be here all week. Try the scampi, the veal's lousy.....

[SemperEadem]

19. ROFL! good one!

[treestar]

32. LOL

you deserve for that.

[Occulus]

33. You are a horrible person.

[Third Doctor]

18. I wonder

Did she really have a choice? I don't things would turn out well for her and her family for refusing "Dear Leader".

[Poll_Blind]

22. Although this may sound odd, depending on who's really in control in NK, she may actually...

...have more power than he does. To explain: There has been quite a bit of speculation that the NK dictators have always been puppets of the military and have little or no control whatsoever. In such a situation, Kim Jong Eun's wife could actually be the daughter of one of these military figures who is part of the group actually calling the shots. Sort of a reverse Sejanus situation if you've seen I, Claudius.

Just one of the many freaky possibilities given the sketchy nature of that entire set up.

I know it may sound odd but the way NK has been run has led to quite a bit of reasonable speculation that this has been the case for decades.

PB

[randome]

24. How do North Koreans have sex?

I mean, they have to live their lives putting on a good face for the sake of 'the party'.

Do they ever relax and just be themselves?

Makes one appreciate something America has to offer, doesn't it?

[jberryhill]

26. Collectively?

[randome]

39. Yeah, okay, I can see that.

Worker's paradise? Okay.

[DCBob]

27. supposedly she is a "singer"

heheh.

[jberryhill]

30. Okay, everybody, 3.... 2.... 1.... uh....

oh shit, what color are we on?

[EX500rider]

34. South Korea's Joongang Ilbo newspaper...

... identified Kim Jong-un's companion as Hyon Song-wol, a former singer with North Korea's Bochonbo Electronic Music Band, whose popularity, it says, peaked in 1995 with her hit song "Excellent Horse-Like Lady". lol!

And here it is, the most awesomest song EVER!!:

[FrodosPet]

42. A truly amazing video

The workers of the Democratic Republic of Korea are truly inspired by the wisdom and compassion of the Dear Leader, and show the magnificence of the Juche Idea.

[BadtotheboneBob]

54. All I can say is...

... WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

[FrodosPet]

58. The video?

Or my impersonation of a North Korean review of it?

[tabasco]

36. My invitation must have been misdirected!

I'm sending some government cheese for a wedding gift!

[sarcasmo]

38. The new taste tester for Kim.

[riderinthestorm]

40. This is really important. Kim Jong Eun is clearly trying to break his father's "cult of personality"

ruling style. By introducing his wife into state events, it demonstrates he's willing to share the stage.

This may seem to be a small thing but its incredibly important if this country is to emerge from its hellish past.

Congrats to the new couple (and fervent hopes they can create some real change for North Korea).

[davidpdx]

43. I think they may have been married before before Kim Jong Ill died

and possibly it wasn't make public until now. It would make sense given the fact that he had already been tapped as the next leader.

Change comes slow, but I always hope I'll be alive to see the two Koreas reunite. Until then I hope that some improvements are made to the people's lives in the north.

[hughee99]

50. I bet his Bachelor party was CRAZY! n/t

[XemaSab]

52. What a bizarre country

The closest thing I can think of is ancient Egypt where the Pharaohs were considered actual, literal gods, but in ancient Egypt the family of the Pharaoh wasn't hidden.

Is it to make him seem less human?

Even though he is an evil dictator, I hope this doesn't end in a bloodbath.

[BadtotheboneBob]

55. But, resistance is futile...

... You will be assimilated.

[sofa king]

53. We're doomed!