Palace intrigue from North Korea as reported by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. It can be considered reliable.
The aunt of the North Korean leader is Kim Kyong-hui. She matters in North Korea because she is the widow of Kim Jong-un’s late uncle Jang Song-thaek. He was a power in the North Korean government in the transition from Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un. The two men had a falling out. Soon Jang was denounced as “miserable human” scum,” arrested for betraying the nation, and tried in secret.
Jang, once considered the No. 2 man in Pyongyang, was executed in December 2013 for treason. Kim Kyong-hui hadn’t been seen in public since, leading to speculation that she, too, had been purged. The National Intelligence Service in Seoul told the National Assembly in August 2017 that she was staying near Pyongyang and was getting medical treatment for diabetes.
Source: Kim Jong-un’s aunt makes 1st public appearance in over 6 years | Yonhap News Agency
