The Untold Secrets Behind Kim Jong-Nam’s 2017 Assassination That Shook North Korea’s Power Struggle
Following the incident, Kim Jong-nam effectively lived in exile, primarily in Macau. And, as rumors spread that his father Kim Jong-il had begun to favor his younger half-brother, Kim Jong-un, it seemed that he’d been removed from the line of succession as well.
After Kim Jong-il died in 2011, and Kim Jong-un took power in North Korea, multiple attempts were made on Kim Jong-nam’s life. The final fatal attack came in 2017, when Kim Jong-nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in a shocking public assassination.
Early Life And Position As Heir Apparent
Born on May 10, 1971 in North Korea, Kim Jong-nam was the first son of Kim Jong-il. He was born out of wedlock — Kim Jong-il had been having a secret affair with Song Hye-rim, a North Korean actress. Because of this, and because of his grandfather Kim Il-sung’s disapproval, much of Kim Jong-nam’s early life was kept secret from the public.
Korean Central News AgencyA photo of Kim Jong-nam with his father, Kim Jong-il, released by the state news agency of North Korea.
Still, it seemed that Kim Jong-nam would likely one day succeed his father as the leader of North Korea. As a child, he attended international schools in Moscow and Geneva, and learned to speak German and French (as well as English). Kim Jong-nam was also exposed to international ideas and enjoyed freedom of movement.
But his return to North Korea in 1988 was difficult. For one, Kim Jong-nam felt trapped living behind the palace gates in Pyongyang. For another, his father had begun a relationship with a dancer named Ko Yong Hui, with whom he’d have three children including Kim Jong-nam’s half-brother Kim Jong-un.
Post Comment