Gucci handbags and water slides: North Korea's first lady makes rare appearance

Times

5 hours ago

It is summertime in North Korea and the dictator, Kim Jong-un, a man who usually relishes inspecting ballistic missiles and battleships, visited a new seaside resort.
But when pictures of the walkabout were released this week it was not the sight of the autocrat grinning on the beach or watching as a reveller launched himself off a waterslide that caught the eye of Pyongyang watchers but rather who was by the leader's side.
Ri Sol-ju, the hermit kingdom's first lady, appeared in public for the first time in 17 months. It was a carefully staged display of family unity aimed at reinforcing the image of a stable and enduring Kim family regime. She appeared alongside her husband and their daughter Kim Ju-ae at the long-delayed opening of the Wonsan Kalma resort, a flagship tourism project on the country's east coast.
Images released two days after the event showed the trio attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony and reviewing the sprawling seaside complex. Ri, 35, was dressed in a white blouse and loose black trousers, and was apparently carrying a Gucci handbag.
The first lady's last known appearance in public was at a New Year's Day arts performance in January 2024, after which their teenage daughter has taken on an increasingly prominent public role.
Kim's powerful sister Kim Yo-jong stood at a distance, emphasising the primacy of her brother, sister-in-law and niece.
'This is a choreographed move designed to project an image of an ideal socialist family embodied by the Kims,' Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told the South China Morning Post.
Ri's return to public view may be part of an effort to complement her daughter's rising profile. Introduced officially in 2012 and later given the title 'respected first lady,' Ri has had long periods away from the spotlight before reappearing during high-profile diplomatic events in 2018.
In contrast to her mother's low profile Ju-ae has been seen accompanying her father to events and ceremonies since her public debut at a missile launch in November 2022. She was initially referred to on state media as the 'beloved' daughter of Kim. In 2023, on a greenhouse tour in Kangdong county, home to the Kims' summer retreat, that reference was switched to 'respected', the term used to describe her father, fuelling speculation that she was being prepared to eventually take over the reins from him.
Ju-ae is believed to have an older brother and a younger sibling, though they have not been seen in public.
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, told South Korean media that Ri's reduced presence may have been strategic, allowing her daughter to assume greater prominence.
The Wonsan Kalma resort, first announced in 2016 with an intended opening in 2019, had been repeatedly delayed by international sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic. The seaside playground can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests, and features beaches, sports and recreation and catering services, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
'The Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area should play a leading role in establishing North Korea's tourism culture,' Kim was quoted as saying.
Mostly catering to Chinese and some Russian visitors from the shared borders to the north, North Korea's tourism industry is strictly controlled by the reclusive communist government — all visitors must be accompanied by guides and contact with most citizens is prohibited.'The Kim regime is domestically projecting an image of the resort as fit for royalty. It is meant to symbolise that the North Korean leadership is delivering not only security in the form of nuclear weapons, but also economic development that can reward citizens loyal to the regime with a luxury holiday,' said Leif-Eric Easley, a North Korea expert and professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.
While the Kim family crafted a message of unity at home, reports from Seoul suggest Pyongyang is expanding its involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine. North Korea is likely to send additional troops to support Russia in the conflict, possibly as early as next month or August, South Korea's spy agency told the country's national assembly on Thursday.
The assessment by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) follows Russian media reports that Pyongyang will dispatch 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.
'North Korea is continuing to send troops and supply weapons to Russia, and we see its support has played a significant role in Moscow's efforts to retake Kursk,' AFP quoted Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the national assembly, telling reporters after an NIS briefing.
'After dispatching 11,000 personnel in October last year, Russia has already announced a second deployment of 4,000 troops, and a further 6,000 construction troops to assist in rebuilding Kursk,' he said.
North Korea has provided Russia with more than ten million artillery shells, missiles and long-range weapons in exchange for economic co-operation and technical support, the NIS said.
As Kim Jong-un projects family unity at home and strategic ties abroad, the policy appears designed to reinforce both domestic authority and international relevance, securing the future of the regime.