North Korea’s first lady reappears after 17-month absence – with Gucci bag in tow

Last Updated on June 26, 2025 10:13 pm

By Park Chan-kyong

North Korea’s secretive ruling family put on a rare display of domestic harmony this week, as first lady Ri Sol-ju re-emerged in public after a 17-month absence, her return appearing to signal a carefully orchestrated bid to project an image of dynastic stability.

Ri, carrying what appeared to be a Gucci handbag, was photographed alongside her husband, Kim Jong-un, and their daughter, Kim Ju-ae, at the opening of the long-delayed Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort – a showcase tourist zone on the country’s east coast.

The event, held on Tuesday and publicised in images released two days later by state media, was widely seen as a tightly choreographed family appearance intended to bolster the country’s domestic and international image.

“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 This Week in Asia.

Kim’s younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, was also present but kept her distance, seen standing near aides and playing a background role in support of her brother, sister-in-law and niece.

Notably, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui stood closer to Kim than his sister did, greeting foreign dignitaries including Russian Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora.