North Korea’s “Ivanka”?

How friendly is the true face of Kim-Jong-Un’s sister?

Vice+President+Mike+Pence+sitting+in+front+of+Kim+Jo-Jong+at+the+Olympics+opening+ceremony.+

Vice President Mike Pence sitting in front of Kim Jo-Jong at the Olympics opening ceremony.

Maya Glaser, Current Events Correspondent

With the joining of the two Koreas for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the spotlight has been partially directed toward the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and his sister Kim Jo-jong. Some view her as an amazing person and humanitarian, even being nicknaming her the “Ivanka of North Korea”. She is adored by the media wherever she goes. But, not all is as it appears. While Jo-Jong may put on a face of beauty and grace, she is still just as deep in the North Korean regime as her brother.

Like nearly everything related to the government of North Korea, Jo-jong’s life in almost completely unknown. Jo-jong is estimated to be 30 years old, and in the last week (2/21), word went out that she is pregnant with her second child. Her first child was born in 2015, but there are no photos, names, or evidence of the child in the news.

Even with the mystery surrounding her, many adore the sister still, such as Lee Hwa-ik, the president of Galleries Association of Korea, said that Ms. Kim “seems like someone we can become closer to on a personal level and on a human-to-human level.” Others. however, are weary of her welcoming personality and her use of that feature to lull people into forgetting the North Korean regime’s of repression and abuse of human rights. South Korea may even be vulnerable to her charms, with the country spending over $220,00 USD on her and her entourage during her three day trip to the Winter Olympics. In comparison, the International Olympic Committee only spent $50,000 USD on training and preparation for North Korea’s 22 athletes participating, about $2,300 per person. The Unification Ministry, a government sector of South Korea that focuses on inter-Korean relations, $2.6 million USD on the North Korean delegation (including cheerleaders and an orchestra) of 418 who did not appear in competition. Per delegate, that is $6,200 USD (CNBC).

This does not mean that South Koreans are weary of all North Koreans, though. Park Keon-ho, a computer science student at Korea University of Technology and Education said, “I think Kim Jong-un is really a bad person and a villain. But I love North Koreans. I think North Koreans and South Koreans were all together as one family, and we come from the same root.” (NY Times).