Among the many secrets surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the mystery surrounding his mother stands out.
He has never publicly mentioned her name during his 15-year rule.
The legitimacy of Kim’s dictatorial rule rests primarily on the bloodline of “Mount Paektu,” linked to the mythical founder of the Korean people.
In a country that prides itself on this hereditary purity, the identity of Kim’s mother is not only a secret, but a threat to the regime itself.
According to popular belief, the story of Korea begins at Mount Paektu, a mountain located on the China-North Korea border that is said to be the birthplace of Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea’s first kingdom.
Thousands of years later, North Korea’s founder Kim Il-sung is said to have used the mountain as a hideout during his war against Japan. His son Kim Jong-il was also said to have been born on the sacred slopes, although some reports suggest he was most likely born in Russia. However, the history of the mountain has been used to legitimize the Kim dynasty for decades.
“Kim Jong Un became the heir apparent in his 20s without any achievements. The only reason for that is his Paektu bloodline,” said Ryu Hyun-woo, a North Korean diplomat in exile, in his book ‘Kim Jong Un’s Secret Vault.’
But the reality of Kim’s maternal generation is quite different.
