North Korea's first lady Ri Sol Ju is
rarely seen in public, but according to a recent report, the wife of leader Kim
Jong Un is not well liked.
Ri is best known for her
love of luxury goods that suggest she leads a lavish lifestyle, Asia Press
reported Wednesday.
North Korean reporters who
went undercover to gather opinions about life in the secluded country said Ri
gets bad ratings for her choices at a time when many North Koreans say their
standard of living has worsened since Kim came to power.
North Koreans who were
interviewed anonymously called Kim a "rookie" and
"fearsome."
But they reserved their
most negative remarks for Ri, who, according to the report is 26 years old and
traveled to South Korea in 2005 with a North Korean cheerleading squad during
the Asian Athletics Championship in Incheon.
Some North Koreans
complained that they were irritated with her debut on state media, where she
was touted as "Respectable Comrade Ri Sol Ju."
One male worker in the
North Korean province of Yanggangdo said the title was undeserved, adding,
"What did she do to earn such praise? And why does she carry a moneybag
everywhere she goes? Is she giving out money?"
Ri is often seen with an
expensive French purse on her arm.
For decades, North Korea's
socialist economy precluded the need for most citizens to carry cash for
purchases, but eyewitnesses have said that is changing, especially in
Pyongyang, where women are starting to follow or start fashion trends.
Others criticized Ri's
attire, which often includes a short skirt. Kim's mother, Ko Yong Hui, wore
military uniforms when she accompanied her husband on inspections, they said.
North Korea's elite live a
life apart from the vast majority of the population, and Ri's choice of clothes
could be a sign the wealth gap in the country is not only increasing but also
being tolerated.
Top officials who fall ill
are often treated outside the country, where better medical care is available.
Yonhap reported Hwang Pyong
So of the Korean People's Army, known also as Pyongyang's third most powerful
official, has been missing because
he is receiving treatment at a hospital in Singapore for a back problem.