BBC
Why Kim Jong Un never talks about his mother - or her controversial bloodline
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Title: Kim Jong Un's mother rarely mentioned in North Korean state media
Summary: Ko Yong-hui, Kim Jong Un's mother, receives minimal coverage in North Korean official communications.
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Ko Yong-hui, the mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is seldom referenced in state media or official narratives. According to available records, Ko Yong-hui was born in Osaka, Japan, to a Korean family. North Korean state media has historically emphasized the Kim family's domestic origins as part of its founding narrative. Ko Yong-hui died in 2004. Her limited public presence in North Korea stands in contrast to the extensive coverage given to other members of the Kim family leadership.