Kim Young-sook

Kim Young-sook
김영숙
Born1947 (age 76–77)
Spouse
(m. 1974; died 2011)
ChildrenKim Sol-song
Kim Chun-song
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
김영숙
Hancha
金英淑
Revised RomanizationGim Yeongsuk
McCune–ReischauerKim Yŏngsuk

Kim Young-sook (김영숙; born 1947) was the second wife of Kim Jong Il.[1][failed verification] She was the daughter of a high-ranking military official, and was a switchboard operator in North Hamgyong Province before moving to Pyongyang.[2] Kim Jong Il's father, Kim Il Sung, handpicked her to marry his son.[2] The two had been estranged for some years before his death. Kim Young-sook had two daughters from this marriage, Kim Sol-song (born 1973) and Kim Chun-song (born 1975)

Song Hye-rang, the sister of Kim Jong Il's first mistress Song Hye-rim, mentioned that she is "insignificant to Kim Jong-il, apart from being a legitimate wife in front of Kim Il Sung. She did not even have an identity card in North Korea" as noted in her memoir Rattan house.[3]


  1. ^ Kennedy, Helen (19 January 2003). "A REAL-LIFE DR. EVIL N. Korea's Kim a caricature of tyranny". New York Daily News. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b Glionna, John M. (24 December 2011). "Many women were linked to Kim Jong Il, but few had any influence". Los Angeles Times. Seoul. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. ^ "金正日的男女关系 导致许多无辜的牺牲 (Paragraph 6)". 18 August 2007.