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The Sister: The extraordinary story of Kim Yo Jong, the most powerful woman in North Korea 2023
The Sister: The extraordinary story of Kim Yo Jong, the most powerful woman in North Korea is a 2023 biography focusing on Kim Yo Jong, the sister, closest deputy, and possible successor to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un. This work was later released in the United States under the title The Sister: North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World. The book is authored by Sung-Yoon Lee, a specialist in Korean and East Asian studies. It is recognized as the first detailed examination of its subject.
Reviews of the biography were largely favorable, with critics commending it for presenting an authoritative, thorough, and compelling depiction of Kim Yo Jong. The book was also appreciated for shedding light on the internal workings of the Kim family and their methods for maintaining control over the regime. Some reviewers acknowledged that limited information about Kim Yo Jong made the book challenging to write, noting mixed reactions to whether the attention to minor details constituted insightful analysis or excessive conjecture.
The book depicts Kim Yo Jong as the second highest-ranking figure in North Korea, after her brother. She controls foreign policy decisions and oversees agencies responsible for domestic political messaging and implementation of policies and personnel appointments. The biography cautions against perceiving her gender as a sign of weakness or openness, instead characterizing her as calculating and merciless.
Sung-Yoon Lee argues that North Korea is the only one among the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations without any form of leadership oversight; that it maintains an aggressive posture toward countries such as South Korea and the United States; and that it severely suppresses its citizens. Based on this, he concludes that Kim Yo Jong stands among the most powerful and perilous leaders in today’s global landscape.
Lee suggests that she is the most likely candidate to replace her brother if he becomes unable to govern before his children reach maturity. Should she assume leadership, her character and history indicate that she would not pursue reforms and would govern with strict control similar to her predecessors.
Details
- Publisher
- Macmillan Publishers
- ISBN
- 9781668635612
- Pages
- 304
- Format
- Print, eBook, Audio Book
