Why North Korean leader Kim Jong Un never talks about his mother, Ko Yong Hui

Key Points:

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has never publicly mentioned his mother, Ko Yong Hui, due to her controversial background as a Zainichi Korean born in Japan, which conflicts with the regime's emphasis on the "Mount Paektu" bloodline linked to Korean purity and legitimacy.
• Ko Yong Hui's family migrated from Japan to North Korea under a resettlement scheme, but Zainichi Koreans like her were considered part of a "wavering class" subject to discrimination and surveillance, contrasting sharply with the sacred Paektu lineage promoted by the regime.
• Despite not being officially recognized or publicly acknowledged by Kim Il Sung, Ko became Kim Jong Il's favored partner and mother to Kim Jong Un, who was chosen as heir over his older half-brothers due to various factors including succession politics and personal qualities.
• Kim Jong Un's rise to power and the secrecy around his mother's identity reflect concerns about legitimacy within the North Korean regime, as revealing her origins could undermine the hereditary system and destabilize the regime's ideological foundation.
• Analysts suggest that Kim Jong Un's public displays of his wife and daughter may be attempts to counteract perceived deficiencies related to his maternal lineage, highlighting the deep sensitivity around his mother's background in North Korean society.