Kim Jong Un's greatest secret: How the 'Pekdu bloodline' is threatened by his unknown mother

The absolute secrecy surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's mother is one of the most significant mysteries of his 15-year rule. He has never publicly mentioned her by name, a silence that underscores the potential threat her identity poses to the regime's legitimacy.

The foundation of Kim's power rests on the so-called 'Pekdu bloodline,' a lineage tracing back to the mythical founder of the Korean nation. In a country that prides itself on the purity of this heritage, the true identity of Kim's mother is not merely a secret but a potential vulnerability. The official narrative links the Kim dynasty to Mount Pekdu, a sacred site on the border with China, where Kim Il Sung allegedly took refuge and his son, Kim Jong Il, was supposedly born. This symbolic connection serves as the bedrock for legitimizing the Kim dynasty's rule.

However, the reality of Kim Jong Un's maternal lineage is far more complex. His mother, Ko Yong Hui, is reported to have been born in Osaka, Japan, in 1952, to parents from South Korea's Jeju Island. Her family was part of the 'Zainichi Korean' community, ethnic Koreans who settled in Japan during the colonial period. When Ko was around ten years old, her family returned to North Korea as part of a repatriation program promising free healthcare, education, and employment.

Upon arrival, these returnees, including Ko's family, were often met with suspicion and labeled 'jaepo,' implying they were influenced by foreign ideas. Within North Korea's rigid social hierarchy, known as songbun, they belonged to a 'changing class,' subject to close state surveillance and limited opportunities. This background stands in stark contrast to the mythical Pekdu lineage propagated by the Kim family, creating a significant tension between the regime's propaganda and its actual origins.

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Kim Jong Un became a successor only because of the Pekdu bloodline.