| Post: | First Lady |
| Body: | the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
| Native Name: | 조선민주주의인민공화국 영부인 |
| Incumbentsince: | 15 April 2018 |
| Formation: | 17 December 1963 |
| Inaugural: | Kim Song-ae |
The first lady of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more commonly known as the first lady of North Korea, is the title given to the wife of the supreme leader of North Korea. However, only two wives of the supreme leader have received this title: the inaugural holder Kim Song-ae, the second wife of Kim Il Sung; and the incumbent Ri Sol-ju, the wife of Kim Jong Un.
During the administration of President Kim Il Sung, Kim Song-ae assumed the duties of first lady in 1963, 11 years after the marriage.[1] The position was left vacant under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, who married twice and had three domestic partnerships at different times.
The position was re-established under Kim Jong Un in April 2018 when Ri Sol-ju, whom he married in 2009, was elevated to "Respected First Lady". The term had not been used since 1974, when it described Kim Song-ae. Ri was previously called "comrade" by state media; the promotion occurred ahead of the April 2018 inter-Korean summit where Ri and the first lady of South Korea, Kim Jung-sook, were in attendance.[2] [3]
The following is a list of the first ladies of North Korea.
No. | Portrait | First Lady | Tenure | Age at tenure start | Supreme Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kim Song-ae [4] [5] [6] | 17 December 1963 – 15 August 1974 | Kim Il Sung | ||
| - | Vacant | 15 August 1974 – 15 April 2018 | Kim Jong Il | ||
| 2 | Ri Sol-ju [7] [8] [9] | 15 April 2018 – present | Kim Jong Un | ||