Kim Jong Un made another rare public appearance alongside his daughter Kim Ju Ae

 

Kim Jong Un made another rare public appearance alongside his daughter Kim Ju Ae

Transcript¹

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to the Wilson Center's Jean Lee about North Korea's leader and his nine-year-old daughter appearing at a military banquet. Many believe he's grooming² her to be his successor.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Kim Jong Un made another rare public appearance alongside his young daughter, Kim Ju Ae, this week in North Korea, this time at a lavish³ military banquet. It's unclear how many children the North Korean leader has. But after a few public appearances with his daughter, many believe Kim may be being groomed⁴ to become his eventual⁵ successor. Joining me now to talk about the Kim family is journalist Jean Lee. She reported from Pyongyang for many years for the Associated Press and is now a North Korea expert at the Wilson Center. Good morning, Jean.

JEAN LEE: Hi.

FADEL: So let's talk about these pictures and this latest appearance. The Kim family has traditionally kept their family life quite private. What does it mean that he's bringing his daughter to public events now?

LEE: That's right. These images have caused quite a stir in the North Korea watchers community.

FADEL: Yeah.

LEE: I've just gone through not only those banquet photos but about 150 photos that were just published by North Korean state media from the parade that was held in Pyongyang yesterday. And absolutely, the ruling Kim family is notoriously secretive. They reveal very few details about the family members except in carefully scripted moments like this one. I mean, they really operate very much like a royal family. And I think the reason - you know, to us, it may not seem that unusual that Kim Jong Un has presented his daughter.

But I want to give you a little context, which is that his father, Kim Jong Il, who ruled for 17 years, kept his family, including his wives, his consorts⁶ and his children, very hidden. And so we didn't even see or hear about Kim Jong Un until he was well into his 20s and already tapped as the heir apparent. So this decision to make his daughter public and really include her in these very big events is something that we're sitting up and taking note of because it does raise those questions. Why is he introducing her now? Is this part of a succession plan?

FADEL: But she's very young. She's not in her 20s. I think she's estimated to be between 9 and 11. What do we know about her?

LEE: Yeah, we know very little. They do call her the beloved daughter. I have looked at the Korean language. And certainly, she's given the kinds of titles that we saw Kim Jong Un given very early on when he was first announced. And it's, by my estimation - and of course, I was on the ground when we were hearing rumors⁷ - and I should say, we as in me and others on the ground in North Korea. We were hearing rumors that the first lady of North Korea was pregnant. So this was in 2012. And so I would estimate that she's about 10 years old.

There was a lot of gossip. I did chat a lot with North Koreans about this prospect⁸. And what was interesting is that I expected it to be a boy. I did believe that Kim Jong Un wanted a son in 2012. And that's because there's a whole Kim family history and continuity. His grandfather, the founder⁹ of North Korea, was born in 1912. But it was a girl. And so that was a big surprise and raised the question, could the next leader of North Korea be a girl?

FADEL: This is also - a lot of these photos are military-linked. There was the photo at an intercontinental ballistic missile launch. What does this say about the next generation in this weapons program?

LEE: Yeah. I've just gone through so many photos. And these types of big military parades are meant as a message to us in the outside world, also to the North Korean people, so clearly showing us and showing their people that they want to convey an image of strength. And they want to be associated with these missiles, massive missiles, and nuclear weapons. And that indicates their strength, the Kim family's strength in taking the country forward. But it does hint to us that it's going to be a rough ride in the year ahead.

FADEL: Thank you. Jean Lee is a North Korea expert at the Wilson Center. Thanks for your time.

LEE: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 grooming   

n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发

参考例句：

• You should always pay attention to personal grooming. 你应随时注意个人仪容。
• We watched two apes grooming each other. 我们看两只猩猩在互相理毛。

3 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

4 groomed   

v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。
• Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

6 consorts   

n.配偶( consort的名词复数 )；（演奏古典音乐的）一组乐师；一组古典乐器；一起v.结伴( consort的第三人称单数 )；交往；相称；调和

参考例句：

• The crews of the Card and its consorts had eaten Christmas dinner in Casablanca before sailing. 在起航前“卡德”号和僚舰上的官兵已在卡萨布兰卡吃了圣诞晚餐。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• If he consorts with persons unsuitable to him, his bishop will interfere. 如果他和不适合他去结交的人来往，他的主教就会进行干涉。 来自辞典例句

7 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

9 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。