 |
| Thae Yong-ho, right, escorts North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's elder brother, Kim Jong-chul, to an Eric Clapton concert in London in 2015. / Captured from Japanese TBS TV |
By Park Si-soo
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has two living siblings ― elder brother Jong-chul and younger sister Yo-jong. His older half-brother, Jong-nam, was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur airport in February last year.
Yo-jong revealed many personal details ― voice, appearance from head to toe and even facial blemishes ― through her media-hyped visit to Seoul during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and visible roles in key diplomatic functions, including the April 27 inter-Korean summit. Yo-jong, presumed to be in her early 30s, is said to be playing an important role in preparing for the meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for June 12 in Singapore.
But what about Jong-chul? His last public appearance was at Eric Clapton's concert at Royal Albert Hall in London in May 2015. He has since "vanished."
He is nowhere to be found on the list of the regime's policymakers, nor in photos and video footage of any event in the reclusive state. Rumors have it that Jong-chul is in Pyongyang without any official or unofficial title in the regime. But nothing is certain. He is living behind a curtain of mystery.
What has happened to him? Above all, who is he?
 |
| A man believed to be Kim Jong-chul at an Eric Clapton concert at Royal Albert Hall in London on May 21, 2015. / Captured from YTN |
Some of Jong-chul's personal details can be found in a newly published book by high-profile North Korean defector Thae Yong-ho. The author, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to Seoul in 2016, escorted Jong-chul during his secret trip to London in 2015.
In the book, "Password for the secretariat on the third floor: Thae Yong-ho's testimony," Thae described the North Korean leader's elder brother as a person "crazy about music and guitars." His liking for British musician Eric Clapton was exceptionally strong, he recollected.
The following is a summary of the chapter on Jong-chul.
Thae said he first encountered Jong-chul in London on May 19, 2015. Thae was North Korea's deputy ambassador to London and was tasked with escorting Jong-chul, who went to the British capital via Moscow, to see Clapton's concert the following day.
Thae recollected that it was March when he received a classified diplomatic cable from Pyongyang about Jong-chul's visit to London to see the concert. He was ordered to buy the "best seat" and in April a delegation headed by a vice minister came to London to check preparations. Thae followed him as a travel guide and interpreter, a mission Kim Jong-un ordered.
"I thought of record stores all the way to London," Jong-chul said after jumping into an embassy car at London's Heathrow Airport.
"Let's go to an HMV store in London's Oxford Street."
It was almost 10 p.m. A North Korean diplomat told him it was too late. Jong-chul reacted angrily.
"You can knock on the door or make a phone call (to keep the store open until I arrive). It would be possible at a diplomat's request. Don't you have the capability to make it happen?"
Jong-chul decided against it after learning it took two hours to get to the store from the airport. Nevertheless, he didn't stop venting frustration all the way to the hotel.
Jong-chul stayed in London for 61 hours, during which he saw Clapton's concert twice. He also went shopping at an HMV record store and Selfridges department store, both in London, and drove 100 kilometers to buy a "Made in U.S." guitar he had been eagerly looking for. He paid 2,400 pounds for it.
His plan to see the concert could have been canceled when his visit was leaked to the media. A throng of reporters gathered at the concert venue to catch a glimpse of the "unfortunate prince," an often-used term to explain his fate of yielding the North's throne to his younger brother.
But he pushed ahead and ended up seeing the concert under British police protection. He bought many souvenirs after the concert ― cups, key chains, T-shirts and albums.
Jong-chul looked quite moved when he bought the American guitar, according to Thae. He cuddled it for a while and gave an impromptu performance for 40 minutes at the shop. People extolled his play. The guitar was at his side all the way back to London.
"I've sent a cable to many embassies to find this guitar, but they failed. Why couldn't they be able to find this?" he asked himself.
Thae said Jong-chul was married and had children. He bought children's clothes at Selfridges.
Jong-chul seems to be familiar with the Westernized lifestyle. He enjoyed a McDonald's burger. He also loved drinking alcohol and smoking.
On one occasion in London, as Thae hummed his favorite song "My Way" in the car, Jong-chul, overwhelmed with mirth, sang it with him.
Thae said Jong-chul looked healthy, denying speculation he had a hormone problem.
![[INTERVIEW] South Korea needs to make decision on sending lethal aid to Ukraine : CNAS CEO](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/a2180e54d7664819812514cc3d605dd5.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Foreign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/4a6b2bd3d23044d699dee3c5bb956863.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
