Safety concerns raised over family members

By Jun Ji-hye

After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half brother, Jong-nam, was confirmed to have been killed in Malaysia, the safety of his family members including his son, Han-sol, is drawing keen attention.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Lee Byong-ho told lawmakers, Wednesday, that Kim Jong-nam’s wife is currently staying in Beijing with a son, while his second wife is living in Macao with a son and a daughter.

All of them are currently under the protection of Chinese authorities, Lee said.

Jong-nam is the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

His son in Macao is Han-sol, who came into the spotlight in 2012 after his interview was aired by a Finnish television station. At the time, he said in fluent English that he hopes for the unification of the two Koreas and wants to contribute to improving the livelihoods of ordinary people living in the impoverished country now controlled by his young uncle, calling him a “dictator.”

Han-sol was last seen in the media in 2013 when he was studying at the Le Havre campus of France’s Sciences Po University. Following the execution of Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Song-thaek, in December 2013, the boy was placed under police protection.

NIS Director Lee told lawmakers that Kim Jong-un has consistently attempted to assassinate his half brother since his father died in December 2011.

Frightened by the assassination attempt, Jong-nam sent a letter to Kim Jong-un in 2012, asking the young leader to spare the lives of him and his family, Lee added.

Observers said there is the possibility for Kim Jong-un to regard Han-sol as a potential threat to his grip of power.

The safety of Kim Pyong-il, the younger half brother of the former leader Kim Jong-il, is also drawing attention. He has been serving as a diplomat in Europe for years and is the current ambassador of North Korea to the Czech Republic.