Earlier in the year, we, like every good North Korea watcher, were engrossed by the release of photos showing young North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with a young lady.
Who was the young lady? His wife, his sister, his secretary? Was she the singer who sang the song 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady'?
While it eventually turned out that yes, Kim had married, and yes, his wife was a North Korean singer, though unfortunately not the singer of "Excellent Horse-Like Lady". Her name is Ri Sol Ju, and she is most famous in the hermit state for singing "Footsteps Of Soldiers".
According to a new report in NK News, Ri's past appears to be a matter of controversy. North Korean authorities have been keen to destroy her musical legacy. In July there was a "voluntary" destruction of CDs and tapes from her time as a member of the "Unhasu Orchestra".
However, that purge didn't go far enough, and special government teams have been formed to force the destruction of the tapes and CDs:
According to an inside source who spoke with Daily NK on the 18th, the authorities are particularly keen to collect all copies of CDs and tapes which contain the Ri song ‘Sobaeksu’ and have her picture on the front cover. The source revealed, “They are going out into every area of Pyongyang to collect every CD that contains a recording of Ri Sol Joo. It’s causing a bit of a commotion in the markets.”
The move is apparently to help bolster Kim's image as a elder statesman, something that could help him in any power struggles against North Korea's military elite.
If you know anything about the song 'Sobaeksu' send us an email, we're keen to know more about it.
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