| Post: | First Lady |
| Body: | North Korea |
| Style: | Respected First Lady |
| Incumbent: | Ri Sol Ju |
| Incumbentsince: | 15 April 2018 |
| Residence: | Ryongsong Residence, Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Formation: | 17 December 1963 |
| Inaugural: | Kim Song Ae |
The First Lady of North Korea is the wife of the supreme leader of North Korea and holds the official title of Respected First Lady . The inaugural holder of the title was Kim Song Ae, the second wife of the first supreme leader Kim Il Sung. The title was not used during the tenure of the second supreme leader Kim Jong Il, who had two estranged marriages and three domestic partners at different times. The title was revived by the third supreme leader Kim Jong Un, with his wife Ri Sol Ju being the second and incumbent holder.
As the wife of the first supreme leader Kim Il Sung, Kim Song Ae assumed the duties of first lady in 1963, eleven years after their marriage.[1] [2] [3] [4] The position was left vacant under the leadership of the second supreme leader Kim Jong Il, who married twice and had three domestic partnerships at different times.
The third supreme leader Kim Jong Un reestablished the position in April 2018 when Ri Sol Ju, whom he married in 2009,[5] [6] [7] was elevated from the title of "comrade" to "Respected First Lady". The promotion occurred ahead of the April 2018 inter-Korean summit, where Ri and South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook were in attendance.[8] [9]
| Portrait | Name | Tenure | Age at tenure start | Husband | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kim Song Ae | 17 December 1963 – 15 August 1974 | Kim Il Sung | |||
| 2 | Ri Sol Ju | 15 April 2018 – present | Kim Jong Un |