N. Korea’s first lady makes 1st public appearance this year

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (seated) and his wife Ri Sol-ju look on during a visit to Unit 1017 of the Korean People’s Army. (KCNA/Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 14 (Yonhap) — North Korean first lady Ri Sol-ju has made her first public appearance this year at a football match with her husband earlier this week, the North’s official media reported Tuesday.

Ri was last seen in public on Dec. 17 when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and she attended a ceremony to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of the young leader’s father, Kim Jong-il.

Kim and Ri watched the men’s football match Monday at a stadium that is named after the North’s late founder, Kim Il-sung, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North’s official media.

The football match took place as North Korea is preparing to celebrate the 103rd birthday of the late founder and the young leader’s grandfather this week.

Pyongyang is set to commemorate the “Day of the Sun” on Wednesday in grand fashion to show its respect to the leader, who died in 1994. Since 1997, the North has celebrated the April 15 anniversary with lavish sporting events and festivals after designating his birthday a two-day national holiday.

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