On June 30, 2019, Panmunjom, then-US Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un met.
It was a historic meeting, as no U.S. had ever set foot on North Korean soil before, and Trump and Kim Jong-un exchanged smiles, shook hands, and exchanged pleasantries, and the spotlight instantly converged on them.
At this time, two meters away from the spotlight stood a special woman, with a beautiful face and firm eyes, who was the deputy minister of the DPRK Propaganda and Encouragement Department, an alternate member of the Workers' Party of Korea, and one of the four most powerful women in North Korea, Hyon Song-wol.
Michael of the Stimson Research Center in the United States. Mr. Madden, a long-time researcher who has studied North Korea's top leaders, once said that Hyon Song-wol is the "shadow" of Kim Yo-jong, a person who quietly observes behind his back.
However, Hyon Songwol's influence on North Korean politics is not limited to spectators. There is a video of South Korea**shooting**, during the third "Kim Special Meeting" in Panmunjom, Hyon Song-wol reported to Kim Chang-sun, Minister of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK.
And Kim Chang-sun is the "big butler" of Kim Jong-un's itinerary. So, this mysterious woman, what is her identity? What role does she play in North Korea?
Kim Jong-un was born in 1984 and is now only 39 years old, while Hyon Song-wol is much older, a full 12 years older. Hyon Song-wol's date of birth, parents and identity background are unknown, only that she graduated from Pyongyang** University in North Korea in 1994.
Only a year after graduation, in 1995, Hyun Songyue became famous overnight in North Korea with a song "General and Sailor", and joined the high-profile Wang Zaisan Light ** Regiment.
At the commemoration of the same year, Hyon Song-wol reappeared and sang "Always With Us" with Kim Sung-ok, a well-known North Korean singer at the time. At that time, Hyun Song-wol had all the conditions to become a national idol of North Korea.
However, at this moment, she suddenly disappeared, and combined with the time point, we speculate that Hyon Songyue may have been sent to Switzerland to accompany North Korea at that time"Prince"Kim jong un.
In 1996, Kim Jong-un and his sister Kim Yo-jong went to study at the International School in Bern, Switzerland, under the pseudonyms "Park Chol" and "Jung Soon". Although in Switzerland, the North Korean embassy has very strict supervision of Kim Jong-un and Kim Yo-jong, not allowing them to stay outside the embassy for long periods of time or participate in many campus activities.
However, Kim Jong Il still loved his brother and sister deeply, and in order to make them feel like they were in Pyongyang in Bern, he formed a special light ** regiment in the embassy.
And Xuan Songyue was very likely to be in this light ** group at that time.
This particular experience brought Hyon Song-wol into contact with Kim Jong-un and his sister when he was only 12 years old. Regarding Xuan Songyue's identity as a "rumored girlfriend", it also spread because of this experience.
However, it is clear that this is just a rumor, because Kim Jong-un was only 12 years old and a child at that time. More likely, Hyon Song-wol played the role of Kim Jong-un's "mother" or "sister" during this experience and was responsible for taking care of the two siblings, which was the root of Hyon Song-wol's later close relationship with them.
In any case, Hyon Song-wol's close relationship with Kim Jong-un began in 1996. Maybe Xuan Songyue wouldn't have thought at that time that her care for her brother and sister would have such a big impact on her life.
At the end of 1999, Hyon Song-wol returned to North Korea and joined the Butianbao Electronic Orchestra, which also made her identity even more confusing. It is said that Li Xuezhu also joined the Putianbao Electronic Orchestra at that time.
Therefore, some people believe that the rise of Hyon Songyue in North Korea is inextricably linked with her "old colleague" Li Xuezhu, and it may be that Li Xuezhu introduced Hyon Songyue to Kim Jong-un.
However, this speculation was quickly disproved. As a "trusted person" in North Korea, Hyon Song-wol may have played an extremely important role in choosing a spouse for Kim Jong-un at the highest decision-making level in North Korea.
Later, after the disbandment of the Putianbao Electronic Orchestra, Xuan Songyue was never heard from.
It turned out that the disappearance of Hyon Song-wol and Ri Sul-ju was very close to the point when Kim Jong-un took over as the supreme leader of North Korea. At the end of 2011, Kim Jong-un came to power, and at the beginning of 2012, Hyon Song-wol sang a song "Horse Girl" at North Korea's "March 8 Women's Day", and Li Xuezhu also reappeared and became the first lady of North Korea.
Because Hyon Song-wol is a close confidant of Kim Jong-un, her acting career has been smooth. Unlike other North Korean literary stars, Hyon Songyue did not choose to teach at a university after leaving the music scene, but participated in the formation of the Peony Peak Orchestra.
North Korea's leaders begin their tenure with a new orchestra for themselves, symbolizing the beginning of a new era. The task of forming a new orchestra is usually strongly political, which is also the starting point of Hyun Songyue's political career.
On July 6, 2012, when the Peony Peak Orchestra made its debut, Hyon Song-wol did not stand on the stage, but stood behind Kim Jong-un and Lee Seol-ju in formal clothes. This marks the successful transformation of Hyun Songyue and becoming a member of North Korea.
Drawing on her experience of living abroad and her non-sensitive status, Hyun Song-wol often represents North Korea in international cultural exchange events, which are often diplomatic.
Every time she visits abroad, cultural exchange has also become an important mission for her. Therefore, Hyon Song-wol is known as the "outstanding cultural ambassador" of North Korea.
Xuan Songyue is undoubtedly the best candidate for this important task. In the past year, she has successfully organized three "Kim summits" and played a key role in Moon's visit to North Korea in 2018.
Her efforts are only the tip of the iceberg of the strategic shift in the "cultural diplomacy" of North Korea's Kim Jong-un era, and it also shows us the unique charm of North Korea.