Ko Young-hee (1953 - ?August 27, 2004) was one of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's consorts and rumoured to be his favourite.
She was born in a Koreatown, Tsuruhashi, Osaka, Japan and moved to North Korea in the early 1960s. In the early 1970s, she began to work as a dancer at Mansudae Art Troops in Pyongyang.
She was the mother of two of his sons, Kim Jong-chul and Kim Jong-woong who were both considered as successors. On August 27, 2004 various sources reported that she had died, probably of cancer.
It is known that she had been ill for some time and was being treated in Paris. Recently, the North Korean military has started a propaganda campaign naming her "The Respected Mother who is the Most Faithful and Loyal Subject to the Dear Leader Comrade Supreme Commander", leading to further speculation that Jong-chul is being groomed for leadership.
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