The Sister

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World

De: Sung-Yoon Lee

Narrado por: Dexter Galang

This first book on Kim Jong Un’s increasingly powerful sister, tapped to be his successor, offers jaw-dropping insights into the latest generation of North Korea’s secretive and murderous dynasty.

The first woman ever to issue the threat of a nuclear weapons strike is not even officially a head of state. Kim Yo Jong is the sister of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and, as their murderous regime’s chief propagandist, internal administrator, and foreign policymaker, she is the most powerful woman in North Korean history. Cruel but charming, she threatens and insults foreign leaders with sardonic wit, issuing proclamations and denunciations in her own name, a first for any woman in the Korean royal family. She memorably called the South Korean Defense Minister “a senseless and scum-like guy” before going on to promise South Korea “a miserable fate little short of total destruction and ruin”. A princess by birth with great expectations for her macabre kingdom, she was brought up to believe it is her mission to reunite North Korea with the South or die trying. She’s ruthless and incredibly dangerous.

The Sister, written by Sung-Yoon Lee, a scholar of Korean and East Asian studies and a specialist on North Korea, is a fascinating, authoritative account of the mysterious world of North Korea and its ruling dynasty—a family whose lust for power entails the brutal repression of civilians, a missile program that can reach the continental US, and the constant threat of global havoc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“With great literary flair, Sung-Yoon Lee delivers not only an incisive portrayal of North Korea’s ‘princess’ Kim Yo Jong, but also a chilling portrait of a family dynasty that has oppressed and exploited North Korea for generation after generation. The Sister is essential reading to understand the nature of the world’s most tyrannical and reclusive regime.” —Max Boot, Washington Post columnist and senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

“Riveting, unique, policy-relevant narrative of the first order. A must-read for all policymakers. Lee sees through the North Korean regime’s antics, maskirovka, and propaganda—much of it the work of Kim Yo Jong—as does no other. A work of penetrating analysis, caustic wit, and elegant prose.”—James Stavridis, PhD; admiral, US Navy (ret); former supreme allied commander, NATO; vice chair of global affairs, the Carlyle Group; and chair of the Board of Trustees, the Rockefeller Foundation

“Lee paints an extraordinarily well-researched picture of the second-most consequential figure in the Kim Jong Un regime. He provides an invaluable resource in understanding one of the most intriguing and least-known figures in today’s North Korea.”—Stephen E. Biegun, United States special representative for North Korea (2018–2021) and deputy secretary of state (2021–2022)

“In The Sister, Lee offers a trenchant analysis of the Kim Jong Un regime and his sister’s role in propagating their cult of personality. He employs his deep knowledge of the subject and his fine literary skills to tell a tale that is both fascinating and disturbing. The Sister is a gripping story of great policy relevance.”—Dr. Sue Mi Terry, director of the Asia program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; former senior North Korea analyst, CIA; former National Security Council director for Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs

“Dr. Lee was instrumental in our lawsuit against North Korea for the kidnapping, torture, and extrajudicial killing of our son, Otto. During the trial in a federal court in DC, the entire courtroom and the press were mesmerized by his deep knowledge of the concentration camp known as North Korea. Dr. Lee is able to explain North Korea’s behavior in a way that compels action. Now, he has put his impressive skills to weave a gripping tale on the inner workings of the criminal organization known as North Korea and the sister’s sinister role in this scheme.”—Fred and Cindy Warmbier, parents of Otto and plaintiffs in Warmbier v. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (2018)

Not enough information

I felt that the story lacked factual evidence and cultural connections. There were many moments that due to cultural differences, I was not understanding the significance of the situation or the facts being given. The story needs expansion on why these things have relevance and why something is an insult or a dis. It is presumed that the reader would understand Korean culture.

Interesting from start to finish.

If you want to know the real Truth about North Korea, its Ruling Family, and how they operate, get this Book.

Too many details distracting from the story

I found the book interesting but i just wish more was dedicated to the sister and who she is as a person. Overall a good book worth reading.

Great read, a little long

Really enjoyed this book. If you are interested in North Korea in general this is a great read. The title is a bit misleading though. If you're interested in Kim Yo-Jong you can really skip to about the last 2-4 chapters.

In-depth knowledge of the Kim regime

The descriptions are very thorough and enabled the reader to visualize the scene. A good example was the horse riding scene.

No organization as to timeline. Repeats same content in different chapters very poorly written

Poorly written no cogent timeline. Content is repeated in different parts of book with no organization

Nothing new.

Literature review of news information. Harsh on S. Korean and US actions. Difficult topic because everyone has access to same information.

Not good

Almost no new information . Just a rehash of what’s known by journalists. No insider information or insight