Kim Jong Un’s sister made the headlines when she issued her first “press statement” on March 3 as the “first vice director of a party Central Committee department.” Aside from the obvious import of a public message coming from the leader’s sister, it raised questions about the extent of Kim Yo Jong’s influence and role in the North Korea leadership, particularly with regard to policy-making.

Kim Yo Jong’s role and her career path under Kim Jong Un naturally beg a comparison to her aunt Kim Kyong Hui, who, like Yo Jong, held official positions