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She is, according to research on the reclusive nation, already referred to as “No. 2,” writes Robert Collins, an analyst with the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea in a report on the North Korean power structure.

“Party cadre are reported to both fear and respect her,” Collins notes in the report.

The nation, sandwiched between South Korea and China, has been ruled since the 1940s by a family dynasty. The first leader and national founder, Kim Il-sung, ruled from 1948 until 1994; his eldest son, Kim Jong-il, took over as planned upon his father’s death.

Photo by Patrick Semansky - Pool /Getty Images

When Kim died in 2011, another dynastic heir, Kim Jong Un, took charge.

In autumn 2014, when Kim Jong-un was ill and out of the spotlight for six weeks, Kim Yo-jong reportedly took over some of his official duties; she continues to hold several key positions within the country. The two studied together in Switzerland, though reports differ on just how close they were while abroad.

She’s been seen in public frequently. She was present at meetings between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2019. And, she was seen representing North Korea at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea — standing near U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence.

Photo by PATRICK SEMANSKY/AFP/Getty Images

“I think the report was incorrect,” Trump told reporters Thursday when asked about Kim’s health.

Kim Yo-jong is also the country’s chief propagandist, and has made pronouncements on nuclear weapons and South Korea. Unsurprisingly, she has also been sanctioned by the United States, in November 2017, for human rights abuses.