After disappearing for more than eight months North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has been seen side by side with his wife Ri Sol Ju.

The couple appeared together at an air combat training competition today according to local media.

Watching the competition the controversial leader gave advice to contestants and in particular the Korean People's Air Force and Defense (KPAF) as his wife looked on, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Public appearance: Kim Jong-un watches the air combat display with a woman believed to be his wife Ri Sol-Ju sat to his right

When she was last seen: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju watch a performance by the Moranbong Band in March

When the first lady of North Korea first went missing there were rumours about whether she was pregnant or had fallen out of favour with Kim Jong-un and his powerful younger sister.

Ri Sol-Ju, a pretty former singer, first appeared on the scene in July 2012 when she was referred to in public as 'his wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju'.

She has appeared in public only intermittently since.

Ri Sol-Ju (pictured, right, with her husband) has not been seen in public for eight months

In December 2014 she attended a ceremony with her husband to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-Il.

Then in April last year, wearing what appeared to be a wedding ring on her left hand, she was pictured clapping next to her smiling husband a football match at Kim Il Sung Stadium.

But until reports today she had not been seen in public since March 28, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Ri Sol-Ju, looking like she did not have a care in the world, is pictured (left) with her husband, Kim Jong-un, at a football match last year

Previously Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo's Waseda University and an expert on North Korea, told the Daily Telegraph: 'There are several possible reasons, including that she is pregnant or that there is some sort of problem between the two of them.'

A former member of the North's Unhasu Orchestra, there have been stories before about Ri being pregnant, and even having a child.

In 2013 former US basketball star Dennis Rodman, who has referred to Kim as a 'friend for life', said they had a baby daughter called Ju-ae. However as she cannot be an heir maybe they were trying for a son.

But Mr Shigemura said another rumour was that she may have fallen out with his powerful younger sister, Kim Yo-jong.

Their marriage was only revealed in July 2012 when pictures emerged of a young woman accompanying Kim at official events

'The belief is that while Mr Kim lacks political ability, she is far more adept at the sort of manoeuvring that is required to keep him in power, so that is the task she has taken on,' Mr Shigemura said.

Ri was pictured wearing stylish, expensive-looking outfits and on one occasion sported what appeared to be a Christian Dior handbag, in a country plagued by chronic poverty.

The Kim dynasty has ruled the isolated state for nearly seven decades with an iron fist and pervasive personality cult.

Ri Sol- ju here is seen wearing a wedding ring and her husband Kim Jong-un an expensive watch. Last week he appeared to be wearing a bandage on the same wrist after sustaining an injury. It has now been removed

Kim Il-Sung led North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death on July 8, 1994.

He was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-Il, who also ruled until his death in December 2011 when power was transferred to his son and current leader Kim Jong-un.