Politics: The mysterious life of Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol-ju, who probably has 3 children and frequently disappears from the public eye

Here's how Ri Sol-ju, a former cheerleader and musician, ended up becoming the wife of North Korea's infamous dictator Kim Jong Un.

Few details are known about Ri Sol-ju, the woman who in 2012 was identified as the wife of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Ri is thought to be 28 now and a mother to three children, according to South Korean intelligence reports. The Hermit Kingdom's secretive government, however, has not confirmed that information.

Ri doesn't appear in public very often. She's usually seen when Kim celebrates missile test launches, and is always photographed smiling politely, wearing clean-cut, pastel-colored dresses.

Ri was reportedly born into an elite family — her father was a professor and her mother a doctor — but little else is known about her life or how she ultimately became the wife of the world's most notorious living dictator.

Here's everything we know about Ri Sol-ju:

Ri Sol-ju was first identified as the wife of Kim Jong Un in July 2012, when North Korean state media made it official.

An international media frenzy had been mounting for weeks over the "mystery woman" spotted with Kim at a a series of public events, including a theater performance featuring Disney characters, and a tribute to Kim's grandfather on the anniversary of his death.

Source: CNN

Ri's eventual public introduction was underwhelming, to say the least. North Korean media mentioned her almost as an afterthought during coverage of an amusement park opening in Pyongyang.

Source: The New York Times

"While a welcoming song was resonating," state television reported, "Marshal Kim Jong Un appeared at the ceremony site, with his wife, Comrade Ri Sol-ju."

Source: The New York Times

It's unclear exactly when Kim and Ri got married. Some have reported the wedding was in 2009 and Ri gave birth to a child the next year, while others have said that the couple didn't meet until a classical music concert in 2010.

Sources: BBC, The Daily Beast

The secrecy around their wedding was no surprise to North Koreans and international observers of the Hermit Kingdom. Kim's father never introduced his multiple wives to the public at all.

Source: The New York Times

Little is known about the life Ri led before marrying Kim, but South Korean intelligence reports have said she once studied singing in China, and visited South Korea in 2005 as a member of North Korea's cheerleading squad.

Source: CNN

Ri is known for her taste in western fashion — she has been spotted carrying expensive bags by designers like Dior and Chanel.

Source: Business Insider

Her penchant for luxury goods has attracted international criticism. North Korean civilians have struggled for years under famine, drought, and widespread poverty.

Earlier this year, Ri disappeared from public view for several months, prompting speculation over her well-being. In August, South Korean intelligence reported that she had given birth to a child and dropped out of the public eye because she was pregnant.

Sources: Agence France-Presse, CNN

It's believed that Ri and Kim now have three children, though the most detailed information comes from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, well known for his controversial friendship with Kim and frequent trips to North Korea. Rodman said he met the couple's second child in 2013, a baby girl named Ju-ae.

Source: The Guardian

"I held their baby Ju-ae and spoke with Ms. Ri as well. [Kim's] a good dad and has a beautiful family," Rodman told The Guardian. Those details have not been independently corroborated.

Source: The Guardian

South Korean media has speculated that Ri may have been pressured to have a third child in the hopes that it would be a boy who could inherit Kim's dictatorship, assuming both of the couple's previous children were girls.

Source: UPI

One North Korean defector-turned-researcher, Ahn Chan-il, told South Korean news network YTN that there was "pressure to quickly give birth to a son, because the regime is not so sturdy."

Source: UPI

Here's how Ri Sol-ju, a former cheerleader and musician, ended up becoming the wife of North Korea's infamous dictator Kim Jong Un. Read Full Story