‘Like gods reigning over humans’: Many defectors see daughter of North Korea’s Kim as heir apparent

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Until she fled North Korea three years ago, Kim Yumi felt deeply frustrated whenever state TV indicated leader Kim Jong Un with his young daughter.

What happened

Publicly questioning the Kim dynasty's hold on power would mean severe persecution. Already angered by draconian pandemic regulations that ruined her family's fishing business, she defected to South Korea by boat with her family.

"My husband and I didn't want our children to live under a fourth-generation dictatorship. As parents, we thought the best thing we could do for our children was to offer them freedom, " stated Kim Yumi, 32. This person now lives in Seoul.

The bottom line

In short, 'Like gods reigning over humans': Many defectors see daughter of North Koreas is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.