The Sister
North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World

Quotes

“With great literary flair, Sung-Yoon Lee delivers not only an incisive portrayal of North Korea’s ‘princess’ Kim Yo Jong, but also a chilling portrait of a family dynasty that has oppressed and exploited North Korea for generation after generation. The Sister is essential reading to understand the nature of the world’s most tyrannical and reclusive regime.” —Max Boot, Washington Post columnist and senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

“Riveting, unique, policy-relevant narrative of the first order. A must-read for all policymakers. Lee sees through the North Korean regime’s antics, maskirovka, and propaganda—much of it the work of Kim Yo Jong—as does no other. A work of penetrating analysis, caustic wit, and elegant prose.”—James Stavridis, PhD; admiral, US Navy (ret); former supreme allied commander, NATO; vice chair of global affairs, the Carlyle Group; and chair of the Board of Trustees, the Rockefeller Foundation

“Lee paints an extraordinarily well-researched picture of the second-most consequential figure in the Kim Jong Un regime. He provides an invaluable resource in understanding one of the most intriguing and least-known figures in today’s North Korea.”—Stephen E. Biegun, United States special representative for North Korea (2018–2021) and deputy secretary of state (2021–2022)

“In The Sister, Lee offers a trenchant analysis of the Kim Jong Un regime and his sister’s role in propagating their cult of personality. He employs his deep knowledge of the subject and his fine literary skills to tell a tale that is both fascinating and disturbing. The Sister is a gripping story of great policy relevance.”—Dr. Sue Mi Terry, director of the Asia program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; former senior North Korea analyst, CIA; former National Security Council director for Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs

“Dr. Lee was instrumental in our lawsuit against North Korea for the kidnapping, torture, and extrajudicial killing of our son, Otto. During the trial in a federal court in DC, the entire courtroom and the press were mesmerized by his deep knowledge of the concentration camp known as North Korea. Dr. Lee is able to explain North Korea’s behavior in a way that compels action. Now, he has put his impressive skills to weave a gripping tale on the inner workings of the criminal organization known as North Korea and the sister’s sinister role in this scheme.”—Fred and Cindy Warmbier, parents of Otto and plaintiffs in Warmbier v. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (2018)

“As a former top North Korea official in charge of the supreme leader’s slush funds, I have intimate knowledge of the corrupt and very opaque workings of the Kim dynasty. The Sister is revelatory. It is a most rare and enlightening analysis of the Kim regime’s deceptions and perversions and Kim Yo Jong’s role in this existential game. Current and future policymakers will find this book a treasure trove, an essential guidebook on policy-relevant history, mistaken assumptions of the past, and lessons for the future. The Sister is a most astute, acerbic, and, at times, even amusing exposé of the pathological ways of the North Korean dynasty.”—Ri Jong Ho, former chairman, Korea Kum-Kang Economic Development Group (KKG) of the National Defense Commission, DPRK; former president of the Korea Dae-Hung General Trading Corporation of the Korean Workers' Party; and recipient of the Hero of Labour Award, the highest civilian honor in North Korea

“Lee deftly skewers the misperceptions of Kim Yo Jong to insightfully assess her longstanding and powerful role. Comprehensive, provocative, and eloquently written. Should be required reading for policymakers and pundits trying to decipher the North Korean Game of Thrones.”—Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow, Asian Studies Center, the Heritage Foundation; former deputy division chief for Korea, CIA; and former North Korea analyst, Defense Intelligence Agency

“A stellar analyst and wordsmith, Lee combines his profound knowledge of North Korean culture, history, and regime dynamics to write a must-read page-turner for North Korea scholars, students, and policymakers alike.”—Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director, Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK)

“It reads like a thriller novel and informs like the best textbook. Even if you’re not obsessed with the world’s most dangerous and dysfunctional family, you will want to read The Sister.”—Gordon Chang, author of Nuclear Showdown

“Lee’s impeccably arranged sentences are not only a joy to read, but they apply his native proficiency, his historical depth, and his extraordinary perceptiveness to reveal the danger and the horror that Kim Yo Jong represents.” —Joshua Stanton, principal drafter of US sanctions legislations on North Korea