Kim Jong Un's wife announced

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PYONGYANG, North Korea, July 25 (UPI) -- North Korean head of state Kim Jong Un married Ri Sol Ju, North Korea's state-run news media said Wednesday.

Ri was identified as Kim's wife after making multiple public appearances with the North Korean ruler, prompting speculation about their relationship, The New York Times reported. The date of the wedding was not released to the public.

The wedding announcement is a change in practice from Kim's predecessor and father, Kim Jong Il, who rarely showed any of his multiple wives in public.

"Kim Jong Un showing up in public with his wife will appeal well to young North Korean's yearning for change, especially women, who are living in a deeply male-dominated society," said Cheong Seong-chang, a North Korea analyst at Sejong Institute in South Korea.

Cheong said he suspects Ri and Kim married in 2009 and had a child in 2010.

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