North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's uncle has narrated how the horror of Pyongyang's politics compelled him and his wife to move to the United States almost twenty years ago. North Korea's politics is lethal enough that even some members of the ruling family fled to other country.

South Korea's news agency Yonhap, conducted a telephone interview with the leader's uncle. During the interview, Ri Kang shared that he and his wife were extremely anxious of what might happen to them after the death of Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un's father. Following Kim Jong-il's death, the power struggle was too intense.

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Ri Kang's wife, Ko Yong-Suk, is the younger sister of Kim Jong-un's mother. The couple acted as the guardians of Kim Jong-un and his sister Kim Yo Jong during their teenage years. Before Ri and Ko defected to the United States, they were tasked to look after the siblings while they were both studying in Switzerland. Kim's mother was having treatment in Europe because she was terminally sick. She died in France in 2004.

Ri Kang said that he sensed the danger and spitefulness of power after spending almost twenty years beside Kim Jong-il. He realized that being involved in it was a bad idea and accompanying his wife with her sister to Europe was one good way to run from fear.

He believed that the transfer of supreme power to Kim Jong-un will be smooth and flawless. However, his beliefs were all proven to be wrong. During Kim Jong-un's sovereignty, Kim executed one of his uncles by marriage, Jang Song-Thaek.

The couple came under the media's spotlight when Ri Kang's wife Ko sued three South Korea-based defector from North Korea because of defamation. The defamation suit seeks to have a total of $51, 900 for comments given by the defectors on a South Korean talk show.

Ri and his wife are still living in the US, but exact the location was not revealed. The couple is running a successful laundry service and their children are now attending university.

TagsNorth Korea, Kim Jong Il, ruling family, defectors, Ri Kang, Ko Yong-Suk