Career
His older half-brother is Kim Jong-nam. In 2007, Jong-chul was appointed deputy chief of a leadership division of the Workers" Party. Kim Jong-chul was born in 1981.
But in May 2001, Kim Jong-nam was arrested at New Tokyo International Airport, Japan, travelling on a forged Dominican Republic passport.
He was held and then deported to the People"s Republic of China. The incident caused Kim Jong-il to cancel a planned visit to China because of the embarrassment to both countries.
As a result of this incident, Kim Jong-nam had fallen from favour. He was later reported to be living in Macau.
In February 2003, moves began to raise the profile of Kim Jong-chul.
The Korean People"s Army began a propaganda campaign using the slogan "The Respected Mother is the Most Faithful and Loyal Subject to the Dear Leader Comrade Supreme Commander". Since the "Respected Mother" was described as " herself to the personal safety of the comrade supreme commander", and " the comrade supreme commander nearest to his body", Western analysts assume that the "Respected Mother" was Ko Yong-hui, mother of Kim Jong-chul and Kim Jong-un. A similar campaign was launched in praise of Kim Jong-il"s mother during the later years of Kim Il-sung"s life.
This suggested that Kim Jong-chul, despite his youth, had emerged with Army backing to be a serious contender to succeed his father.
However, Kenji Fujimoto, Kim Jong-il"s personal sushi chef, wrote in his memoir, I Was Kim Jong-il"s Cook, that Kim Jong-il thought Jong-chul was "no good because he is like a little girl". Kim Jong-chul was reportedly spotted in Singapore on 14 February 2011, where he was attending an Eric Clapton concert.
He was again apparently seen attending another Eric Clapton concert, this time at the Royal Albert Hall in London in May 2015.