North Koreans have a "respected First Lady" to call their own, as the wife of third-generation leader Kim Jong Un hogs the global limelight with her demure elegance and stylish fashion sense.

People in China and South Korea gasped when Ms Ri Sol Ju accompanied her husband on his first state visit to Beijing last month, with some reports saying she is "as beautiful as Song Hye Kyo", an A-list South Korean actress known for her cherubic face and flawless skin.