Kim had one younger brother, Yong-il,[a] and one older half-sister, Kyong-hui, who would go on to marry senior official Chang Sung-taek.

[12][13] In 1998, after North Korea closed its embassy in Finland to save money and prevent defections, Kim was posted to Poland.

[2] He was a rare sight in Warsaw's diplomatic community, only occasionally appearing at functions held by the Algerian, Russian and Syrian embassies.

However, he has kept a low profile, in contrast to his half-nephew Kim Jong-nam who gave frequent interviews with Japanese media, before he was assassinated in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.

Some sources claimed he was under house arrest there since May, though others speculated he was just visiting his dying mother Kim Song-ae or preparing to observe the anniversary of his father's death.

[20] In November 2019, Kim Pyong Il returned to North Korea after retiring from a long career as a foreign diplomat.