Kristi Noem’s New Book Falsely Says She Met Kim Jong-un

“I’m sure he underestimated me,” Ms. Noem writes of the North Korean leader in her forthcoming book. A spokesman said the error would be corrected.

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In her new book, Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota claims to have met Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, while she served in Congress.

The new book by Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, a biography that will be released on Tuesday, will be corrected to remove a false anecdote about her meeting Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, a spokesman for Ms. Noem said on Friday.

Ms. Noem, who has been widely talked about as a potential running mate for former President Donald J. Trump, has already spent the last week defending a grisly excerpt from the book in which she describes killing a family dog.

Ms. Noem’s new book, a memoir obtained by The New York Times that was aimed at burnishing her image, also includes an error about when a phone call with Nikki Haley took place. That will be corrected in future editions of the book, too, said Ian Fury, the chief of communications for Ms. Noem.

“It was brought to our attention that the upcoming book ‘No Going Back’ has two small errors,” Mr. Fury said. “This has been communicated to the ghostwriter and editor. Kim Jong-un was included in a list of world leaders and shouldn’t have been.”

Ms. Noem mentions the meeting with Mr. Kim when writing about her eight years in Congress as South Dakota’s sole representative, in a passage about her role as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“I had the chance to travel to many countries to meet with world leaders — some who wanted our help, and some who didn’t,” Ms. Noem writes. “I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I’m sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all). Dealing with foreign leaders takes resolve, preparation, and determination.”

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