North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected his teenage daughter as his heir, according to South Korea’s intelligence agency.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) informed lawmakers on Thursday that Kim Ju Ae appears to have moved from being trained for leadership to formally designated as a successor.
Lawmakers said the assessment was based on multiple indicators, including her increasingly prominent appearances at major state events.
Growing Public Profile
Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13 years old, has frequently appeared alongside her father over the past two years.
She was recently photographed at high-profile events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun — the mausoleum of North Korea’s founding leaders.
South Korean officials noted signs that she has begun offering input on state matters during official engagements.
“The NIS believes she has entered the stage of successor designation,” lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen told reporters, citing the agency’s briefing.
The NIS said it will closely monitor whether she attends the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, North Korea’s most significant political gathering, which is held every five years and outlines national priorities, including foreign policy and military strategy.
From Mystery Child to Political Figure
Kim Ju Ae’s existence first became publicly known in 2013 when former NBA player Dennis Rodman mentioned holding her during a visit to North Korea.
She made her first appearance on state television in 2022, standing beside her father during an inspection of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, she has been regularly featured in state media coverage.
During a visit to Beijing for a major military parade, she was seen arriving by armoured train alongside her father — a highly symbolic gesture in North Korean political culture.
Observers have noted that official photographs often position her prominently beside Kim Jong Un, sometimes walking at his side rather than behind him — an unusual visual cue in a country where imagery is tightly controlled and loaded with meaning.
Questions Over Succession in a Patriarchal System
Ju Ae is the only publicly acknowledged child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. South Korean intelligence believes Kim may also have an older son, though he has never been publicly identified.
Her potential designation as heir raises questions in a country traditionally governed by strict patriarchal norms.
North Korea’s leadership has passed down through three generations of the Kim family, from Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong Il and then to Kim Jong Un. While female leadership is rare in the system, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, holds a senior role within the Workers’ Party and is considered highly influential.
Analysts say Ju Ae’s rising profile may signal an evolving approach to succession, though many uncertainties remain.
Timing and Implications
It is unclear why Kim Jong Un, who is still relatively young and appears in good health, would formally designate a successor at this stage.
Speculation surrounds what Ju Ae’s eventual leadership might mean for North Korea’s domestic and foreign policies. When Kim Jong Un first assumed power, some observers believed his Western education might lead to reform or greater openness. Those expectations largely went unmet.
If Ju Ae does become leader in the future, she would inherit a system where authority is highly centralised, giving her significant power to shape the country’s direction.
For now, South Korea’s intelligence assessment suggests that North Korea’s leadership transition — whenever it occurs — may already be quietly taking shape.