North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has formally selected his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir, according to South Korea’s intelligence agency.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) informed lawmakers on Thursday that its assessment is based on multiple developments, including Ju Ae’s increasingly visible role at major state events.
Kim Ju Ae, believed to be about 13 years old, has appeared frequently alongside her father in recent months, including during a high-profile visit to Beijing in September — her first known trip abroad.
Officials said the NIS considered “a range of circumstances” when reaching its conclusion, particularly her elevated public presence at official ceremonies.
Signs of Formal Designation
Lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen told reporters that Ju Ae has moved beyond being informally prepared for leadership and has now entered the stage of formal successor designation.
“She has shown her presence at important state events, including the anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun,” Lee said. “There are also indications she has begun expressing views on certain state matters.”
The intelligence agency said it will closely monitor whether Ju Ae attends the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress — North Korea’s largest political gathering, held every five years. The congress typically outlines the country’s strategic priorities, including foreign policy and nuclear planning for the next five-year period.
From Private Figure to Public Role
Ju Ae is the only publicly acknowledged child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. South Korean intelligence believes Kim may have an older son, though he has never appeared in state media.
Her existence first became widely known in 2013 when former NBA player Dennis Rodman revealed in an interview that he had met and held the infant Ju Ae during a visit to Pyongyang.
She made her first official appearance in North Korean state media in 2022, when she was shown accompanying her father during an inspection of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Since then, Ju Ae has regularly appeared in photographs and broadcasts. During a visit to Beijing for a large military parade, she was seen stepping off her father’s armoured train at Beijing Railway Station — a moment widely viewed as symbolically significant.
Observers have noted that official imagery often places her beside Kim Jong Un rather than behind him. In North Korea’s tightly controlled visual culture, such positioning is considered meaningful.
Breaking with Tradition?
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. Many analysts expect the tradition to continue.
However, Ju Ae’s apparent selection raises questions in a country shaped by deeply patriarchal norms. Some observers previously doubted that a woman would be groomed to lead the state.
Still, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, provides an example of female authority within the regime. She holds a senior position in the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party and is widely regarded as influential.
Unanswered Questions
Despite the NIS assessment, uncertainties remain. Kim Jong Un is relatively young and appears in stable health, prompting speculation about why a formal designation might occur at this stage.
It is also unclear what Ju Ae’s eventual leadership could mean for North Korea’s domestic and foreign policies.
When Kim Jong Un took power, some had hoped his Western education might usher in reform or greater openness. Those expectations largely went unmet.
If Ju Ae does ultimately assume leadership, she would inherit a political system that concentrates power heavily in the hands of its supreme leader — giving her considerable authority over the country’s future direction.
For now, South Korea’s intelligence findings suggest that preparations for succession in Pyongyang may already be underway.