Breaking: North Korean President Kim Jong Un Reportedly Announces Who Will Be His Next Successor
- North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, reportedly designated his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Thursday
- Lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen said Ju Ae had shown presence at key events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, signalling her stage of “successor designation”
- Lawmaker Park Sun-won added that Ju Ae had begun providing policy input and was being treated as the de facto second-highest leader in North Korea
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly selected his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Thursday, February 12.
Source: Getty Images
The agency said Ju Ae’s increasing public appearances and involvement in official events were key factors in the assessment, BBC reported.
She was recently pictured alongside her father during high-profile occasions, including his September visit to Beijing – her first known trip abroad.
“As Kim Ju Ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies, the NIS believes she has now entered the stage of being designated as successor,” said lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen.
Prominent appearances signal gr0oming for power
Ju Ae is the only acknowledged child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. While the NIS believes Kim may have an older son, he has never been officially confirmed or shown in state media.
The teenager first appeared on North Korean television in 2022, inspecting the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile while holding her father’s hand. Since then, she has made frequent media appearances, often walking beside Kim Jong Un rather than following him, a symbolic gesture of status in Pyongyang, Sky News reported.
“She has started to provide policy input and is being treated as the de facto second-highest leader,” said lawmaker Park Sun-won.
Precedent for female leadership in North Korea
Ju Ae’s succession raises questions in a traditionally patriarchal society. Analysts had long dismissed the idea of a female leader in North Korea, although Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, currently holds a senior position in the Workers’ Party and exercises influence over her brother.
“It is unusual for a daughter to be chosen above a son in this society, but the Kim family has a history of consolidating power within the family,” noted a Seoul-based North Korea analyst.
Uncertainties over the future
While Ju Ae’s designation is now reportedly official, questions remain over the timing. Kim Jong Un is still relatively young and appears healthy, yet he has begun to designate a successor in a child.
Source: Getty Images
Analysts are uncertain what policy or governance shifts this could bring to North Korea in the future.
In a country where state media carefully controls symbolism, Ju Ae’s prominence in images alongside her father underscores the significance of her new role.
Observers will be watching her attendance at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, the country’s largest political event, to gauge how much influence she may exercise in the years ahead.
North Korea bars Western influencers from trade fair tour
Previously, Legit.ng reported that North Korea has barred Western influencers from joining a delegation of tourists to an international trade fair in October, a China-based tour operator told AFP on Monday.
Diplomatically isolated North Korea has welcomed sporadic groups of international visitors in recent months, including hundreds of foreign athletes in April for the first Pyongyang International Marathon in six years.
Source: Legit.ng
