South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has told lawmakers that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to be positioning his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir.
According to the agency, Ju Ae believed to be about 13 has entered a “successor designation” phase, citing her increasing prominence at state events and symbolic appearances alongside the leader.
Lawmakers briefed by the NIS said the agency will monitor whether she attends North Korea’s upcoming Workers’ Party congress, the country’s largest political gathering held every five years, where major policy priorities on foreign affairs, defense, and nuclear strategy are outlined.
Growing public role
Lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen told reporters that Ju Ae, previously described as being groomed as a potential successor, is now formally being positioned for leadership.
She has appeared at major national events, including celebrations marking the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.
Officials also noted signs that she may be contributing opinions on certain state matters.
Ju Ae is the only publicly acknowledged child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. Intelligence officials believe the leader may also have an older son who has never been publicly identified.
Emergence into public view
Ju Ae first drew global attention in 2013 when former NBA player Dennis Rodman said he met and held “baby Ju Ae” during a visit to North Korea. She made her state media debut in 2022, inspecting an intercontinental ballistic missile alongside her father.
Since then, she has frequently appeared in official media coverage, often portrayed at his side.
Political analyst note symbolic details in these appearances including walking beside rather than behind him in a country where political imagery is tightly choreographed.
Female leadership in a patriarchal system
Her apparent rise has surprised analysts, given North Korea’s deeply patriarchal political culture.
However, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, already holds a senior role in the ruling party and is widely regarded as influential, offering a precedent for female authority within the regime.
Power in North Korea has passed through three generations of the Kim dynasty, and analysts believe the leader intends to preserve that lineage.
Still, it remains unclear why a successor is being designated while Kim Jong Un appears relatively young and in stable health.
If Ju Ae ultimately assumes leadership, she would inherit sweeping authority over the country’s political direction, military posture, and nuclear program decisions that could shape the future of the Korean Peninsula and global security.
