Kim Jong Un’s daughter emerges as likely heir following high-profile China trip

Kim Jong Un’s daughter, widely believed to be named Kim Ju Ae, is increasingly regarded as his probable successor, with her recent high-profile visit to China reinforcing her prominent status.

Likely in her early teens and bearing a strong resemblance to her mother, Kim Ju Ae accompanied her father on his first visit to a major gathering of world leaders, marking her first known trip abroad, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

She was seen disembarking from a train directly behind Kim Jong Un and ahead of Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, clapping as North Korean Embassy officials bowed. She also stood near him during a meeting with senior officials inside his train.

South Korea’s spy agency stated on September 11 that the trip solidified her position as her father’s probable heir. Believed to be 12 or 13 years old, little else is publicly known about her, but repeated appearances alongside Kim Jong Un at significant events have fueled speculation that she is being groomed as North Korea’s next leader.

In a closed-door briefing, the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Kim Jong Un likely brought his daughter to China to gain overseas experience and strengthen her status as heir, according to lawmaker Park Sunwon. Coverage of her appearances on North Korea’s main state TV station and newspaper — aimed at ordinary citizens — was cited by lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun.

North Korean media has never published her name, referring to her only as Kim Jong Un’s “respected” or “most beloved” child. The belief that her name is Ju Ae comes from former NBA champion Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Kim Jong Un’s baby daughter during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang. South Korean intelligence officials estimate she was born in 2013.

In 2023, South Korea’s spy agency reported that Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju also have an older son and a younger third child, whose gender is unknown.

Kim Ju Ae made her public debut during a November 2022 intercontinental ballistic missile test, wearing a white coat and red shoes, and holding her father’s hand while observing the launch from a distance. Her appearances since have been carefully curated, including missile tests, military parades, and the April launch of a naval destroyer.

Recently, Kim Jong Un has expanded her public engagements to include economic and cultural projects, such as the opening of a beach resort in June. The NIS issued an assessment last year, noting that her public activities and the state protocols surrounding her point to her as the likely successor.

However, some outside experts question this view, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the deeply male-dominated structure of North Korea’s leadership. In Thursday’s parliamentary briefing, the NIS reported that Kim Jong Un has no major health issues and conducted official schedules in China smoothly.

Since its founding in 1948, North Korea has been ruled by male members of the Kim family: Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and, since 2011, Kim Jong Un.

By Tamilla Hasanova