AfriPulse
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has selected his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.
The South Korean spy agency disclosed the assessment to lawmakers, saying it reached the conclusion after reviewing a range of indicators.
This includes the teenager’s increasingly visible presence at major state functions, it said.
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Ju Ae is the only publicly acknowledged child of Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.
Although intelligence officials believe the leader may have an older son, he has never been introduced to the public.
The emergence of a female heir, however, introduces a notable shift in a society widely regarded as deeply patriarchal.
In recent months, Ju Ae has appeared alongside her father at high profile engagements.
She accompanied her father in September to visit Beijing, her first known foreign trip.
Lee Seong kwen, a South Korean lawmaker, said the intelligence service now believes the process has moved beyond preparation to formal designation.
“Kim Ju Ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army.
“She also visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and has voiced her opinion on certain state policies, and so with these, the NIS believes she has now entered the stage of being designated as successor,” he said.
The development comes ahead of North Korea’s ruling party congress, scheduled for later this month.
The gathering, held once every five years, is expected to outline the country’s direction on foreign policy, war planning and nuclear strategy.
Ju Ae first appeared on state television in 2022 during an inspection of an intercontinental ballistic missile, holding her father’s hand. Since then, her public profile has expanded steadily.
State media images frequently show her standing beside Kim rather than behind him, a symbolic positioning in a political culture where visual cues are carefully curated and hierarchy is rigidly maintained.
Another South Korean lawmaker, Park Sun won, said her prominent placement at public events suggests she is being treated as the de facto second in command and may already be contributing to policy discussions.
Power in North Korea has remained within the Kim family for three generations.
Analysts have long speculated that Kim intends to preserve the dynastic line.
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