North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly chosen his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor, a move that could mark a historic shift in the secretive state’s dynastic leadership.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) informed lawmakers that Kim Ju Ae has entered the stage of “successor designation,” citing her increasingly prominent role at official events. Once described merely as being “trained” for future leadership, she is now believed to be formally positioned as heir apparent.
Ju Ae, thought to be around 13 years old, has steadily emerged in state media since her first public appearance in 2022, when she was shown inspecting an intercontinental ballistic missile alongside her father. Since then, she has appeared at high-profile occasions, including military anniversaries, weapons tests, and even an overseas visit to Beijing, her first known trip abroad.
According to BBC NEWS, Lawmakers in Seoul say her growing visibility carries a strong symbolic meaning. In North Korea, where imagery is tightly controlled, public positioning reflects hierarchy. Recent photos have shown Ju Ae walking beside her father, not behind him, reinforcing speculation that she is being groomed as the next leader of the Kim dynasty.
Observers note that her appearances have softened Kim Jong Un’s global image, presenting him as a father rather than solely a nuclear-armed strongman. At the same time, signs suggest she may already be participating in policy discussions, further strengthening claims of her designated status.
If confirmed, her succession would be remarkable in North Korea’s deeply patriarchal system. Leadership has passed through three generations of the Kim family, from Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un — all male. Though Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, holds significant influence within the regime, a female supreme leader would break a longstanding precedent.
Questions remain. Kim Jong Un is still relatively young, and little is publicly known about Ju Ae beyond her curated appearances. It is unclear why succession planning appears to be advancing so early, or what direction she might take the country in the future.
History offers a cautionary lesson. When Kim Jong Un, educated in the West, assumed power, many hoped he would open North Korea to the world. Those expectations were largely unmet.
Now, attention turns to a teenager who could one day wield absolute authority in one of the world’s most isolated nations, a daughter who may inherit not just power, but the future of North Korea itself.
