The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made her first known visit to a sacred family mausoleum, a move some experts believe strengthens her position as a potential successor.
Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Makes Recent Appearances
The visit, which occurred on New Year’s Day, sparked speculation that Kim Ju Ae, reportedly aged about 13, could be named a high-level official at the upcoming ruling Workers’ Party congress.
Kim has been making increasingly prominent appearances in state media over the past three years, fueling speculation by analysts and South Korea’s intelligence agency that she may be in line to be the country’s fourth-generation leader.
Images released by North Korea’s state media on Friday showed Kim standing in the front row with her parents and deeply bowing at Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of her late grandfather and great-grandfather are on display.
The palace is considered a symbol of legitimacy for the North Korean regime, and her visit ahead of the Workers’ Party congress is seen as a politically orchestrated move, according to Cheong Seong-Chang, deputy head of the private Sejong Institute in South Korea.
Kim Jong Un, 41, is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea since the country’s foundation in 1948. He often marks key state anniversaries by visiting the Kumsusan palace and paying respect to his father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung.
Analysts predict Kim could give his daughter the first secretary post at the Workers’ Party, the party’s second-most-senior job, at the congress. Other experts suggest she is too young for such a high-profile post and might be given lower-level positions.
The congress, the first in five years, is intended to establish new state policies and reshuffle officials. North Korea has not announced a date, but South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) anticipates it will be held in either January or February.
Hong Min, an expert on North Korea at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, said North Korea has been portraying an image of Kim’s “stable family” by showcasing his wife and daughter at major events.
Since her first appearance in November 2022, Kim Ju Ae has accompanied her father at events including military parades and missile launches. In September, Kim brought her on his trip to Beijing, and she also attended this year’s New Years celebrations, according to state media.
The NIS stated in January that it views Kim Ju Ae as her father’s likely heir. Some outside experts disagree, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the male-dominated nature of North Korea’s power structure.
The NIS reported in November that Kim Jong Un appeared to have no major health problems.
Revealing Kim Ju Ae was a surprise to foreign experts, as neither Kim Jong Un nor Kim Jong Il were mentioned in North Korean state media before reaching adulthood.
Some observers believe Kim Jong Un aims to bolster public support for his family’s continued rule by repeatedly featuring his daughter in public events.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry spokesperson declined to comment on Kim Ju Ae’s appearance, stating it is too early to consider her a successor given her age and lack of an official position.
Hong said potential roles for Kim Jong Un’s other children leave room for caution in drawing conclusions about his daughter’s succession. “It’s practically impossible to publicly designate Kim Ju Ae, who is believed to have just turned 13, as the successor when she’s not even old enough to join the (Workers’) Party,” he said.
AP/Reuters
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