South Korea's spy agency has told lawmakers it believes Kim Ju-ae, the teenage daughter of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, is close to being designated as the country's future leader. The assessment by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) comes as North Korea prepares for a major political conference later this month, where Kim is expected to outline policy goals and tighten his grip on power.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they were monitoring whether Kim Ju-ae, believed to be about 13 years old, would appear with her father at the Workers' Party congress. Lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun, who attended the meeting, noted a shift in language: previously the NIS described her as undergoing 'successor training', but now uses the term 'successor-designate stage'.
Kim Ju-ae first appeared publicly at a long-range missile test in November 2022 and has since accompanied her father to weapons tests, military parades, and factory openings. She also travelled with him to Beijing last September for his first summit with Xi Jinping in six years. Speculation intensified after she joined her parents on a New Year's Day visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a mausoleum for her grandfather and great-grandfather.
South Korean officials initially doubted she would be chosen as leader due to the country's conservative, male-dominated culture. However, her increasing prominence in state media has prompted a reassessment. The NIS cited her presence at high-profile military events, the family mausoleum visit, and signs that Kim is seeking her input on policy matters.
Little is known about Kim Ju-ae. North Korean state media have never published her name, referring to her only as his 'respected' or 'most beloved' child. The belief that she is named Kim Ju-ae stems from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Kim's baby daughter during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang. South Korean intelligence believes she was born that year.
Since North Korea's founding in 1948, it has been ruled by male members of the Kim family: founder Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il, and now Kim Jong-un. Some analysts suggest Kim's early promotion of his daughter may reflect his own experience of being rushed into power after his father's death in 2011.
