South Korea's spy agency has told lawmakers it believes Kim Jong-un's teenage daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is close to being designated as North Korea's future leader, as Kim moves to extend the family dynasty to a fourth generation. The assessment by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) comes as North Korea prepares to hold its biggest political conference later this month, where Kim is expected to outline policy goals and tighten his grip.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they were closely monitoring whether Kim's daughter, believed to be about 13, would appear with him at the Workers' party congress, according to Lee Seong Kweun, a lawmaker who attended the meeting. Ju-ae first appeared in public at a long-range missile test in November 2022 and has since accompanied her father to an increasing number of events, including weapons tests, military parades, and factory openings.
Speculation about her political future intensified last month when she joined her parents on a New Year's Day visit to Pyongyang's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a mausoleum displaying the embalmed bodies of her grandfather and great-grandfather. Some experts saw this as the clearest sign yet that she was being positioned as heir to her 42-year-old father.
South Korean officials initially expressed doubt that she would be chosen as a leader, citing the country's conservative culture and male-dominated leadership tradition. But her increasingly prominent appearances in state media have prompted a reassessment. In September, the NIS told lawmakers that Kim's decision to bring her to China was probably part of an effort to build a narrative for succession. Lee noted a significant shift in language: 'In the past, they described Kim Ju-ae as being in the midst of successor training. Today, they used the term successor-designate stage.'
The agency cited her growing presence at high-profile military events, the family visit to Kumsusan, and signs that Kim was beginning to seek her input on policy matters. Not much is known about Kim's daughter; state media have never published her name, referring to her as his 'respected' or 'most beloved' child. The belief that she is named Kim Ju-ae is based on an account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Kim's baby daughter during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang.
Since North Korea's foundation in 1948, it has been ruled by male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong-un was 26 when he was named heir in 2010, two years after his father had a stroke. Some analysts suggest Kim's decision to give his daughter an early debut may reflect his own experience of being rushed into power.
