South Korea's spy agency has told lawmakers it believes Kim Jong-un's teenage daughter is close to being designated as North Korea's future leader, as the dictator 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 his main policy goals for the next five years.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they were closely monitoring whether Kim's daughter, believed to be called Kim Ju-ae and about 13 years old, would appear with him before thousands of delegates at the Workers' Party congress. Lee Seong Kweun, a lawmaker who attended the meeting, said the NIS had shifted its description of her status from 'successor training' to 'successor-designate stage', a significant change.
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. She travelled with him to Beijing last September for Kim's first summit with Xi Jinping in six years. 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 sacred family mausoleum.
South Korean officials initially expressed doubt that she would be chosen as a leader, citing the country's deeply conservative culture and tradition of male-dominated leadership. But her increasingly prominent appearances in state media have prompted a reassessment. According to Lee, the agency cited her growing presence at high-profile military events, her inclusion in the family visit to Kumsusan, and signs that Kim was beginning to seek her input on certain policy matters.
Not much is known about Kim's daughter. Despite her increased visibility in propaganda, North Korean 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 trip to Pyongyang in 2013. South Korean intelligence officials believe she was born sometime that year.
Since North Korea's foundation in 1948, it has been ruled by male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong-un was just 26 when he was officially named heir during a 2010 party conference. Some analysts suggest Kim's decision to give his daughter an early debut may reflect his own experience of being rushed into power.
