Kim Ju-Ae, the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, has a hairstyle that is illegal to copy in South Korea, according to reports. Under a new law, anyone imitating her trademark 'rooster' hairstyle faces an instant 'punishment haircut' and six months in a labour camp.
Described in state media as the leader's 'most beloved child', Kim Ju-Ae has made 61 reported public appearances, showing her evolution from a small child to a confident teenager. She has been photographed firing sniper rifles, watching nuclear missile tests, and taking centre stage at military parades.
The ban has sparked controversy in South Korea. A source said: 'I hear from contacts in North Korea about increasing disappointment since they see Kim Ju-Ae in her expensive clothes, looking like a small girl at important events, while ordinary citizens endure worsening rules and economic difficulties.'
Military expert S Paul Choi noted: 'All the attention and deliberate public signalling is fascinating. It is crucial in North Korea to have support of the military, so are they trying to build up her bona fides with the hardliners?' He added that Kim Jong-Un may be providing his daughter with 'insurance for when he is not around'.
This month, Kim Ju-Ae was pictured driving her father in a huge tank during a large-scale military drill, her head peering out from the front seat while her father sat calmly on the war machine.
