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South Korea’s NIS says Kim Ju Ae designated as successor
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13-year-old increasingly visible at major state events
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Move raises questions in patriarchal North Korean system
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor.
According to the BBC, the NIS informed lawmakers that its assessment was based on a “range of circumstances,” including Ju Ae’s growing prominence at official state functions.
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In recent months, Ju Ae has appeared alongside her father at several high-profile events, including a visit to Beijing in September, marking her first known foreign trip.
The NIS said it would closely monitor whether she attends North Korea’s upcoming Workers’ Party congress, the country’s largest political gathering held every five years, where key policy directions on foreign affairs, military strategy, and nuclear ambitions are expected to be outlined.
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Lee Seong-kwen, a South Korean lawmaker, said Ju Ae has progressed from being “trained” as a potential successor to formally entering the stage of “successor designation.”
She has been seen at events such as the anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. According to Lee, signs have also emerged that she may be voicing opinions on certain state policies.
Ju Ae first appeared on North Korean state television in 2022 during an inspection of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, she has frequently accompanied Kim to military and political events, including China’s military parade in Beijing.
Observers note that she is often photographed standing beside her father — rather than behind him — a symbolic detail in North Korean state imagery, where positioning reflects hierarchy and status.
Another lawmaker, Park Sun-won, said her visible role suggests she is being treated as the de facto second-highest leader.
Power in North Korea has remained within three generations of the Kim family. While reports suggest Kim may have an older son, he has never been publicly acknowledged.
If confirmed, Ju Ae’s designation would mark a significant development in the country’s deeply patriarchal society, though analysts believe Kim intends to preserve the ruling dynasty’s continuity.