SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, is reportedly being positioned as his successor, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), marking what could become a historic shift in leadership within the secretive regime.
The assessment was shared during a closed-door parliamentary briefing in Seoul, where intelligence officials indicated that Kim Ju Ae appears to be moving beyond symbolic appearances and toward formal succession status.
According to lawmakers briefed by the NIS, the agency believes Kim’s daughter has likely been internally designated as a successor, although North Korea has not made any official public announcement confirming this.
South Korean officials said the growing visibility of Kim Ju Ae at major state events signals a calculated effort to elevate her status within the ruling structure.
“She is being positioned as the most likely successor,” lawmakers quoted intelligence officials as saying following the briefing.
The NIS reportedly noted that Kim Ju Ae’s public appearances have expanded significantly in frequency and importance over the past two years.
Kim Ju Ae first appeared publicly in November 2022 when she accompanied her father to observe an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.
Since then, she has attended multiple high-profile events, including military inspections, state banquets, weapons demonstrations and national celebrations.
In official photographs released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), she has often been positioned prominently beside Kim Jong Un, sometimes standing at the center of military leadership gatherings.
State media has referred to her using honorific descriptions such as “beloved child” and “respected daughter,” language that analysts say carries political weight in North Korea’s tightly controlled propaganda system.
Observers note that similar patterns were seen when Kim Jong Un himself was gradually introduced to the public before officially taking power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.
Despite the intelligence assessment, North Korea has not publicly announced Kim Ju Ae as heir apparent.
There has been no formal statement from the Workers’ Party of Korea or the North Korean government confirming succession plans.
“The regime historically reveals succession plans only when leadership is consolidated and timing is strategic,” analysts have noted in previous assessments.
If formally designated, Kim Ju Ae would become the fourth generation of the Kim dynasty to lead North Korea and the first woman positioned to head the nuclear-armed state.
The Kim family has ruled North Korea since its founding in 1948. Leadership has passed from Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong Il, and then to Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un is believed to be in his early 40s and remains firmly in control of the government and military. There are no public indications of imminent leadership change.
The succession issue carries significant global implications, particularly given North Korea’s expanding nuclear arsenal and strained relations with the United States and South Korea.
