Monday Briefing: North Korea's Heir Apparent

New York Times

5 days ago

North Korea is an isolated totalitarian state where information is tightly controlled. But what happens there really matters: The world's newest nuclear power routinely threatens war with its neighbors and the U.S. And it has provided troops and weapons for Russia's war against Ukraine.
My colleagues Choe Sang-Hun, the Times's Seoul bureau chief, and Pablo Robles, a visual journalist, have been poring over the country's state-run media for clues about what's going on inside this secretive place. I asked them to walk us through the nuances of one photograph — and what it might reveal about the country's next leader.
What a photo tells us about North Korea's heir apparent
By Choe Sang-Hun and Pablo Robles
To an eye untrained in the subtleties of North Korean propaganda, it might be hard to understand what's so remarkable about the above image. But if you know what to look for, its significance is unmistakable: Kim Jong-un may be grooming his 12-year-old daughter to eventually take over as North Korea's supreme leader.
The photo shows Kim next to his daughter, Kim Ju-ae. They are looking out over an airfield, but what's important is how they're positioned. Notice how Kim Ju-ae is front and center, while her father is behind her, slightly off to the side. In North Korean state media, such things don't happen by chance, and a photo like this one would not have been published without Kim's permission.
It's this photo, which appeared in state media in late 2023, that most convinced analysts that Kim Ju-ae is being groomed as Kim Jong-un's likely successor. That's a remarkable development in a deeply patriarchal and highly militarized society.
If that seems like a lot to hang on a photo, it helps to understand how North Korea works. The Rodong Sinmun, which captured and published this image, is not just the country's main newspaper. It's a Kim family governing tool, used to distribute both propaganda and political messaging.
It's also not just one photo. Over the course of the past three years, there has been a shift in how Kim Ju-ae is portrayed. She's become more prominent, dressing more formally, and appearing with diplomats and military leadership. In the spring of 2024, she was referred to as a 'great person of guidance' — a phrase reserved for North Korea's top leader and his designated successor. (Kim Jong-un himself was known by that term when he was being groomed to succeed his own father, Kim Jong-il.)
You can read more about this evolution here, but here's a bonus photo, which is a reminder of the stakes when it comes to who will be North Korea's next leader. It's a shot of father and daughter, hand in hand, going for a stroll in front of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
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Europe is worried about the Trump-Putin summit
Ukraine and its European allies yesterday presented a united front ahead of a meeting in Alaska on Friday between President Trump and President Vladimir Putin. The Europeans are concerned that Trump may make concessions to Putin in a deal that would sideline Ukraine in future talks.
Seven European leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, released a joint statement asserting that 'the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.'
They called for a cease-fire or a reduction in hostilities as a condition to holding peace negotiations, a position long held by Ukraine but one that Russia has rejected. They also said that the current front line 'should be the starting point of negotiations,' an implicit rejection of Trump's suggestion of 'land swaps' with Russia. Ukraine has flatly rejected ceding any territory.
What's next: E.U. foreign ministers are expected to meet today to discuss the way forward. Here's what Putin hopes to gain from the Alaska summit.
Middle East
Israel: Responding to international condemnation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the expanded military campaign in Gaza was 'the best way to end the war.' The plan leaves a question mark over who will eventually govern the territory.
Diplomacy: Europe's moves reflected global outrage over the carnage in Gaza. Here's how Britain, France and Germany toughened their stance.
Gaza: An extreme shortage of cash has made it even harder to get food.
Elsewhere
Turkey: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake toppled at least one building in the western town of Sindirgi.
Russia: Meet Sergei Kiriyenko, the man who turns Putin's ideas into action. He replaced Dmitri Kozak, who fell out of favor for criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. We have takeaways from our reporting on Kiriyenko.
India: Thousands of Bengali speakers, most of them Muslims, have been rounded up, detained or expelled to Bangladesh in recent months.
China: President Xi Jinping is tightening his grip on the military, with purges that have targeted some generals whom he had handpicked.
Soccer: Crystal Palace shocked Liverpool by beating the reigning Premier League champions 3-2 on penalties to win the Community Shield.
Formula 1: Here are midseason grades for each team as the sport's summer break begins.
Boxing: Two Japanese boxers died from brain injuries sustained in separate fights on the same card in Tokyo this month.
The Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko announced on Instagram in December that his battles with bipolar disorder had driven him to the Netherlands to pursue medically assisted death.
Three days later, he followed up by introducing 'The Last Supper Project,' an effort to connect with strangers across Europe, share a meal with them and search for meaning 'while I still have time left on Earth.' Since then, Awuah-Darko has attended more than 150 last suppers. He is still going.
Lives lived: James Lovell Jr., who led the Apollo 13 moon mission that survived a near catastrophic explosion in 1970, died at 97.
Hairless victory: Petunia, a fur-free bulldog mix, won the World's Ugliest Dog Contest.
Delusional spiral: The Times analyzed how lengthy conversations with ChatGPT convinced a sane man he was a superhero.
Seth Rogen's L.A.: The actor, who has spent decades in Los Angeles, shared his five favorite places there.
Digital rejuvenation: Studies show that using new technology may benefit aging brains.
When Mark Zuckerberg moved in
Things have changed in the Crescent Park neighborhood of Palo Alto, Calif., since Mark Zuckerberg arrived 14 years ago.
The tech billionaire has spent more than $110 million to scoop up at least 11 houses on two streets. He has turned five of the houses into a compound with a mansion, guest homes and lush gardens. Neighbors say it also includes a large statue of Zuckerberg's wife, a private school and an underground space they call the 'billionaire's bat cave.'
Some say they're bitter about the years of construction, loud parties and increased surveillance. Read more.
Cook: This peaches and cream cake is a fruity delight, and doesn't require turning on an oven.
Read: Two married professors have parallel affairs in Emily Adrian's novel 'Seduction Theory.'
Watch: The supernatural revenge thriller 'Ghost Killer' is one of five action movies to stream now.
Travel: Spend 36 hours in Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands.
Compete: Take our Flashback history quiz.
Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.
Daniel E. Slotnik contributed to this newsletter. That's it for today. See you next time. — Katrin
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