20-05-2025
Kim Jong Un's Daughter Rising in North Korea as Likely Successor: Analyst
The frequent appearances of Kim Ju Ae—daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un—alongside her father, paired with honorifics traditionally reserved for leadership, may signal she is already being groomed for power, according to one analyst.
Speculation continues to swirl around the girl, believed to be named Ju Ae, and whether she could be positioned as the fourth Kim in the ruling dynasty, instead of her powerful aunt, Kim Yo Jong.
Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing via email for comment.
Though nothing is certain about the opaque palace politics in the reclusive country, some analysts say she increasingly appears to be preferred over Kim Yo Jong, 37, the regime's propaganda chief and long seen as a strong candidate for the role. Either would become the first female leader of the intensely patriarchal government.
South Korean intelligence has assessed that Kim Jong Un, believed to weigh over 300 pounds and be a smoker, is diabetic and at high risk for heart disease. If his health deteriorates, his successor will inherit control of North Korea's nuclear arsenal and decide how to navigate the country's tense relationship with the South.
Ju Ae made her public debut at a missile launch in 2022. Now thought to be in her early teens, she has accompanied the elder Kim for dozens of other appearances.
Her continued appearance at official functions with her father, including diplomatic events, suggests with increasing confidence her selection as heir apparent, Cho Han-bum, senior research fellow at the Seoul-based Institute for National Unification, told Yonhap News Agency.
Most recently, the teen attended a May 9 ceremony at the Russian embassy marking the end of World War II in Europe. In its report on the event, state-run Korean Central News Agency referred to her as "most beloved daughter."
"She is essentially playing the role of North Korea's First Lady," Cho said. "Considering she has participated in more than 40 official activities over the past two and a half years and her rising status both domestically and internationally, there is no longer any doubt about the progress of Kim Ju Ae's succession process."
State media has also previously described her as a "person of guidance." Kim himself has referred to her as the "Morning Star General." In North Korean political rhetoric, the term "morning star" has been used figuratively to describe an up-and-coming leader.
South Korean legislator Lee Seong-kweun cited South Korea's spy agency as saying last July: "Pyongyang is teaching Kim Ju Ae to be heir apparent, indicating she's the most likely successor."
It remains to be seen how the succession will unfold. Some North Korea watchers have cautioned that while Ju Ae's visibility is unprecedented, it may be less about power dynamics than about reinforcing Kim Jong Un's image as a father and leader of a stable ruling bloodline.
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