Kim Jong Un names daughter as potential successor in North Korean leadership

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has informed legislators that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reportedly preparing to designate his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor. According to sources, including South Korean politicians Park Seon-won and Lee Seong-gwon, the agency’s findings suggest that Kim Ju Ae’s presence at recent events, such as the Armed Forces Day ceremony and a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, has been highlighted.

The palace is considered an important location in North Korea, serving as the final resting place of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. If Kim Ju Ae attends or receives a title at the upcoming Workers’ Party congress later this month, speculation about her path to succession may increase.

Limited information is available on Kim Ju Ae, including her age, which is believed to be in her teens. Her first public appearance was in 2022 during the test launch of a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, she has been photographed alongside her father at various events across the country.

Additionally, the National Intelligence Service has reported that Kim Jong Un is currently overseeing the development of a large submarine capable of carrying up to 10 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The details of this project are not yet publicly known.

The agency’s findings have reinforced earlier assessments that Kim Ju Ae is considered a potential successor by South Korea’s intelligence community.

Source: Al Jazeera