Kim Jong Un Names Daughter Kim Ju Ae as Successor

According to the South Korean Intelligence Service, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor. This assessment is based on several indicators, including her growing presence at major state events in recent months.

Kim Ju Ae has frequently appeared alongside her father during high-profile engagements, including an official visit to Beijing in September, which marked her first known foreign trip. Observers are closely monitoring whether she will participate in the upcoming ruling party congress scheduled for later this month, a significant political gathering held every five years to outline national priorities, foreign policy, defense plans, and nuclear strategy.

South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong Kwen noted that Kim Ju Ae's public acknowledgment and participation in state events, including celebrations marking the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army, suggest she is being groomed for leadership. Analysts believe this succession plan aims to preserve North Korea's long-standing political dynasty, despite the country's traditional patriarchal system.