SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has designated his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor, according to an assesment by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The assessment given to lawmmakers in South Korea is based on her increasingly prominent appearances at major state events and signs she may already be contributing to policy discussions.
Lawmakers said Ju Ae, believed to be about 13, has moved from being trained as a potential heir to formally entering the “successor designation” stage.
Ju Ae has frequently appeared alongside her father since her public debut in 2022, including at military ceremonies, missile inspections and high-profile trips such as a visit to Beijing.
Observers note that her positioning in official photographs — often standing beside or level with Kim — carries symbolic weight in North Korea’s tightly controlled state media.
The NIS said it will closely watch whether she plays a visible role at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, where Pyongyang is expected to outline its priorities on foreign policy and nuclear strategy.
Her reported elevation raises questions in the deeply patriarchal state, particularly given speculation that Kim may have an older, unacknowledged son.
While female leadership is rare in North Korea, Kim’s influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, offers a precedent.
Analysts also question why Kim Jong Un, who is still relatively young, would formalize a successor so early. It remains unclear what Ju Ae’s potential leadership would mean for the country’s future.
