iDeemlawfulNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has chosen his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, believed to be 13, as his heir.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) disclosed this to lawmakers on Thursday.
According to the BBC, the agency said it reached the conclusion that Ju Ae is the designated heir after assessing a “range of circumstances”, including her increasingly visible presence at major state functions.
In recent months, Ju Ae has appeared beside her father at significant events, including a trip to Beijing in September — her first known foreign visit.
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The NIS stated it would closely observe whether she attends the North’s party congress later this month, the country’s biggest political gathering held every five years.
This congress is expected to outline North Korea’s priorities on foreign policy, military strategy and nuclear plans for the next five years.
Lee Seong-kwen, a South Korean lawmaker, told journalists on Thursday that Ju Ae, once described as being “trained” for leadership, has now moved into the phase of “successor designation”.
“As Kim Ju Ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies, the NIS believes she has now entered the stage of being designated as successor,” BBC quoted Lee as saying.
Ju Ae is the only publicly known child of Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. Although the NIS believes Kim has an older son, he has never been officially acknowledged or featured in state media.
She first appeared on state television in 2022 while inspecting an intercontinental ballistic missile alongside her father.
The 13-year-old has recently featured regularly in state broadcasts, accompanying Kim to military and political engagements, including China’s military parade in Beijing.
Ju Ae is frequently photographed standing next to her father rather than behind him — a significant detail in North Korea, where official imagery is highly symbolic and seldom places others on equal standing with the leader.
Another lawmaker, Park Sun-won, said her visible participation at public functions indicates she may already be offering policy input and is being regarded as the de facto second-in-command.
Leadership in North Korea has remained within the Kim family across three generations, and many analysts believe Kim intends to preserve that lineage.
However, her reported designation raises questions in a society known for its deeply patriarchal structure.