North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter made her first publicly known visit to a revered family mausoleum, a move analysts say may signal her rise as a potential heir.
The outing, which took place on New Year’s Day, fueled speculation that the girl, believed to be 13-year-old Kim Ju Ae, could soon hold a senior role at the ruling Workers’ Party congress.
State media images on Friday showed Kim Ju Ae in the front row alongside her parents, bowing deeply at Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the resting place of her embalmed grandfather and great-grandfather.
The palace is “a place that symbolizes legitimacy of the North Korean regime,” and her visit there ahead of the Workers’ Party congress is a politically orchestrated move, said Cheong Seong-chang, deputy head of the private Sejong Institute in South Korea.
Kim Jong Un, 41, is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea since the country’s founding in 1948. He often marks key state anniversaries by visiting the Kumsusan Palace and paying respect to his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
Cheong predicted that Kim Jong Un could give his daughter the first secretary post at the Workers’ Party, the party’s No. 2 job, at the congress. Other experts say she is too young to accept such a high-profile post and might be given lower-level roles instead.
The congress, the first of its kind in five years, is meant to establish new priorities in state policies and reshuffle officials. North Korea has not announced when it will be held, but South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said it likely will take place either in January or February.
Since first appearing in state media in November 2022, Kim Ju Ae has accompanied her father at a range of events, including military parades and missile launches. In September, Kim Jong Un brought her on his trip to Beijing. During New Year’s Day celebrations this week, she kissed her father on the cheek, highlighting their closeness.
In January 2024, the NIS said it viewed Kim Ju Ae as her father’s likely heir. Some outside experts disagree, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the extremely male-dominated nature of North Korea’s power hierarchy. The NIS told lawmakers in November that Kim appeared to have no major health problems.
The public introduction of Kim Ju Ae surprised foreign experts because neither Kim Jong Un nor Kim Jong Il were mentioned in state media before reaching adulthood.
Some observers say Kim Jong Un is likely aiming to shore up public support for his plan to extend the family’s rule by repeatedly presenting Kim Ju Ae at public events.
