There is growing evidence that the “most beloved” daughter of the North Korean Supreme Leader could be the chosen heir to the world’s only communist dynasty.
State-controlled media and Kim Jong Un himself have begun referring to Kim Ju Ae as “General Morning Star” following the launch of North Korea’s first spy satellite last month, an apparent promotion from the title “Noble Child.”
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That title initially belonged to Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean regime. It was later used for Kim Jong Un before he took power in 2011.
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Kim Ju Ae was introduced to the world at a public missile launch in November 2022 when she was believed to be around 10 years old, and has since accompanied her father to more than a dozen public engagements.
Kim Jong Un’s first-born child, believed to be a son around the age of 13, has never been publicly acknowledged.
The Director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Cho Tae-yong, told media this month that he believes Kim Ju Ae is being groomed to take over from her father one day. This is despite claims from the same agency earlier this year that Kim Jong Un, who is 39 years old, was too young and healthy to even consider succession plans.
South Korea’s Unification minister Kim Yung-ho said pictures in North Korean state media were “an indication that the 39-year-old North Korean leader is “trying to demonstrate his will for succession.”
“We cannot rule out the possibility of Ju Ae’s succession to power given that they are putting her on the main stage so early. We will need to keep a close watch on this,” the unification ministry official said.
