North Korea’s next ruler? Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Seoul’s spies say

South Korea's intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), has concluded that Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is effectively designated as the country's next ruler. While North Korea has never officially acknowledged Ju-ae as the heir, the NIS's assessment comes in response to her growing public presence, which analysts believe is part of a deliberate effort to imprint her image on the North Korean people's minds.

Since November 2022, Ju-ae has made several public appearances alongside her father, including test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, military, political, and diplomatic events. In September, she accompanied her father to Beijing, marking her first known appearance abroad. She also made her first visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum of her grandfather and great-grandfather, in January.

The NIS's assessment adds weight to Seoul's view that Kim Jong-un is preparing his daughter to extend the Kim dynasty's hereditary rule into a fourth generation. While Ju-ae is still young, at 13 years old, she is being groomed for potential succession, though she would need another five years to reach adulthood and become eligible for formal leadership roles.

Analysts believe Ju-ae is receiving "princess training" for succession, with her role in public appearances carrying clear political significance. She is often positioned beside or near the center of the action alongside her father, wearing clothing that echoes his own. North Korea's deeply patriarchal political culture and the absence of a female leader so far make it challenging to install a daughter as the supreme leader.

However, Kim Jong-un could pave the way for his daughter's succession through purges, executions, and removing potential rivals within the ruling elite.