Is Kim Jong Un Preparing His Daughter for Power? Seoul’s Spy Agency Thinks So
The whispers about North Korea’s future leadership are getting louder — and this time, they’re coming from South Korea’s top intelligence officials.
On Thursday, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to be positioning his teenage daughter as his eventual successor. If that assessment proves accurate, it would mark the fourth generation of the Kim family dynasty ruling the isolated state.
The timing of the revelation is no coincidence. It comes just ahead of a major Workers’ Party gathering in Pyongyang later this month, where Kim is expected to lay out policy priorities for the next five years — and potentially tighten his grip on power even further.
Watching Closely Ahead of Party Congress
According to lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, who attended a closed-door briefing, NIS officials are paying close attention to whether Kim’s daughter — widely believed to be 13-year-old Kim Ju Ae — appears alongside her father at the upcoming Workers’ Party congress.
Why does that matter? In North Korea’s carefully choreographed political theater, appearances are rarely accidental. Standing beside the leader in front of thousands of delegates would send a powerful symbolic message.
Kim Ju Ae first stepped into the public eye in November 2022 during a long-range missile test. Since then, she has frequently appeared at her father’s side — from weapons trials and military parades to factory inaugurations. Each appearance has fueled speculation that she’s more than just a supportive family member tagging along for state events.
A Beijing Trip That Raised Eyebrows
One particularly striking moment came last September when Kim traveled to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping — his first such meeting in six years. Kim Ju Ae accompanied him on the trip, a move intelligence officials previously suggested could be part of a broader effort to craft a narrative around her political future.
In earlier briefings, the NIS described her as being in the “training phase” of succession. Now, according to Lee, the agency has shifted its language — referring to her as being in a “designated successor stage.” That subtle but significant change hints at growing confidence in their assessment.
A Symbolic Visit to a Sacred Site
Speculation intensified even more last month when Kim Ju Ae visited Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on New Year’s Day with her parents. The site holds immense symbolic weight: it houses the preserved bodies of her grandfather and great-grandfather — North Korea’s first and second leaders.
For many analysts, that visit wasn’t just ceremonial. It looked like a carefully staged nod to dynastic continuity.
Breaking with Tradition?
Initially, South Korean officials were skeptical about the idea of a female successor. North Korea’s political culture has long been male-dominated, and leadership has traditionally passed from father to son.
But Kim Ju Ae’s increasingly prominent presence in state media is prompting a rethink. The NIS reportedly cited her growing visibility at high-level military events, her participation in key symbolic ceremonies, and indications that Kim Jong Un may even be seeking her views on certain policy matters.
If true, that would suggest she is being gradually introduced not just as a figurehead, but as someone learning the mechanics of power from the inside.
Dynasty in the Making?
At just 13, Kim Ju Ae’s political journey — if it is indeed one — is still in its early chapters. Yet in North Korea, where symbolism often carries as much weight as official announcements, even subtle signals can be meaningful.
Whether the upcoming Workers’ Party congress provides clearer confirmation remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the idea of a fourth-generation Kim leadership no longer sounds far-fetched.
In the tightly controlled world of Pyongyang politics, the next chapter of the dynasty may already be quietly unfolding.