North Korean leader's daughter potential successor: NIS

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter, known as Ju-ae, attend a New Year’s celebration event at the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium Pyongyang in this photo released by the North’s official state media, the Korean Central News Agency, Monday. Yonhap

Pyongyang continues extensive media coverage of Kim Ju-aeBy Lee Hyo-jin

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter, known as Ju-ae, is deemed the most likely successor to the dynastic communist regime, according to South Korea's spy agency, Thursday, marking the agency's first official acknowledgment of Kim's "beloved daughter" as the heir apparent.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS), however, noted that it is keeping a close watch on all possibilities, given the many variables surrounding power succession in North Korea.

"Based on a comprehensive analysis of public activities and the level of respect for Kim Ju-ae since her initial public appearance, at present, she appears to be the most likely successor," NIS chief nominee Cho Tae-yong said in a written statement submitted to Rep. Yoon Kun-young ahead of his parliamentary confirmation hearing.

"However, given that Kim Jong-un is still young, apparently with no severe health issues, and that there are many variables, we are keeping all possibilities open and monitoring the situation closely," Cho added.

He also mentioned that Ju-ae is not an only child, but the sex of her sibling remains unknown.

The Ministry of Unification gave a similar assessment.

"It aligns with the minister's previous remarks in December," a senior ministry official said during a closed-door briefing, Thursday, in response to a query about the NIS's assessment.

In a press conference in December, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho suggested that the increasing number of public appearances by Ju-ae may indicate the North Korean leader's plans regarding the succession of power.

"The continuous emphasis on Kim Jong-un's daughter can be seen as evidence that North Korea is hastening to showcase succession intentions amid difficult internal circumstances," the minister said at the time.

Ju-ae, believed to be around 10 years old, made her first public appearance in November 2022, when she observed a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile launch alongside her father.

Since her media debut, she has continued to show up at key events that highlight the North's military power, which is critical to the regime's stability. Out of her 19 media appearances up until December 2023, 16 were in military-related locations, according to the unification ministry.

This image, captured from footage of North Korea’s state-run Korean Central Television, Monday, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un kissing his daughter Ju-ae on the cheek during a New Year's celebration ceremony in Pyongyang. Yonhap

However, some observers maintain a more cautious stance regarding the likelihood of Ju-ae succeeding her father.

"If we consider that the Kim regime had officially designated Kim Jong-un, and his father Kim Jong-il, as the next leader when they were in their 20s, it is premature to make similar assessments for Ju-ae since she is still a child," said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies.

"So far, there have been no descriptions of Ju-ae's heroic qualities, which is the narrative commonly used by the Kim regime to portray the next generation of the 'Mount Paektu bloodline,'" he added.

Moreover, Yang pointed out that North Korea has yet to disclose her real name to the outside world, casting doubts on the assertion that she is being seriously considered as the next leader. South Korean and foreign media currently identify her as Ju-ae, relying heavily on the statements of retired NBA star Dennis Rodman as a source.

But North Korea has never officially confirmed this information. Pyongyang's state-run media outlets refer to Kim's daughter as the "respected daughter" or "beloved child," without using her actual name.

Nevertheless, if the young girl does become the next leader, it would be a ground-breaking moment in North Korea's traditionally male-dominated power hierarchy. Since its foundation in 1948, the nation has been ruled by successive male members of the Kim family.