South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has made its strongest assessment yet on the political future of North Korea, declaring that it is now fair to view Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter as his heir.
Who is Kim Ju Ae?
Born around 2012 or 2013, Kim Ju Ae is the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju. Her name was first mentioned by American basketball player Dennis Rodman after visiting North Korea in 2013, though it has never been officially confirmed by Pyongyang.
She made her first public appearance in 2022, when Kim brought her to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Successor Training Complete
The NIS reported to the National Assembly in February 2026 that Kim Ju Ae had completed her successor training and had been designated as the successor to her father. More recently, she appeared alongside Kim at a party congress wearing a matching leather jacket — a move analysts interpreted as further signalling her elevated status.
Historic First
Since its founding in 1948, North Korea has never had a female supreme leader. If Kim Ju Ae does eventually take power, it would mark a historic break from the patrilineal succession that has defined the Kim dynasty for three generations.
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