North Korea has released new images of leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter, including one showing her firing a rifle at a shooting range, adding to speculation that she is being groomed as his successor.
Kim Jong Un’s gift to officials
According to the state media KCNA news agency, Kim Jong Un presented new sniper rifles as ceremonial gifts to party and military officials, calling them a “wonderful weapon” and a sign of his trust.
KCNA reported Kim met leading cadres and commanding officers at the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Friday and handed each a new-generation rifle developed by the country’s Academy of Defense Science.
“As was already made public, this new-generation sniper’s rifle our Academy of Defense Science developed and produced, is really a wonderful weapon,” Kim was quoted as saying.
The gifts were presented to mark the Ninth Congress of the party.
Recipients included members of the party’s Central Military Commission, senior commanders of the Korean People’s Army and guard units, as well as Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong, whom KCNA for the first time identified as director of the General Affairs Department of the party’s Central Committee.
Kim’s teenage daughter, Ju Ae, who has recently risen to prominence was also gifted a sniper, which she was later seen aiming at a firing range.
Kim Ju Ae makes rare public appearance
Interestingly, Ju Ae was seen wearing a leather jacket, something that her father regularly wears at major political events. In the few instances that Ju Ae has been seen in public, she has also been wearing leather jackets, which, for many, is a sign that she is the first in line to succeed her father.
What the world knows about Kim Ju Ae
Not much is known about Ju Ae, including if it is her real name. She is believed to be around 13 years old and made her first public appearance in November 2022 at an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency (NIS) believes the public role indicates she has started to provide policy input and that she is being treated as the de facto second-highest leader.
Recent reports have also suggested that Ju Ae has completed “successor training” and is now in the official designation phase.
In North Korea, the state media have gone from describing Ju Ae as “beloved” daughter to “respected” daughter, which is again seen as a sign of cementing her role as the next Supreme Leader.
Kim family of North Korea
If Ju A, indeed, goes on to become the next leader of North Korea, she will be the fourth generation of the Kim family to lead the country.
Kim Il Sung, who established the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in September 1948, was the first, followed by his son Kim Jong-il.
Kim Jong Un took over as the Supreme Leader of North Korea in December 2011, following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il.
Kim Jong Un, who is believed to be in his 40s, has led a highly secretive private life, and not much is known about his wife Ri Sol-Ju, who was given the title Respected First Lady in 2018.
The couple is believed to have two children, including Ju Ae and an older brother, whose identity has not been made public yet. There are also some reports that the couple may have three children.
What about Kim Yo Jong?
Before Ju Ae began making public appearances, it was widely believed that Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong, one of the most powerful figures in North Korea, would be his successor.
Kim Yo Jong continues to hold a prominent role in the administration, and on Saturday, KCNA released a photograph of her holding a rifle alongside Hyon Song Wol, an aide to the North Korean leader who is known to be close to his wife.
