Over the past two years, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea has expressed the opinion that Kim Jong Un is preparing his daughter for the role of successor. However, as noted by parliamentarians, he is now already taking steps toward her official appointment to this position.
Member Lee Sung Kwon told reporters that "Kim Ju Ae has attended various events and shown interest in state affairs, indicating her transition to the stage of being appointed as successor."
The party in North Korea holds congresses every five years, and this event is an important political moment where the leadership outlines its plans for the future, including foreign policy, military initiatives, and nuclear programs.
As noted by BBC correspondent Jake Kwon in Seoul, Kim Ju Ae is the only known child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.
The NIS suggests that Kim has an older son, but neither the leader nor North Korean media have ever made official statements about him.
Information about Kim Ju Ae became known to the world shortly after her birth through an unexpected source: American basketball player Dennis Rodman, who visited North Korea in 2013, told the British newspaper Guardian that he "held little Kim Ju Ae in his arms."
Photo: Reuters.
