North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s teenage daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju-ae and around 13 years old, recently visited a sacred family mausoleum for the first time. This visit on New Year’s Day has sparked speculation that she may be appointed as a high-level official at the upcoming ruling Workers’ Party congress.
Images released by North Korea’s state media showed Kim Ju-ae, along with her parents, paying respects at Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where her late grandfather and great-grandfather are laid to rest. Analysts suggest that this visit to the symbolic palace ahead of the congress is a strategic move orchestrated for political purposes.
Kim Jong-un, the third-generation ruler of North Korea, is known for commemorating key state events at the Kumsusan Palace. Speculation is rife that he might assign his daughter a significant role within the Workers’ Party structure at the upcoming congress, possibly the first secretary position, although some experts believe she is too young for such a high-profile role.
The upcoming Workers’ Party congress, the first in five years, is expected to outline new state policies and reorganize officials. While the exact date of the congress has not been announced by North Korea, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service anticipates it will likely take place in either January or February.
Since her public debut in November 2022, Kim Ju-ae has been seen accompanying her father at various events, including military parades and official visits. Her close relationship with Kim Jong-un was evident during the recent New Year’s Day celebrations when she affectionately kissed her father on the cheek in a public display of closeness.
The NIS has identified Kim Ju-ae as a potential successor to Kim Jong-un, although some experts question this assertion due to Kim Jong-un’s youth and North Korea’s male-dominated leadership structure. Kim Jong-un’s decision to introduce his daughter to the public eye at a young age is seen as a strategic move to garner support for the family’s continued rule in North Korea.