Lucknow Press
South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s teenage daughter is being trained to run the country. Ju-ae is the next-generation successor in the Kim family that has ruled the country since 1940. According to media reports, lawmakers have said that the National Intelligence Service gave them this information in a closed-door meeting on Monday.
Ju-ae, described by state media as a “respected daughter” and a “beloved child”, first appeared in public less than two years ago.
MP Lee Seong-kweun said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has determined that Ju-ae is the successor. Speaking to the media after the agency’s briefing, Lee said, “Pyongyang is preparing to make Kim Ju-ae the successor, which shows that he is the most likely successor.”
The NIS also told lawmakers that Kim Jong-Un is now “extremely obese” weighing “approximately 140 kilograms”, putting him at “a high risk of heart disease”.
Lee quoted the NIS as saying that Kim smokes cigarettes and has started showing symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes in his early 30s.
Another candidate may also come forward
According to media reports, the NIS has not ruled out the possibility that another candidate may also be included in the succession plan. So far, North Korea has not officially announced the succession.
The NIS told lawmakers that discussions are also being held on how much public
Ju-ae should appear in public. An eye is also being kept on how the North Korean people react to his role as a potential successor.
Ju-ae was first seen with her father in November 2022. She was seen holding her father’s hand and walking near a nuclear-capable missile designed to destroy an American city. Since then, she has always been seen with her father in weapons training, government ceremonies, and even sporting events.
Kim’s daughter’s role in state propaganda appears to be aimed at showing the public that there is another generation waiting to take over the dynasty and that it will depend on nuclear weapons for its survival.
South Korea’s spy agency estimates her age to be around 11. She is believed to be the second of three children born to Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju.
One of Ju-ae’s biggest moments came in February 2023, when she attended a banquet held in honor of the military with her mother and father. Ju-ae was put front and center in a photo with some of the most powerful members of the armed forces. No other child of the North Korean leader has ever been seen like this at such a young age.
Questions about successor remain
However, questions remain about whether Kim Jong-un has truly decided to choose Jue as his successor. The daughter’s name has yet to be formally identified in official media reports.
Kim Jong-un is relatively young at 40, so he could remain in power for decades. Still, he is overweight, smokes, and has health problems, so succession is a concern.
