NextFin news, Seoul, Thursday — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has positioned his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, as his likely successor by including her in his recent diplomatic visit to China, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed on Thursday.
The NIS assessment was delivered during a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee in Seoul, according to lawmakers Park Sun-won of the Democratic Party and Lee Seong-kweun of the People Power Party, who serve as floor leaders of the committee.
Kim Ju-ae accompanied her father on the trip to Beijing earlier this month, where Kim Jong Un met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Although she avoided public exposure during the visit, reportedly staying inside the North Korean Embassy and boarding the special train ahead of the return journey, North Korean state media released documentary footage and photographs to highlight her presence, reinforcing her role in the succession narrative.
The NIS described the trip as part of a process to complete a succession narrative centered on Kim Ju-ae, marking a clear signal of her status as the recognized heir. The agency also noted that the regime took special precautions to minimize biometric exposure of both Kim Jong Un and his daughter during the trip.
Lawmakers noted that earlier projections had suggested Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, might accompany him instead, but the NIS acknowledged limitations in its initial information-gathering methods that led to a flawed assessment.
The agency also addressed rumors about other children in the Kim family, including speculation about a son with a disability or one studying abroad, but dismissed these claims as not credible, stating that such facts would be difficult to conceal.
In addition to the succession assessment, the NIS reported no signs of health issues for Kim Jong Un, who completed all official events during the trip without issue. The agency also noted that Kim visited intercontinental ballistic missile facilities before and after the China visit, unveiling what it described as the regime’s largest ICBM engine to date, capable of supporting multiple warheads and hypersonic capabilities.
Kim Jong Un reportedly views the China trip as a diplomatic success, presenting himself as a leader of a "normal" state and projecting solidarity among North Korea, China, and Russia. However, the NIS also reported disagreements during summits with China and Russia, with no concrete policy coordination framework formed.
This development follows Kim Ju-ae’s public introduction in 2022 when she accompanied her father to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, North Korean state media have referred to her with honorifics typically reserved for top leaders and successors.
South Korea’s NIS assessment underscores the significance of the China visit in solidifying Kim Ju-ae’s position as the intended successor to Kim Jong Un, marking a notable moment in North Korea’s leadership succession planning.
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