‘Officials seen wiping out traces’: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un’s daughter next in line? What we know

(AP photo)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to have strengthened the profile of his daughter Kim Ju Ae as his likely successor, after she accompanied him on a recent visit to China, South Korean lawmakers said Thursday, citing intelligence briefings.Days earlier, Kim and his teenage daughter attended events in China including the SCO Summit, fuelling speculation she could inherit the family’s dynastic rule over the nuclear-armed state.Ju Ae stayed at the North Korean embassy and avoided public events during the Beijing visit, but simply accompanying her father abroad was “enough to build a narrative” as the regime’s likely successor, said Lee Seong-kweun, a lawmaker on South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee.“It was suggested that Kim Ju Ae’s status was solidified as a likely successor by showing her occasionally, while enabling her to build overseas experience but not to appear at public events,” said Park Sun-won, another lawmaker on the committee.South Korea’s spy agency also told lawmakers that North Korean officials were seen “wiping out traces” to prevent exposure of biological information about Kim and his daughter during the China trip. This included using a special plane to transport garbage and arranging for the pair to stay at the North Korean embassy.Although Pyongyang has never officially confirmed her identity, South Korean intelligence believes she is Ju Ae — the same child whom former US basketball star Dennis Rodman said he met as a baby during a 2013 visit.

Who is Kim Ju Ae?

Ju Ae first appeared publicly in 2022 at the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, she has been seen at a growing number of high-profile events, including a Russian Embassy reception in May 2024. By 2023, she was reportedly featured on postage stamps and referred to in state media as Kim’s “respected daughter,” a title usually reserved for the most senior officials.Believed to be about 13, Ju Ae is said to enjoy horse riding, skiing and swimming, and has been home-schooled in Pyongyang. Analysts note she has begun to take on roles previously seen as belonging to her mother, Ri Sol Ju. The Kim family has ruled North Korea since its founding after World War II, promoting a “sacred bloodline” narrative to justify its hereditary leadership — but doubts remain whether a woman could ultimately ascend to power in the regime.