North Korea’s leadership succession appears to be taking shape, with South Korea’s intelligence agency claiming that Kim Jong Un has selected his daughter as his likely successor. On Thursday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefed lawmakers that Kim Ju Ae is being assessed as the most probable heir. The agency said its conclusion is based on multiple indicators, including her increasingly frequent appearances at high-profile state events.
Very little is publicly known about Kim Ju Ae, but in recent months she has accompanied her father to several major public engagements. Her visit to Beijing in September is believed to have been her first known overseas trip.
The development comes ahead of North Korea’s ruling party congress scheduled for later this month-a key political event held once every five years.
