(USNewsBreak.com) – For a long time, the world hasn’t known much about North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un’s children — including whether he has more than one. Then, North Korean media outlets pictured one daughter alongside her father in November 2022, watching a missile launch. Many have suspected Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, would take over for him when the time comes. Now, experts predict his daughter will succeed him. They believe her name is Kim Ju Ae, but North Korea has not provided confirmation.
The speculation comes from South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, which has captured Ju Ae alongside her father multiple times since her 2022 debut. She has become a regular fixture at his side at many public events, including a military parade and New Year’s event, and state media has referred to her as Kim’s “respected” and “most beloved” daughter.
Kim Jong Un’s preteen daughter predicted to become North Korea’s next leader Korea https://t.co/pzxhCkLBiF pic.twitter.com/SkGpkO9V8F
— New York Post (@nypost) January 5, 2024
The agency revealed that Ju Ae succeeding her dad is the likely scenario, given various factors, including her recent appearances and the power succession process. The North Korean leader is still young, having just turned 40 years old, and according to the New York Post, has no current health issues of notable concern. However, Jong-un’s father and grandfather ruled the nation, and it appears he intends to maintain a familial line of succession.
The NIS intelligence briefing on the family may contain some inaccuracies, especially considering how very private Kim is about his family life. However, reports say the leader’s revelation of Ju Ae at a young age is a surprise and a break with tradition, considering previous leaders chose not to introduce successors to the public until they were adults.
Experts believe Kim Jong-un has at least one other child and possibly two, both boys — one older, one younger than Ju Ae. If his daughter did take over as his successor, she’d be the first female ruler of the nation, which reveres the patriarchy.
At the moment, experts can only speculate based on current information. It will likely be some time before the world learns who will succeed Kim.
Copyright 2024, USNewsBreak.com
