Is Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Kim Ju Ae the Next North Korean Leader? South Korea Spy Agency Signals Succession Plan

New Delhi, February 12: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly chosen his daughter Kim Ju Ae as his heir, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). The development has sparked global attention ahead of North Korea’s upcoming party congress, the country’s biggest political event held every five years.

South Korea Spy Agency’s Assessment

Lawmakers were told that the NIS considered a “range of circumstances,” including Kim Ju Ae’s increasingly prominent public appearances at high-profile state events. In recent months, she has been regularly seen standing beside her father at military parades, weapons inspections and diplomatic engagements.

Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13 years old, first appeared on state television in 2022 during an inspection of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, her presence in official media has grown significantly, a strong symbolic signal in a country where state imagery carries deep political meaning. North Korea Executes Citizens for Watching ‘Squid Game’, Listening to K-Pop, Says Amnesty International Report.

Growing Public Role Before Party Congress

The announcement comes as North Korea prepares for its party congress, where Pyongyang is expected to outline priorities on foreign policy, military strategy and nuclear ambitions for the next five years.

Notably, Kim Ju Ae accompanied her father to Beijing for China’s major military parade, marking her first known foreign visit. In state photographs, she has often been positioned prominently, sometimes even walking beside her father rather than behind him, a rare honour in North Korea’s tightly controlled political imagery. World War 3 Fears: North Korea Says Ready To Take Military Action Against ‘Any’ Threats From US, Japan, South Korea.

Questions Over Succession in Patriarchal North Korea

If confirmed, the decision would mark a historic shift in the Kim dynasty, which has passed power down through three generations of male leaders. Analysts have long viewed North Korea as deeply patriarchal, making the selection of a daughter over a reportedly older son particularly striking.

While the NIS believes Kim Jong Un may have an older son, he has never been publicly acknowledged. Kim Ju Ae, meanwhile, remains the only known child of Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-Ju.

What This Means for North Korea’s Future

Despite the assessment, questions remain. Kim Jong Un is still relatively young and appears healthy, making the early designation of a teenage successor unusual. It is also unclear what kind of leadership Kim Ju Ae would bring if she eventually assumes power.

When Kim Jong Un succeeded his father, many hoped his Western education would usher in reforms. Those expectations largely went unmet. Now, global observers are watching closely to see whether North Korea’s possible first female heir signals continuity, or change, in one of the world’s most secretive regimes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2026 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).