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What is the story about?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to consolidate his daughter's position as his successor, South Korean lawmakers said, citing a spy agency briefing.
Speaking with reporters, South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said, "In the past, the NIS describedKim Ju Ae as being 'in study as successor', but today the expression used was that she was in the stage of being internally appointed successor," Reuters reported.
According to the lawmakers, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) will closely monitor whether the daughter attends an upcoming Workers' Party gathering and how she is presented.
Who Is Kim Ju Ae?
Kim Ju Ae, believed to be in her early teens, has transitioned from a figure of curiosity to a central political actor. She is likely to be the fourth-generation leader of the Kim dynasty, which has maintained unbroken control over North Korea since 1948.
Since her first public appearance at a 2022 missile test, she has frequently accompanied her father on field guidance, including inspections of weapons and state events. According to the NIS, she is now treated as the de facto second-highest leader and has begun providing input on state policy.
While little is confirmed about her personal life, she first came to global attention in 2013 when former basketball star Dennis Rodman made a controversial visit to North Korea's capital, Pyongyang. The former NBA star told The Guardian, “I held their baby Ju Ae and spoke with (Kim's wife) as well.”
Experts suggest she is the middle of three children, though she is the only one prominently featured in state media. Her public image is distinct; she is often seen in designer clothing and wearing long hair, which is typically forbidden for her North Korean peers, according to the BBC.
Kim Ju Ae was photographed with her father in January during a test launch of a large-calibre multiple-rocket launch system. In what is said to be her first journey abroad, she travelled to Beijing in September with Kim Jong Un on an armour-plated train to witness Xi Jinping's military parade.
From inspecting large-calibre rocket systems to her ‘internally appointed’ status reported by lawmakers, Ju Ae is being positioned to break historical precedents as the first potential female leader of the kingdom.
Speaking with reporters, South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said, "In the past, the NIS describedKim Ju Ae as being 'in study as successor', but today the expression used was that she was in the stage of being internally appointed successor," Reuters reported.
According to the lawmakers, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) will closely monitor whether the daughter attends an upcoming Workers' Party gathering and how she is presented.
Who Is Kim Ju Ae?
Kim Ju Ae, believed to be in her early teens, has transitioned from a figure of curiosity to a central political actor. She is likely to be the fourth-generation leader of the Kim dynasty, which has maintained unbroken control over North Korea since 1948.
Since her first public appearance at a 2022 missile test, she has frequently accompanied her father on field guidance, including inspections of weapons and state events. According to the NIS, she is now treated as the de facto second-highest leader and has begun providing input on state policy.
While little is confirmed about her personal life, she first came to global attention in 2013 when former basketball star Dennis Rodman made a controversial visit to North Korea's capital, Pyongyang. The former NBA star told The Guardian, “I held their baby Ju Ae and spoke with (Kim's wife) as well.”
Experts suggest she is the middle of three children, though she is the only one prominently featured in state media. Her public image is distinct; she is often seen in designer clothing and wearing long hair, which is typically forbidden for her North Korean peers, according to the BBC.
Kim Ju Ae was photographed with her father in January during a test launch of a large-calibre multiple-rocket launch system. In what is said to be her first journey abroad, she travelled to Beijing in September with Kim Jong Un on an armour-plated train to witness Xi Jinping's military parade.
From inspecting large-calibre rocket systems to her ‘internally appointed’ status reported by lawmakers, Ju Ae is being positioned to break historical precedents as the first potential female leader of the kingdom.
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