New Delhi: The succession of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has always been a highly debated topic. Speculations are always rife as to who would take
up the top job after Kim Jong Un vacates it, who would be taking the legacy of the family forward.
In regard to this, a new wave of speculations are currently doing the rounds. South Korea’s spy agency and lawmakers have cited a notable increase in the public presence of Kim Jong Un’s daughter Kim Ju-ae. Many see this as an attempt to position her as the country’s next leader.
Succession wars
The two major contenders that look most likely to succeed Kim Jong Un are his daughter and his sister. As reported by The Telegraph, Rah Jong-yil, a former South Korean ambassador to the UK and former deputy director of Seoul’s intelligence service said of Ju-ae’s chances that while probable, the transition of actual power for her would be difficult.
Kim Ju Ae, believed to be in her early teens, has recently appeared at several major events alongside her father. She is the only one publicly acknowledged child of Kim Jong Un, referred to in North Korea as the “beloved daughter” and “dear daughter.” With time her public profile has grown, for example she was featured in military parades in Pyongyang. She made her first international appearance last September, when she accompanied her father to Beijing for a military parade hosted by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The talks of her succession gained momentum after a reported closed-door briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). Lawmakers reported that the agency believes Kim Jong Un has “entered the stage of nominating her as successor.” In the same briefing, the NIS were reportedly also informed of Ju Ae’s extending role in the regime’s governing.
The other and strongest contender to Ju Ae is her own aunt, Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo-jong. She has been regarded as a viable option for succeeding Jong Un for quite some time now. Recognised as the second most powerful person in North Korea where she has ample influence on military and bureaucracy, she remains the biggest contender to the succession claim.
