Kim Ju-ae – the daughter of Kim Jong-un – is reportedly being groomed to be North Korea’s next supreme leader.
The spotlight has shifted on the heir of the leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea, who has been in power for 13 years, and is now rumoured to be battling declining health.
When he took control of the recluse nation at just 27, the world knew little about him.
Ever since, his rule has been marked by aggressive nuclear ambitions, purges of political rivals, and a commitment to maintaining the authoritarian regime’s grip on power.
According to South Korea’s spy agency, Kim Jong-un is training one of his three children, Kim Ju-ae, to become his heir.
This would continue the Kim dynasty’s legacy in North Korea after coming to rule the in 1948, after the end of Japanese rule split the region in 1945.
In a report to the South Korean legislature’s intelligence committee on Monday, the spy agency said Kim Ju-ae appears to be the favorite to take the place of her father, citing an uptick in public appearances with him.
The entire family of Kim Jong-un is secretive, and there is still speculation about how many children he and his wife Ko Yong-hui have together.
It is reported that Kim Ju-ae is the middle of three children. She is believed to be aged 11 or 12.
She was introduced as an infant to former NBA star Dennis Rodman during one of his visits to North Korea in early 2013.
This means that in about four to five years, she will have graduated from middle and high school, and will be enlisting in the country’s military.
Her first public appearance in Western media was in November 2022 when she was pictured accompanying her father during an inspection of the launch of the country’s largest ballistic missile, a Hwasong-17 intercontinental.
Before that, Kim Ju-ae’s existence had never been confirmed.
North Korea’s state media has previously reported on her public activities, but not on her political future.
Her heightened public profile could be an indication that the teenager will later become leader and present the Kim family in the style of a monarchy.
Her father has himself inherited his position as leader from his father Kim Jong Il, the son of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung.
But North Korea has never officially announced who would follow him after he steps down.
The spy agency reported that the politician has regained weight and is suffering from obesity-related health problems including high blood pressure and diabetes.
The 40-year-old – known for heavy drinking and smoking – comes from a family with a history of heart problems.
Both his father and grandfather, who ruled before him, died of heart issues.
Some observers said Kim Jong-un, who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and previously weighed 140 kilograms, appeared to have lost a large amount of weight in 2021.
But recent state media footage show the leader has regained the weight.
The spy agency told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that as a result, he now belongs to a high-risk group for certain diseases, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.
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