North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to designate his daughter Kim Ju Ae as his successor, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The agency said it will closely monitor whether Kim Ju Ae appears at an upcoming meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and how she is covered in state media. Particular attention will be paid to whether she is given an official title or a more prominent role.
Power in North Korea has passed through three generations of the Kim family since the country’s founding. Kim Jong Un inherited leadership from his father, Kim Jong Il, who in turn succeeded the state’s founder, Kim Il Sung.
Speculation over Kim Ju Ae’s status has grown in recent years as she has made a series of high-profile public appearances alongside her father, including at military events and weapons inspections.
Her potential elevation would mark a significant development in a country widely regarded as deeply patriarchal.
