North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watches a demonstration flight with his daughter, believed to be named Ju-ae. Photo released on December 1, 2023 (Photo: KCNA).
"Based on an analysis of Kim Ju-ae's public activities and the level of respect North Korea has shown for her since she appeared in public, she appears to be the most likely successor," Cho Tae-yong, the nominee to lead the NIS, said in a parliamentary report prepared for the nomination's confirmation hearing.
However, Mr. Cho said that the NIS is still keeping all possibilities open regarding the succession issue in North Korea because Kim Jong-un is still young and does not appear to have health problems. There are also many variables such as the possibility that Mr. Kim has other children.
This is the first assessment by the NIS of Ju-ae's potential succession, according to Yonhap . The agency previously said it was "too early" to determine whether Ju-ae was Kim's successor.
Believed to be born in 2013, Ju-ae has been in the spotlight since November 18, 2022, when she and her father visited the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile launch site. Ju-ae's subsequent public appearances have also focused on military events.
North Korean media has begun referring to Ju-ae as Kim's "honored" daughter, rather than his previous "beloved" or "most beloved" daughter, fueling speculation that she may be being groomed as Kim's successor.
Mr. Cho also said that leader Kim is believed to have another child, but the gender is unknown. The South Korean side believes that Ju-ae is Mr. Kim's second child.
In March 2023, the NIS told South Korean lawmakers that it was investigating intelligence reports that Kim's first child was a boy, and said the gender of his third child had not been determined.
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