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South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes that Kim Jong Un has earmarked his daughter as his eventual successor, lawmakers disclosed on Monday. This revelation was reported by Reuters, following insights shared after a confidential parliamentary session.
The NIS based its conclusions on what it described as “credible intelligence.” According to Reuters, both ruling and opposition party members received briefings that led to this understanding, highlighting the agency’s confidence in its sources.
Video footage posted last month showed Kim and his daughter on a tank.
In a photo released by the North Korean government, Kim Jong Un is seen with his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, during a military training exercise. The image, dated March 19, 2026, shows them alongside soldiers on a tank, signaling a potential focus on her military capabilities.
South Korean officials noted that this display, particularly the image of the girl operating a tank, was likely intended to underline her military aptitude. This move addresses and possibly counters skepticism about a female successor, as interpreted by lawmakers.
The North Korean state media agency, KCNA, recently published images of Kim Jong Un and his daughter with military equipment, including a tank. These followed earlier visuals of the young girl handling firearms, further fueling speculations about her future role, as reported by Reuters.
The daughter is thought to be about 13 years old and named Ju Ae.
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, center, tries out a new pistol at a factory producing pistols and other light arms at an undisclosed place in North Korea Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
The outlet reported that ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won indicated that the scenes are meant to pay “homage” to the North Korean leader’s military appearances years ago when he was being set up to succeed his father as regime leader.
Korea Institute for National Unification analyst Hong Min said the tank scene is not enough to determine that she has been established as her father’s successor, pointing out that she appeared with her father rather than independently, unlike her father’s independent military appearances as he was being groomed to take the helm.
This picture taken on December 20, 2025, and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Dec. 23, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Ju Ae (L) inspecting the Milyong Hotel, which was recently completed in the Samjiyon tourist district of Ryanggang Province. (KCNA VIA KNS / AFP via Getty Images)
North Korea is one of the world’s only nuclear-armed nations.