Among the news from the congress, where Kim Jong Un once again threatened South Korea and stated his intention to continue developing his nuclear program, an important question remains about the leader's 13-year-old daughter, who may become his heir. This was reported by the BBC.
No confirmations or new data on this topic were presented this week.
Nevertheless, this event has sparked discussions about how Kim Ju Ae could become the next leader in a country with a population of 25 million, where the Kim family's rule has lasted for decades.
Monitoring the party congress, a key event for North Korean politicians, is important for understanding the message that Kim Jong Un is sending to both Seoul and Washington.
This week, South Korean intelligence informed lawmakers of their assumptions that Kim Jong Un may be considering his daughter as an heir and that she has been seen expressing opinions on political issues.
Although Ju Ae is increasingly appearing in state media alongside her father, very little is still known about her. North Korea has never disclosed her name or age.
Information about her existence first emerged when basketball player Dennis Rodman mentioned her name in an interview with The Guardian after his visit to Pyongyang in 2013. She is believed to be 13 years old, based on intelligence data.
Earlier reports indicated that she had an older brother, but this information has been denied.
“It was an intelligence error,” claims Chung Sung-chang, a North Korea expert and vice president of the Sejong Institute, who was one of the first to hypothesize that Ju Ae could become an heir.
Today, he and other analysts believe that Ju Ae is the eldest child and has a nine-year-old sister.
Ju Ae first appeared on screens in 2022 when she held hands with her father during a tour of North Korea's latest missiles.
Chung asserts that her frequent appearances in the media spotlight and the use of terms such as “respected child” in state media materials indicate that she may be the official heir.
“State media uses terminology that is usually reserved for the supreme leader, which emphasizes her cult of personality,” he adds.
Another aspect is her interaction with the military. She accompanied Kim during troop and weapon inspections, and high-ranking generals have knelt beside her several times, whispering something in her ear during military parades.
Chung explains that Kim Jong Un's strength lies in his control over the army, and if Ju Ae becomes his heir, she will need to establish herself as an authoritative commander.
During inspections, she often wears the same black leather coats and dark glasses as her father.
When Kim Jong Un came to power, it happened quite unexpectedly — he first appeared in public just a year before his father's death.
Chung believes that Kim is trying to avoid a sudden transition of power by introducing Ju Ae to the public at an earlier stage.
There is no confirmation that Kim Jong Un suffers from serious illnesses, aside from discussions about his weight, smoking, and alcoholism.
Nevertheless, according to Chung, he may want to appoint a successor in advance to prevent a succession crisis.
However, former North Korean official Ryu Hyun-woo believes that the likelihood of female leadership is unlikely.
Ryu, who served as a diplomat before fleeing in 2019, claims that North Korean legislation requires that the country be ruled by a man from the Paektu family — a descendant of the country's founder Kim Il-sung.
Although Ju Ae belongs to this line, the patriarchal system of North Korea would not accept her as a legitimate heir, Ryu says.
Women in North Korea face difficulties at all levels of power. Women in high positions are rare, and female military commanders are even rarer.
Ryu also notes that in Pyongyang, many taxi drivers refuse women if they are the first clients of the day, believing it will bring bad luck.
“If they succeed, they finish the ride, then go to the back of the car and spit three times to ward off misfortune,” he adds.
For these reasons, Ryu cannot imagine Ju Ae as the leader of North Korea.
He believes it would be so shocking that “military commanders might think that anyone can become the leader of North Korea now and consider overthrowing [the existing regime].”
At the same time, Kim showcases his daughter in state media to soften his tough image and promote the idea of hereditary succession.
However, others, including South Korean intelligence, have a different opinion.
First of all, the status of women in North Korea has significantly improved since the “Arduous March” — the famine of the 1990s that led to economic collapse.
While men continued to work despite reduced salaries and food rations, it was women who sought ways to feed their families by starting small businesses and engaging in black market trade.
Song Hyun-jin, a researcher who surveyed over 120 North Korean defectors about the role of women in leadership, notes that it is no longer rare to see women managing factories and holding high positions in the party.
In recent years, North Korean television has begun showing men doing household chores, indicating significant social changes.
Song believes that Ju Ae's gender will not be an obstacle if her father decides she will be his successor. Her family background and royal upbringing in a poor country may well earn her the support of ordinary North Koreans.
“We cannot view North Korea through the lens of our logic. We must perceive it as the Joseon dynasty,” says Song, referring to the medieval Korean kingdom. “Who would dare challenge a person of royal blood ascending to the throne?”
This week, the party appointed Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong Un's influential sister, as the Minister of Propaganda. Chung believes this could be a sign that Kim Jong Un is making his sister the guardian of his daughter.
When Kim Jong Un became head of state at the age of 27, many hoped he would open North Korea to the world.
These hopes quickly evaporated when he executed his reformist uncle in 2013.
Since then, his nuclear program has significantly expanded, and the regime's control over all aspects of life remains strict.
Chung says there is no reason to believe that Ju Ae will behave differently. He dismisses ideas that she may become more open or lenient, considering them stereotypes about women.
Ryu, whose father-in-law remains close to Kim Jong Un, believes that the discussion about Kim's successor may become an end in itself.
“Kim craves attention much more than you think. He enjoys it when people write about him and his potential heir.”
The post Will Kim's teenage daughter be the next leader of North Korea? first appeared on K-News.
