The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made her first known visit to the family mausoleum, which experts suggest could bolster her potential as a successor to her father.
This visit took place on New Year’s Day, and some are speculating that Kim Joo-ae, who is around 13, could even be nominated for a significant position during the upcoming Labor Party conference.
State media in North Korea released images of Kim Joo-ae bowing respectfully alongside her parents at the Geumchosan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, where the preserved bodies of her grandfather and great-grandfather are kept.
Chung Seong-chan, who works at the Sejong Research Institute in South Korea, described the palace as a significant symbol of North Korea’s political legitimacy, suggesting that her visit before the Workers’ Party Congress was a calculated political maneuver.
Kim Jong Un, now 41, represents the third generation of the ruling family that has been in power since North Korea’s establishment in 1948. He frequently visits the palace during major national celebrations to honor his father, Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
Chung also speculated that Kim Jong Un might appoint his daughter to the role of first secretary of the Workers’ Party, which is an influential position within the party hierarchy.
However, other analysts believe she may be too young for such a prominent role and could be offered a lesser position instead.
The upcoming congress, the first in five years, intends to outline new national policies and refresh government officials. Although the exact date hasn’t been disclosed, South Korean intelligence suggests it may occur in January or February.
Since Kim Joo-ae’s first appearance in state media in November 2022, she has attended various events with her father, such as military parades and missile tests.
In September, she was taken on a trip to Beijing, and during this week’s New Year’s celebrations, she exhibited her affection by kissing her father on the cheek.
In January 2024, South Korean intelligence assessed Kim Joo-ae as a likely successor to her father. Some experts, however, question this viewpoint, pointing to Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the male-dominated structure of North Korean leadership.
