Kim Jong Un's daughter being prepared for North Korea military leadership
Photo: Kim Jong Un (Getty Images)
In North Korea, the role of the leader’s daughter is increasing. According to media reports, the teenager has already received a managerial function within a structure linked to the missile program, and some decisions have begun to pass through her, according to a Newsweek publication.
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New role in missile structure
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has assigned his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, a leadership role within a body responsible for missile production, media reports citing South Korean sources.
According to journalists, the move is seen as part of a gradual preparation of a potential successor to oversee the country’s military system and, in the longer term, to influence the Korean People’s Army.
Generals already interacting with the leader's daughter
Intelligence assessments indicate that, in some cases, military reports are being submitted directly to Kim Ju Ae. There are also reports that orders within the structure may be issued by her rather than by the head of the missile administration, Jang Chang Ha, who has held the position since 2023.
Experts say the public display of the daughter’s involvement in military processes may signal the formation of a new political role within North Korea’s power system. In the DPRK, such signals are traditionally interpreted as elements of preparing a future national leader.
According to South Korean sources, Kim Jong Un is considering the possibility of transferring power to Kim Ju Ae, who was born in 2013. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service believes her participation in major state events indicates a new stage in her public role.
Separately, South Korean authorities asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to remove a banner referencing “victory” that appeared in central Seoul ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
