North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has informed the country’s lawmakers that his daughter is his official heir.
Kim Ju Ae appears to be approximately middle-school aged. She is the only known child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.
The (National Intelligence Service) NIS has expressed belief that Kim Jong Un has a son who is older than Ju Ae, but, for mysterious reasons, this son has never been acknowledged nor shown on North Korean media.
Kim Jong Un is notoriously secretive about his family and even kept his wife out of public view for some years.
In any case Ju Ae has been increasingly visible in past months, attending glamorous international events with her father — such as ballistic missile inspections and Beijing military parades. Spectators are waiting to see if she will attend the upcoming party congress, which occurs once every five years.
Her public debut has been closely monitored by the NIS, it says.
Ju Ae looks the part, with long, styled hair (otherwise forbidden to North Korean citizens) and elegant designer clothing.
She has been trained all her life as a successor, and has now graduated to “successor designation”, informs lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen.
As such, she does not walk behind her father, but by his side — and is often pictured holding his hand.
Much like her father, as ruler, she would have absolute say on all matters — should the ironclad regime remain in place.
