Kim Jong Un chooses teenage daughter as North Korea’s next leader, South Korea Spy Agency says

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reportedly positioning his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his potential successor, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

South Korean lawmakers say Ju Ae has been appearing more frequently alongside her father at major state events, raising speculation about her growing political role. One of her notable public appearances was during a high-profile visit to Beijing in September, which marked her first known trip outside North Korea.

According to lawmaker Lee Seong-kwen, signs suggest that Ju Ae has entered what could be described as the “successor designation stage.” He noted that intelligence findings indicate she has started expressing views on certain state matters, a development seen as part of preparations for future leadership.

The NIS has also revealed that it will closely observe whether Ju Ae attends the upcoming ruling party congress scheduled for later this month. The congress, held every five years, is one of North Korea’s most significant political gatherings and could provide further clues about her status within the regime.

Kim Ju Ae is the only child of Kim Jong Un and First Lady Ri Sol Ju who has been publicly acknowledged by the state. However, intelligence sources believe the North Korean leader may have an older son, although he has never been officially recognized or featured in state media.

Details about Ju Ae first became known internationally in 2013, when former American basketball star Dennis Rodman disclosed that he had met her as a baby during a visit to North Korea.

Now believed to be around 13 years old, Ju Ae’s rising visibility has fueled speculation that Kim Jong Un may be laying the groundwork for an unprecedented generational transition of power in the tightly controlled nation.