North Korea’s tightly controlled leadership structure may be moving toward a new and potentially tense phase, as South Korea’s intelligence agency believes Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter is nearing recognition as the country’s future successor.
According to media reports, the development has sparked speculation about a possible rivalry within the ruling family, particularly involving Kim Jong Un’s influential sister, Kim Yo Jong.
Reports further said that South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers last week that Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13 years old, appears close to being formally positioned as heir. The timing is significant, as Pyongyang is preparing for its largest political gathering later this month, where Kim Jong Un is expected to outline major national priorities while reinforcing his authority.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials reportedly said they are closely monitoring whether Kim Ju Ae will appear alongside her father before thousands of delegates at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress — a move that could further strengthen the narrative of her succession.
Kim Ju Ae first entered the public eye in November 2022, when she was seen attending a long-range missile test with her father. Since that appearance, she has been present at a widening range of state events, including weapons demonstrations, military parades and visits to industrial facilities.
Her visibility has steadily increased, and she even accompanied Kim Jong Un to Beijing in September last year for a meeting with China’s leader on the sidelines of a World War II commemoration.
Earlier, officials in Seoul had expressed doubts that a young girl could be selected as North Korea’s next leader, given the country’s traditionally male-dominated power structure. However, her repeated appearances have led intelligence analysts to reassess that assumption. The NIS has suggested that her trip to China may have been intended to help build her profile internationally as part of a succession plan.
Media reports further said that while Kim Ju Ae’s emergence has drawn attention, analysts say any transition could be complicated by Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, who is widely regarded as the second most powerful figure in North Korea.
At 38, Kim Yo Jong holds a senior role in the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and is believed to wield substantial political and military influence. She has often been described as a key confidante of her brother and a central figure in the regime’s messaging and strategy.
Former senior South Korean intelligence official Rah Jong Yil was quoted in the media warning that a power struggle is “probable” in the future. Speaking to a newspaper, he argued that Kim Yo Jong would not hesitate to pursue leadership if she believed she had a realistic opportunity.
According to Rah, the question would depend largely on timing, but he suggested there would be little reason for her to hold back if the chance arose.
Kim Yo Jong has developed a formidable image both inside North Korea and internationally. Known for her sharp language, she frequently issues official statements in her own name.
In 2022, she launched one of her most severe attacks against South Korea’s defence minister after he mentioned the possibility of a preemptive strike. She reportedly called him “senseless and scum-like” and warned that Seoul could face a fate close to “total destruction and ruin,” according to The Guardian.
Her statements have reinforced the perception of her as an aggressive and uncompromising political figure.
A report published in December by 38 North, a project of the US-based Stimson Centre, also highlighted potential turbulence if Kim Jong Un were to die unexpectedly.
The analysis noted a “high likelihood” of power competition emerging between established figures and younger potential successors. In such a scenario, the report argued that politically experienced candidates like Kim Yo Jong would be better positioned to take control quickly compared to Kim Ju Ae and her siblings, believed to include two boys.
The report suggested that Kim Yo Jong holds a major advantage because of the strong support she has reportedly built within the Workers’ Party and the military establishment.
North Korea’s leadership transitions have historically been ruthless. After Kim Jong Un took power in 2011, he moved against his uncle and former mentor Jang Song Thaek, who was executed by firing squad in 2013 after being accused of “anti-party” and “counter-revolutionary” acts.
The Kim family has also been linked to the 2017 killing of Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Un’s half-brother and once considered a possible heir. He was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport when two women smeared VX nerve agent on his face.
These precedents underline the potentially dangerous stakes of any future succession battle.
North Korea today remains one of the most heavily armed nuclear states in the world. Estimates suggest Pyongyang had assembled about 50 nuclear warheads as of January 2024 and possesses enough fissile material for roughly 70 to 90 nuclear weapons. The country is also believed to maintain advanced chemical and biological weapons programmes.
In recent years, it has accelerated ballistic missile testing, keeping regional and global security agencies on alert.
As Kim Ju Ae’s profile rises and Kim Yo Jong’s influence remains strong, observers believe the question of succession could become one of the most consequential issues facing North Korea in the coming years — with implications not only for the ruling family, but for stability across the region.
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