Kim Jong Un’s daughter has returned to the spotlight, appearing publicly this time with a rifle
Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, has long been regarded as the likely successor to lead the secretive nuclear-armed nation, and she has recently appeared alongside him at several major public events.
North Korea on Saturday released a rare photo of leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter firing a rifle at a shooting range, fueling speculation that she is being groomed to succeed him.
Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, has long been seen as the next candidate to rule the secretive, nuclear-armed country and has recently participated in several high-profile outings, including this week’s military parade, which marked the final stage of North Korea’s crucial party congress.
Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released a photo of Ju Ae firing a rifle at an outdoor shooting range. She is looking through the rifle’s scope, her finger on the trigger, and smoke is billowing from the barrel.
He was wearing what appeared to be a leather jacket, a garment often worn by both he and his father at major political events, a symbol of authority and legitimacy.
KCNA reported on Saturday that Kim presented new sniper rifles to senior party and military officials, describing the move as praise and “full trust” without mentioning Joo Ae.
He then accompanied the officials to a shooting range, where they fired rifles and posed for a group photo.
South Korea’s spy agency said this month that Pyongyang appears to have begun the process of establishing Joo Ae as leader Kim’s successor.
Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP that the photos, showing Joo Ae’s ability to handle and operate weapons, “suggest that she is indeed training as a successor.”
KCNA also said on Saturday that Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, will head the party’s General Affairs Department—a role analysts describe as akin to that of party secretary-general.
The Kim family has ruled North Korea with an iron grip for decades, and a strong identity around their “Paektu bloodline” dominates everyday life in this isolated country.
