Kim’s daughter visits family mausoleum, promoting her potential status as heir in North Korea

North Korean Leader’s Daughter Makes Significant Visit to Family Mausoleum, Fueling Succession Speculation

The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the sacred family mausoleum for the first time, a move experts interpret as further cementing her position as a potential successor to her father.

Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13 years old, joined her parents on New Year’s Day at Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of her grandfather Kim Jong Il and great-grandfather Kim Il Sung lie in state. State media images released Friday showed the young girl standing in the front row with her parents and deeply bowing at the shrine.

“The palace is a place that symbolizes legitimacy of the North Korean regime,” said Cheong Seong-Chang, deputy head of South Korea’s private Sejong Institute. He characterized her visit ahead of the upcoming Workers’ Party congress as “a politically orchestrated move,” suggesting it carries significant symbolic weight.

The timing of the visit has sparked speculation about Kim Ju Ae’s potential formal introduction into North Korea’s power structure. Some analysts, including Cheong, predict she might receive an official position during the upcoming Workers’ Party congress, with Cheong specifically suggesting she could be named first secretary, the party’s second-highest position. Other experts counter that such a high-ranking appointment seems unlikely given her youth, though a lower-level role remains possible.

The Workers’ Party congress, scheduled for January or February according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), represents the first such gathering in five years. These rare events typically establish new policy priorities and reshuffle leadership positions within North Korea’s government.

Kim Jong Un, 41, represents the third generation of the family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since its founding in 1948. The dynastic succession remains a cornerstone of the North Korean political system, with visits to the Kumsusan palace serving as important rituals that reinforce the family’s legitimacy.

Kim Ju Ae’s public profile has risen dramatically since her first appearance in state media in November 2022. Since then, she has frequently accompanied her father to high-profile events including military parades and missile launches. In September, she joined Kim Jong Un during his diplomatic visit to Beijing, further elevating her visibility on the international stage.

During this week’s New Year’s celebrations, cameras captured an intimate moment when she kissed her father on the cheek, highlighting their close relationship in a rare display of personal affection among North Korea’s leadership.

The NIS stated in January 2024 that it views Kim Ju Ae as her father’s likely successor. However, this assessment remains contested among some foreign analysts who point to Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and North Korea’s historically male-dominated power structure as reasons for skepticism. The NIS reported in November that Kim appears to have no major health problems, suggesting succession planning may not be immediately urgent.

Kim Ju Ae’s public prominence represents a departure from North Korean tradition. Neither Kim Jong Un nor his father Kim Jong Il were mentioned in state media before reaching adulthood, making her early introduction to public life particularly noteworthy. Some observers speculate that Kim Jong Un is deliberately showcasing his daughter to strengthen public support for continuing the family dynasty.

As North Korea prepares for its important party congress, regional observers will be closely monitoring Kim Ju Ae’s role and any formal positions she might receive, which could provide further clarity about succession plans in the secretive nuclear-armed state.