But he would not be in a position to become the successor
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is in the process of being designated as his successor and has a younger brother or sister of unknown gender. This was reported by the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS), according to the broadcaster MBC. The intelligence added that even if there was an older brother, he would not be in a position to become the successor. The evaluation on Ju-ae, therefore, does not change.
The NIS had already indicated last February that Ju-ae had entered the process of being designated as a successor, based on her growing public exposure and signs that she would begin to speak out on some state policies.
In 2023, South Korean intelligence reported that Kim would have an eldest son with Ju-ae and a third child of unknown sex. The existence of the male child was subsequently called into question. The agency continues to review the matter.
Ju-ae, whose age and name have not been officially confirmed by Pyongyang, first appeared publicly in November 2022 and has since accompanied her father at numerous military and political events, taking on an increasingly prominent role.
