South Korea’s intelligence services believe the teenage daughter of its leader, Ju Ae, is expected to be his successor, lawmakers said, citing the 13-year-old’s recent public appearance riding a tank, which was apparently aimed at dispelling any doubts.
The National Intelligence Service told MPs that its assessment was not based on circumstantial conclusions but on “reliable information” it had gathered, according to a briefing from members of the ruling party and the opposition after a closed-door parliamentary meeting.
Ju’s preparation
The National Intelligence Service said the image of North Korea’s leader’s daughter riding a tank was intended to highlight her alleged military prowess and dispel doubts about a female crown prince, lawmakers said.
Last month, North Korea’s state-run news agency released pictures of Kim and his daughter driving a new battle tank, following earlier pictures of her firing a rifle at a range and wielding a revolver.
Something similar happened in early 2010 when Kim was preparing to succeed his father, said ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Soon-won.
Kim’s daughter’s appearances at defense-related events are aimed at dispelling doubts about a female successor and bolstering the succession narrative, the lawmakers said, citing the Intelligence Service.
The 13-year-old is clearly a successor
Lawmakers have previously said the agency believes the increasingly frequent presence of Kim’s daughter suggests she is viewed as the de facto second-in-command in North Korea’s leadership.
However, some North Korea experts cautioned against interpreting the images as definitive signals of succession.
Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said Ju Ae’s appearance on a tank alone is not enough to conclude that the girl has been confirmed as Kim’s successor, noting that she appeared alongside her father and not independently, unlike Kim Jong Un’s solo military appearances during his preparation phase.
