US EditionKim Jong Un fuels succession buzz with daughter's matching leather jacket
Kim Ju Ae appeared prominently in matching leather jackets with Kim Jong Un at a military parade, signaling her potential role as successor, South Korea's intelligence agency said.
- State media images released Thursday showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un standing side-by-side with his daughter Kim Ju Ae at a military parade capping the Workers' Party Ninth Congress, both wearing matching black leather trench coats.
- Since her first appearance in 2022, South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers earlier this month that Ju Ae had entered the 'designation stage' and attended over 25 public events through the end of 2025.
- State television has featured Ju Ae on more than 600 days over three years, while Rodong Sinmun recently called her the 'respected child' and showed staged interactions with Kim.
- Despite no signs at the congress that Ju Ae received an official title, analysts warn that naming her could trigger a power struggle, with Kim Yo Jong seen as a more experienced rival.
- Kim's re-election this week reinforces the Kim family's authority and may prime the public for a smoother succession while shaping regional diplomacy expectations.
52 Articles
52 Articles
Photos released by North Korean state media have fueled speculation that leader Kim Jong Un is planning to make his daughter Ju Ae his successor. The pair were seen wearing matching outfits, including the same black leather jacket, at a ruling party congress. Analysts say there is more to the affair than just a fashion choice.
RECIT – Unsurprisingly re-elected as leader of the North Korean Workers' Party, Kim Jong-un has a new advantage in his sleeve, his 13-year-old daughter becoming omnipresent in all movements of the dictator. She is now poised to succeed him.
Voices are multiplying on a possible succession in North Korea. Kim Ju Ae, increasingly at the side of his father Kim Jong Un, would be in advanced stage of preparation as his future heir
The dictator and his daughter attended a military parade in Pyongyang in matching outfits, fuelling speculation about the succession of the North Korean leader.
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