The North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could have chosen his daughter to succeed him, the South Korean government said on Monday, after the press of the secretive country described her as “great guide”a title reserved for the highest leaders.
North Korea’s official press on Saturday used the term “hyangdo”, normally used only for the country’s leaders and their successors. Analysts noted that it was the first time that Pyongyang presented Kim Jong Un’s daughter in this way. The girl’s name is Ju Ae, according to the South Korean intelligence service.
“Normally, the term ‘hyangdo’ is used to describe higher-ranking officers,” Koo Byoung-sam, a spokesman for Seoul’s Unification Ministry, confirmed on Monday.
This reinforces rumors that the teenager, who often appears with her father at important events, would be chosen to be the next leader of North Korea.
“We do not rule out the possibility of Ju Ae happening” to Kim Jong Un, the spokesperson added. The official North Korean media released the first images of her in 2022, when she accompanied her father during a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Since then, she has been spoken of as “morning star” Korea” or of ““Dear girl.” Ju Ae has been seen at various official events presided over by Kim Jong Un, including military maneuvers, a visit to a weapons factory or a poultry farm.
In images published by Pyongyang on Saturday, the teenager attends parachute exercises, along with her father and senior military officials.
Seoul initially claimed that the North Korean leader and his wife Ri had their first child, a boy, in 2010, and that Ju Ae was their second. But two years later, South Korean authorities said they were “unable to confirm” the existence of the firstborn.
If Ju Ae finally comes to power, it would be the third hereditary succession since the founding of the country in 1948. Kim Jong Un inherited power in 2011 after the death of his father.
It may interest you
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
