South Korea’s main spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), told lawmakers that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is close to designating his teenage daughter as his successor and the future leader of the isolated country. This could mark a rare and historic moment in North Korea’s long history of family rule.
Spy Agency Says Kim Jong‑un’s Daughter Is Near Successor Status
Observers believe the daughter, who is around 13 years old, now appears more frequently with her father at major state events, military parades, weapons tests, and international trips. Her growing public presence signals that she is taking on a more visible leadership role.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) says she has moved beyond simple leadership training. Officials now describe her as being in the “successor-designate stage,” indicating that authorities may be officially preparing her to take over in the future.
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Lawmakers who attended a recent closed-door briefing noted a clear change in wording. In the past, officials said she was undergoing training, but intelligence officials now say North Korean leaders are actively positioning her to become the country’s next leader.
What We Know About Kim’s Daughter
Very little official information about the girl has ever come from North Korea. The country’s own state media has never published her name. Instead, North Korean state media refers to her using respectful terms such as the leader’s “respected” or “most beloved” child.
People outside North Korea shaped the belief that her name is Kim Ju-ae, including former NBA player Dennis Rodman, who said he held her as a baby during a visit to Pyongyang. South Korean intelligence believes she was born in 2013, although officials have not officially confirmed the exact date.
Ju-ae made her first public appearance in November 2022, when state media showed her with her father at a long-range missile test site. Since then, she has steadily increased her public visibility. She even walked beside him during a visit to Beijing in September 2025, marking her first known international trip.
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In early January this year, she joined her parents on a visit to Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun — a mausoleum that holds the embalmed bodies of her grandfather and great‑grandfather, both former leaders of North Korea. Experts say this symbolic trip added to signs that she might be positioned as the next leader.
Shift in Wording Signals Progress Toward Successor Status
South Korean lawmakers report that intelligence officials used new wording when talking about Kim’s daughter — moving from “successor in training” to “successor‑designate.” This change, though subtle, is significant. It signals that she may be officially recognized in a leadership role soon.
The NIS noted three key factors behind this assessment:
- Her growing presence at high‑profile military and state events.
- Her inclusion in symbolic family visits, like the trip to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.
- Signs she has started to offer her opinions on policy matters during public events.
South Korean officials are closely watching whether she will appear with her father at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, North Korea’s largest political gathering expected later this month. If she attends and receives a formal title, it could provide the clearest sign yet that authorities have publicly positioned her for leadership.
Historic Family Dynasty May Continue
Since North Korea’s founding in 1948, members of the same family have ruled the country from father to son.
- Kim Il‑sung, the country’s founder, was the first leader.
- He was succeeded by Kim Jong‑il, his son.
- Kim Jong‑un took over after his father’s death in 2011.
If Kim’s daughter is formally named as successor, it would continue this fourth generation of family rule. Experts say this is notable because, until recently, the idea of a young girl taking on the top leadership role in the secretive and traditionally male‑driven North Korean system seemed unlikely.
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Despite this possible shift, very little official confirmation has come from within North Korea itself. The government’s own media has not announced her name or any formal appointment. But the change in how South Korean intelligence describes her status shows how perceptions of her future role have changed in recent months.
This report brings together verified facts from recent official briefings and credible news sources to present a clear picture of the developing situation in North Korean leadership.