Seoul: North Korea appears to have entered the stage of designating leader Kim Jong-un's daughter, Ju-ae, as his successor, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS). The spy agency's assessment was shared during a closed-door briefing with the parliamentary intelligence committee, as reported by lawmakers on Thursday. This marks a significant shift from an earlier evaluation that considered her the "most likely successor."
According to Yonhap News Agency, Reps. Park Sun-won and Lee Seong-kweun conveyed that the NIS observed Ju-ae's presence at key events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Additionally, signs of her voicing opinions on certain state policies were detected, leading the NIS to conclude that she has now entered the stage of being designated as the successor. This latest assessment is a step forward from the agency's previous views, which described Ju-ae as being "trained" to become a successor.
The NIS plans to closely monitor whether Ju-ae attends the North's key party congress later this month. In January 2024, the NIS had assessed Ju-ae, who is believed to have been born in 2013, as the North's "most likely successor" during their first evaluation of her potential role in the reclusive regime.
Earlier this year, Ju-ae paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the Kim family's mausoleum, with her parents, amid growing speculation about her potential succession. If she appears at the party congress or receives an official title at the event, speculation about her being groomed as Kim's successor is expected to intensify.
In other developments, the NIS noted a possibility of dialogue between the United States and North Korea, contingent on certain conditions being met. The agency highlighted North Korea's dissatisfaction with U.S. actions, such as the South Korea-U.S. fact sheet and the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula. However, North Korea has not ruled out talks with the U.S. and has refrained from criticizing President Donald Trump. Additionally, the NIS observed that North Korea has avoided firing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to prevent provoking Trump, who is sensitive to such actions.