BEIJING (Kyodo) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was accompanied on his visit to China by his daughter, believed to be called Ju Ae, in her early teens, marking her first overseas trip with him, a photo carried by the country’s state-run media showed.
She first appeared publicly in November 2022 during coverage of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile launch and has since frequently attended key events, further sparking speculation that she may succeed Kim.
Footage from Chinese media showed Kim’s daughter smiling as she stepped off his special train just behind him upon arriving in Beijing on Tuesday. She did not accompany him to the military parade in the capital the following day.
The daughter, described by North Korean media as Kim’s “beloved” child, has grown to nearly match Kim’s height. Her name and possible successor status have never been reported, but she has frequently appeared with him at military and economic inspections.
Some experts say she has taken on the role of first lady in place of Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, a former singer and cheerleader. In the diplomatic field, she has participated in a North Korea-Russia friendship event held in her nation.
While North Korea was established in 1948 with the backing of the Soviet Union, China is now Pyongyang’s most influential economic and security ally.
North Korea’s top leaders have apparently sought China’s endorsement during power transitions, giving special significance to Kim bringing his daughter on his trip to Beijing, a gesture regarded as symbolic in the context of succession, the experts said.
According to South Korean media, the North’s founder Kim Il Sung visited China in 1983 with his son and heir Kim Jong Il, requesting support from then leader Deng Xiaoping to ensure the succession within the ruling dynasty.
Kim Jong Il also took his son Kim Jong Un, then in his 20s and the future successor, on a trip to China in 2010 and reportedly explained the leadership transition during talks with then Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.
