South Korean Intelligence Values Princess Kim Jong Un as the Most Likely Candidate for Succession

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Kim Jung Ae, attend a concert to mark International Women's Day in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS via The Independent)

JAKARTA - The South Korean intelligence agency assesses that Kim Jun Ae, the teenage daughter of Kim Jong Un, is now the most likely candidate for succession in North Korea. This assessment is the most firm so far regarding the rise in the political status of the princess amid the possibility of the Kim family's continued power to the next generation.

Kim's daughter has appeared several times alongside her father at important events since late 2022. North Korean state media has also referred to her as the "most beloved" or "respected" child, sparking speculation that she is being groomed for a bigger role.

Citing The Independent, Tuesday, April 7, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Lee Jong-seok said in a closed explanation to the National Assembly that Kim Jong Un's daughter "can be considered as Kim's successor", according to lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun.

This assessment is stronger than NIS's previous statement. In early 2022, the princess was only referred to as "almost determined" as the future leader of North Korea.

In the same explanation, NIS also assessed Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister who has long been seen as the number two figure in Pyongyang, "does not have substantial power", according to Lee Seong Kweun. The assessment is said to be based on intelligence that is considered reliable.

Even so, not all observers agree. Some assess that the North Korean society, which is very male-centered, is not necessarily ready to accept a female leader. Kim Jong Un, who is now 42 years old, is also considered too young to openly appoint a successor because the move could affect his grip on power.

Kim Jong Un's daughter named Kim Ju Ae and is around 13 years old. However, North Korean state media has never confirmed her personal identity. The name circulated from the statements of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who once said he was holding Kim's baby girl when he visited Pyongyang in 2013.

According to The Independent's report, the princess's recent public appearances include the moment when she drove a tank in a military exercise supervised by her father and fired a gun. The NIS assessed that such appearances seem to be designed to build the princess's military image while "dousing doubts about the possibility of a female successor".

Since its founding in 1948, North Korea has always been led by male members of the Kim family, namely Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un.