On the 10th, during the celebration banquet for the 79th anniversary of the Workers’ Party in North Korea, Kim Jong-un lightly tapped his daughter Ju-ae on the waist, prompting her to whisper to the Russian ambassador to North Korea. /Korean Central TV
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced on the 29th that the status of Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been elevated. This conclusion stems from her appearance in events celebrating the 79th anniversary of the Workers’ Party.
On the 10th, Kim Ju-ae was positioned directly behind her father as they entered the celebration performance and banquet at the Workers’ Party Central School.
The event was also attended by Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea. In video footage, after Kim Jong-un greeted Ambassador Matsegora, Kim Ju-ae shook hands with him. When Kim Jong-un lightly tapped her back, she approached the ambassador and whispered directly to him, even though a person who appeared to be a translator was present.
Kim Ju-ae also sat beside her father in the guest of honor seats during the celebration performance. She was seen conversing with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and later whispered to Kim Jong-un with a bright expression.
In August, during the handover ceremony of a new tactical ballistic missile launch platform in Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, showed deference to Kim Ju-ae, slightly bowing and extending her arm to guide her. Kim Ju-ae observed her aunt’s gestures with a poised stance, while Kim Yo-jong did not bow during meetings with former South Korean President Moon Jae-in or during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea in June.
The NIS commented that Kim Ju-ae seems to have an elevated status, as evidenced by her appearances at party events escorted by Kim Yo-jong or supported by Choe Son-hui. They also noted her interaction with the Russian ambassador and the release of “two-shot photos” of her with Kim Jong-un, as well as her being accompanied by dedicated security.
However, Park Jie-won, a former director of the NIS and a Democratic Party lawmaker, argued that Kim Ju-ae is not a successor. In a YTN radio interview, he stated, “There has never been a female leader in North Korea, China, or Russia,” and suggested that highlighting Kim Ju-ae might be a strategy to distract from Kim Jong-un’s eldest son’s overseas studies. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that “Kim Jong-un is very fond of Kim Ju-ae” and added that “aunt Kim Yo-jong is taking good care of her,” implying that it isn’t necessarily a sign of an official promotion.