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Who is Kim Yu Ae, the daughter of the North Korean dictator?
In one of the most symbolic and unusual moves of the Pyongyang regime, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Ju Ae, made her international debut during the "Victory Day" parade in Beijing, China, an event of historical, political and propaganda significance for the Beijing-Pyongyang axis.
Photos released by Chinese and North Korean state media show Kim Yo-Ae stepping off the presidential train in Beijing right behind her father, in a carefully curated scene. She was positioned just behind the supreme leader, while the rest of the delegation remained in the background, a signal that has not escaped analysts.
According to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), Ju Ae, around 13 years old, is increasingly seen as the most likely successor to Kim Jong Un, based on analysis of state protocols and her presence at official military and strategic activities.
A princess in the shadows coming into the light
Described by state media as Kim Jong Un's "favorite" or "most respected" child, Ju Ae has displayed a steady and deliberate presence on the public stage in recent months. From inspections of weapons factories to military ceremonies and visits with foreign officials, she has been thrust into the spotlight, often on the same symbolic level as her father.
Footage from state media shows a girl who not only stands alongside Kim Jong Un, but who is now taller and more measured in demeanor, an image that is constructed to convey strength, security and inherited authority.
For Jean H. Lee, a journalist and analyst known for her reporting on North Korea, “her presence at events related to missiles and the military is not coincidental.” In a Sky News podcast, Lee described the scene from the military celebration for the 75th anniversary of the North Korean army as “a pure picture of the Kim dynasty: father, mother and daughter.”
New monarchy in the Far East?
Is Kim Jong Un building a UK-style hereditary monarchy in one of the world's most isolated regimes?
That's one of the hypotheses being explored by analysts in the region. "Ju Ae is learning the art of 'reign' from a young age," says Cheong Seong-Chang of the Sejong Institute in South Korea. "She is building a human network, attending every important event of her father."
However, experts are careful to emphasize that it is still too early to confirm such a succession. Kim Jong Un is only 41 years old, and the internal system of power in Pyongyang is deeply patriarchal. Since 1948, leadership has passed only among the men of the Kim family, grandfather Kim Il Sung, father Kim Jong Il, and currently, himself.
Furthermore, the regime has made no official statement about the succession, and information about Kim Jong Un's other children, if any, is unclear and unconfirmed.
A movement with many signals
Kim Ju Ae's participation in such a trip, alongside Kim Jong Un and leaders like Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un, is a strong signal to the world. She is no longer simply the leader's daughter: she is an heiress in the making, part of a new strategy of the Kim family cult.
Whether this will translate into a smooth transition to a future "queen" in a nuclear regime, or is simply a propaganda tactic to bolster Kim Jong Un's legitimacy, remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: the North Korean regime is sending coded signals not only about the weapons it has, but also about the legacy it is preparing. /Adapted from "Sky News"
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