State media photos show Kim Ju Ae visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, in what analysts see as a symbolic signal of her increasing public prominence. KCNA released images of the visit with Kim Jong Un and senior officials, and South Korean intelligence has suggested she is considered a likely successor after recent public trips, including to Beijing. Ju Ae first appeared publicly in 2022 at an ICBM test and has been given honorifics by state media; earlier confirmation of her existence was limited to a 2013 mention by Dennis Rodman.
Kim Ju Ae’s First Public Visit to Kumsusan Palace Signals Rising Succession Role
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watching a New Year's performance with his daughter Kim Ju Ae (L) at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang (STR)(STR/KCNA VIA KNS/AFP)
State media images published Friday show Kim Ju Ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun — the mausoleum that houses her grandfather Kim Il Sung and her father’s predecessor Kim Jong Il. The photographs, released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), depict Ju Ae accompanying her father and senior officials during the visit, an act widely read as a symbolic affirmation of her emerging public role.
The Kim dynasty has governed North Korea for three generations under a pervasive cult of personality tied to the so-called "Paektu bloodline." Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are venerated in state propaganda as the "eternal leaders" and are interred in the sprawling Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in downtown Pyongyang.
KCNA reported that Kim Jong Un visited the mausoleum with top officials, and the agency’s photos showed Ju Ae in attendance. South Korea’s intelligence service said last year that Ju Ae is now viewed as the likely successor after she accompanied her father on a prominent trip to Beijing.
Ju Ae was first introduced publicly in 2022 when she attended an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch with her father. Since then, North Korean state media have used honorifics such as "the beloved child" and the Korean term "hyangdo" (often translated as "a great person of guidance"), language typically reserved for top leaders or designated heirs.
Prior to 2022, public confirmation of her existence was scarce; former NBA player Dennis Rodman mentioned a daughter during a 2013 visit to the country. While state-led optics do not guarantee a formal succession plan, these carefully staged appearances and honorifics are consistent with how Pyongyang traditionally signals leadership transitions.
What This Means
The public showing at one of North Korea’s most symbolic sites reinforces perceptions that Ju Ae is being positioned for a future leadership role. Observers say such displays provide insight into regime messaging and the possible long-term political line of succession in the isolated state.
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