SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II — accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, in her first-ever appearance at an official diplomatic event.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the embassy visit and, for the first time, referred to Kim Ju Ae as Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved daughter.” Until now, state media had typically described her using honorifics such as “respected child,” “beloved child.”
Believed to have been born in 2013, Kim Ju Ae made her first public appearance in November 2022, when she accompanied her father during an inspection of what analysts identified as an intercontinental ballistic missile. Since then, she has appeared at several major events, including missile launches, military banquets, and troop visits. Her latest appearance — wearing a navy suit while walking beside Kim at the Russian Embassy — marks a new phase in her growing public visibility and diplomatic exposure.
Video aired by Korean Central Television showed Kim Ju Ae seated in the front row next to Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora during Kim’s speech. Matsegora was also seen lightly kissing her cheek during the farewell.
A photo showing Kim Jong Un’s bodyguard holding an umbrella for Kim Ju Ae has also drawn attention as well.
“This visit to the Russian Embassy effectively marks Kim Ju Ae’s debut on the international stage,” Cho Han-bum, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a South Korean government-affiliated think tank, told RFA on Monday. “It formalizes the fact that she is undergoing succession training, both domestically and internationally.”
Cho noted that while Kim Ju Ae’s presence is increasingly prominent, there has been no official designation of her as a successor within North Korea’s system. He pointed out that Kim Jong Un himself received his first official title — vice chairman of the Central Military Commission — in his mid-20s, whereas Kim Ju Ae is still too young, and would need to be at least 20 to receive such a role. She is believed to be around 12 or 13 years old.
Some observers have speculated that bringing Kim Ju Ae to a diplomatic event at the Russian Embassy could signal a desire to secure Moscow’s support for a future succession. But Cho said it is more likely that Pyongyang wants to showcase her growing role to its allies rather than seek approval.
“She has now been introduced publicly to the international diplomatic community,” Cho said. “While this strengthens the impression that she is being groomed as a successor, I don’t think North Korea is in a position where it needs outside backing to solidify this path.”
A similar view was offered by Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector and head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, who also spoke with RFA on Monday.
“There are doubts due to North Korea’s male-dominated culture,” Ahn said. “But ultimately, North Korea is a society that moves according to Kim Jong Un’s will. Even if he doesn’t have public consensus, he can enforce his decision.”
Ahn added that Kim Ju Ae’s presence at the embassy could foreshadow her joining future overseas trips, such as a potential visit to Russia later this year.
“If Kim Jong Un decides she’ll join him, she will,” Ahn said. “This visit suggests that the leadership is accelerating the process of establishing a succession structure.”
Though Kim Jong Un did not attend Russia’s official Victory Day celebrations – where Putin hosted allied leaders including China’s Xi Jinping – this was his first visit to the Russian Embassy since taking power in 2012. The two nations have forged closer ties in the past year as North Korea has sent war weapons and materiel and thousands of troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Cho from the Korea Institute for National Unification said a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin appears increasingly likely, with a visit to Vladivostok in September seen as the most probable scenario.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) previously cautioned against prematurely viewing Kim Ju Ae as a formal heir, citing North Korea’s patriarchal norms. However, the agency has gradually shifted its position.
In a closed-door parliamentary briefing on July 29, 2024, the NIS reported that Kim Ju Ae was being groomed as a potential successor. By October, it noted signs of her elevated status, including being escorted by senior officials like Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. And in a recent April 30 report, the agency said her frequent public appearances alongside Kim Jong Un suggest a clear move toward establishing a hereditary power structure.
Edited by Sungwon Yang
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Do-Hyoung Han for RFA Korean.