It has been claimed to be a real brother or sister of Kim Ju A, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. South Korea’s intelligence agency said on Thursday that Kim Ju A is being groomed as a possible successor to his father and that he also has a younger brother or sister.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has already said that Kim Jong Un has three children. However, the situation regarding the birth order of his children was not completely clear till now.
“The current assessment of the National Intelligence Service is that Kim Ju A is being groomed as a successor and the agency is aware of her having a younger brother or sister, whose gender is unknown,” the NIS said in a statement.
The agency also said that it is trying to confirm whether Kim Ju A has an elder brother. However, NIS believes that even if such an elder brother exists, he is unlikely to be in a position to succeed him.
Kim Ju A was first seen in public in November 2022, when she accompanied her father during the test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Since then, she has been appearing with Kim Jong Un in many important political and military events of North Korea.
Kim Ju A’s public presence has increased steadily in recent years. Apart from important military programs, she has also been seen accompanying her father on foreign trips and major political events. His high-profile visit to China’s capital Beijing also attracted special attention at the international level.
The Kim family’s rule in North Korea has lasted for decades. In the country, personal worship of the Kim family and the concept of “Paektu bloodline” are seen as linked to the legitimacy of power. In such a situation, any indication regarding the successor of Kim Jong Un is considered very important.
North Korean state media have also in recent years used words for Kim Ju A that are typically used for the country’s top leaders and potential successors. The government media has honored her with addresses like “dear child” and “great guide”.
There has been a discussion among experts for a long time about who will take power in North Korea after Kim Jong Un. Although Pyongyang has not officially declared Kim Ju A as his successor, his increased public appearances and special addresses have strengthened signals that he may play an important role in the family’s next generation.
The NIS’s latest assessment also reduces some of the previously existing uncertainty about the structure of the North Korean ruling family. However, the complete information about Kim Jong Un’s children is still not public and North Korea keeps personal information related to its ruling family very confidential.