North Korea’s state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, arrived in Beijing by special train on Tuesday afternoon. Kim was there to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (Victory Day). A photo published alongside the report showed his daughter, Ju Ae, standing directly behind him.
Speaking on CBS Radio‘s “Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show” on Thursday, Jeong Se Hyun, former Unification Minister, asserted that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s decision to include Kim Ju Ae in the military parade in China signaled his intent to pave the way for a fourth-generation hereditary succession.
Jeong explained that while it is common knowledge within North Korea that Kim Ju Ae is being groomed as Kim Jong Un’s successor, her public title has now shifted from Respected Daughter to Star General, a designation typically reserved for leaders.
He pointed out that Kim Jong Un, born in 1984, became the designated successor in 2009 after his father, Kim Jong Il, suffered a stroke, leaving him with only two years to prepare for leadership. He added that when Kim Jong Il unexpectedly passed away in 2011, Kim Jong Un encountered significant challenges in consolidating his power.
According to Jeong, since 2022, Kim Jong Un has consistently brought Kim Ju Ae to important events, using these occasions as hands-on training, showing her how to direct weapons developers and military generals and assert authority over them.
In essence, despite being only 12 years old—roughly equivalent to a fifth or sixth grader in the U.S.—Kim Ju Ae is receiving hands-on training in power dynamics by shadowing her father.
When asked whether Kim Ju Ae could effectively govern and command loyalty if she were to inherit power at such a young age, Jeong emphasized that North Korea operates more like a dynastic state than a communist one.
He drew a historical parallel by noting that King Sejong of Korea ascended to the throne at 21. Jeong argued that if experienced officials properly support a young ruler, the government can function effectively. He stressed that this principle applies to North Korea as well; even if a young leader inherits power, the key is ensuring that party and military officials are prepared to serve and support them.