Since last year, North Korean media has significantly increased coverage of Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Ju Ae, alongside the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party. This shift suggests a change in how North Korean authorities express power, moving from text-based to image-centered communication.
On January 17, Dr. Park Eun-joo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, presented this analysis in a report titled, The Politics of Accompaniment: North Korea’s Visual Governance Mechanisms as Revealed in Photos of Kim Ju Ae.
Dr. Park observed that in North Korean media, including the Rodong Sinmun, spatial arrangements in photographs symbolize power dynamics. She noted that since last year, there has been a notable disruption in the traditional spatial hierarchy.
Historically, North Korean media portrayed Kim at the center or top of images, with officials maintaining a respectful distance. Recently, however, unprecedented scenes have emerged showing Ju Ae walking alongside her father or even occupying a more central position than him.
Dr. Park interprets this shift as a reconfiguration of the concept of center in North Korean media. It has evolved from a single-point perspective focused on Kim to a shared power dynamic within the Baekdu bloodline.
Particularly noteworthy are images of Ju Ae holding Kim’s hand tightly or their cheeks touching, which deviate from the long-standing practice of portraying the supreme leader’s authority as sacrosanct.
Moreover, scenes of seasoned generals bowing to the young Ju Ae and showing her deference are designed to encourage North Korean citizens to view her not merely as a protected child, but as a recognized leader in her own right.
Dr. Park asserts that the photographs of Ju Ae accompanying her father, Kim, go beyond signaling her role as a potential successor or promoting the image of the Paektu bloodline. They demonstrate a fundamental shift in North Korea’s governance strategy, transitioning from text-centric to image-centric communication.
Dr. Park further explains that by consistently presenting striking imagery centered around Ju Ae, North Korea is subtly guiding its elites and citizens to internalize and accept the future power structure as a natural progression.