Kim Jong-un’s daughter enters international stage fuelling succession rumours

Kim Jung-un and daughter Kim Ju-ae arrived in Beijing yesterday, September 2, 2025 (Image: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

Ahead of China's victory military parade celebrating 80 years since the end of the World War 2, North Korea's Kim Jong-un made his first visit to Beijing. Accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, the leader arrived on September 2, 2025, welcomed by Xi Jinping for the international event. With her appearance, the young teen has re-ignited rumours she is being 'groomed' to become North Korea's first female ruler.

The Korean state media published images featuring Jung-un's daughter following her father into China's capital, making her debut amongst global political names. A close ally, Vladamir Putin is also visiting in a rare occurence for the Russian who prefers to remain within state. This reunion will build on the established ties between the three leaders of Russia, China and North Korea, at a time where the latter continues to supply troops for Putin's war against Ukraine.

(L-R) Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and North Korea's Kim Jung-un (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Whilst Ju-ae's age has never been officially confirmed by the state, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) has shared they believed her to be around 10 years old in 2023, shortly after her first appearance at her father's viral missile testing in 2022. With reports also circulating that she was born in 2012, the general estimation is currently 13 years old, reports The Guardian.

Since then, she has joined her father on various official visits around North Korea, including the anniversary od the Korean People's Army and recent launch of it's new east coast resort, Wonsan Kalma. If rumours are true, the young girl would be the fourth Kim appointed ruler, since it's founding father – and her great-grandfather – Kim Il-sung, in 1948.

Though not a public speaker just yet, Ju-ae has become a constant figure within her father’s shadow, standing close to her aunt and Jung-un's confidante sister, Kim Yo-jong. Declared as the "respected" daughter by state media, Ju-ae is speculated to be one of Jung-un's three children.

Now in Beijing, seen to be dressed in a navy suit, she has captured the attention of analysts keen to label her as North Korea's heir. Michael Madden, a US expert of North Korea leadership, stated: "Right now, Ju-ae is the frontrunner as next supreme leader of North Korea. She is getting practical protocol experience which should serve her well as North Korea’s next leader or a core elite". Madded added that thsi visit would provide "valuable experience greeting and interacting with foreign leadership and other elites".

Just last year, the NIS claimed Ju-ae was being taught leadership, though the method or timing of this has yet to be confirmed. How North Korea's military leaders would react to a woman being raised to supreme leader also remains an unclear question. A researcher at America's Stimson Center, Rachel Minyoung Lee, added: "The scope of her public appearances certainly has expanded from military-related sites to political and economic events over the years," hypothesising that if this was a step in Jung-un's succession campaign, the current Beijing visit "would certainly help as it would be seen as Kim Ju-ae’s debut on the international stage".