Meet Kim Ju-ae, Kim Jong-un’s tween daughter and North Korea’s possible next leader: Dennis Rodman revealed her existence in 2013, and she’s now often out with her father following her debut in 2022
- North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have three children with first lady Ri Sol-ju, but only his ‘most beloved’ daughter Ju-ae has been introduced on the world stage
- Making her debut in late 2022 at a missile test launch, Ju-ae has since been seen at military parades and a New Year’s Eve celebration – but have foreign commentators even got her name correct?
North Korea is famously shrouded in secrecy. Information from the one-party state either comes from the state-controlled press or from experts working to piece information together from outside the confines of the socialist state.
So, who is the preteen girl predicted to be next in line in the most secretive state on Earth? Here’s everything we know.
The Kim family’s history
Jong-un, 42, has faced many rumours about ill health – with information coming out of North Korea notoriously difficult to verify.
The Kim dynasty is a three-generation lineage ruling North Korea, with the family being descendants of the country’s founder and first leader, Kim Il-sung.
While no one can say for sure whether Ju-ae will become the next leader, her appearance at major events shows that she is being groomed as such.
