Plot twist: North Korea’s heir apparent might have competition, says Seoul spy agency

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Kim Ju Ae (left) the heir apparent to the Kim dynasty in North Korea, stands next to her father Kim Jong Un, on September 6, 2026 during a commissioning ceremony for the destroyer ‘Kang Kon’ at Wonsan Port in Kangwon Province. South Korean intelligence says she has a younger sibling. — Korean Central News Agency handout pic via AFP

SEOUL, Sept 10 — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter and apparent successor is believed to have a younger sibling, South Korea’s spy agency said on Thursday, offering a more detailed view of the ruling family’s line of succession.

Seoul’s spy agency has previously said Kim is thought to have three children, but some uncertainty remains on the number of offspring as well as the order of their birth.

The Kim dynasty is now in its third generation ruling the closed-off nation, and the current leader’s children would be potentially poised to take over one day.

Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, was first introduced to the public in 2022 when she accompanied her father to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Seoul had initially indicated that Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju had their first child, a boy, in 2010, and that Kim Ju Ae was their second child.

But in 2023, Seoul’s unification minister said that the government was “unable to confirm” the existence of the son.

The child described Thursday by South Korea’s spy agency would be the youngest.

“The National Intelligence Service currently assesses that Kim Ju Ae is being groomed as the successor and understands she has a younger sibling of unknown gender,” the agency said, reaffirming its conclusion on succession.

Kim’s chosen successor? 

North Korea tightly controls information about its leadership and ruling family, leaving even basic details about Kim Jong Un’s children difficult to verify.

The NIS added that it was continuing to examine whether Kim Ju Ae has an older brother, but believes that “even if he exists, he is not in a position to become the successor”.

The age or even the gender of the children could be secondary to their potential as successors to their father, Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University, told AFP.

“Kim himself inherited power as the third-generation leader despite not being the eldest son,” he noted.

“In the same context, he would consider which of his children has the greatest potential to carry on his legacy and further develop his achievements,” Lim said.

“So we can assume that he assessed Ju Ae as having the greatest potential to become his successor,” he added.

Since 2022, Ju Ae has appeared at a number of major political events with the North Korean leader, including a high-profile visit to Beijing.

North Korean state media have also referred to her as “the beloved child” and a “great person of guidance” — “hyangdo” in Korean — a term typically reserved for top leaders and their successors.

Before 2022, the only confirmation of her existence had come from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who reportedly made several visits to the North between 2013 and 2017.

Kim Ju Ae has drawn attention for her taste in luxury fashion, appearing in Gucci sunglasses and wearing a Cartier watch.

At other times, she has mirrored her father’s distinctive style, wearing matching leather jackets and dark glasses. — AFP