Daughter Holding North Korea's Kim Jong-un's Hand, Preparing to Become Leader? ... Foreign Media Reactions

Kim Jong-un's Daughter Spotted at ICBM Hwasong-17 Test Launch Site
Analysis Suggests Education and Training to Become Leader, Political Status Still Challenging
AP News: Shows Confidence in Nuclear Capability Enhancement

North Korea officially revealed Chairman Kim Jong-un's children for the first time. Seated, Kim gestures and gives instructions to military officials, while Ri Sol-ju and their daughter stand side by side, listening with their hands clasped. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The identity of a young girl who appeared at the site of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch is drawing attention. As the girl, presumed to be the daughter of Chairman Kim Jong-un, made her first appearance at an official event, foreign media have offered various interpretations of the background.

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 19th, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un personally supervised the test launch of the new ICBM Hwasong-17 on-site the previous day. The photos released by the agency vividly captured the Hwasong-17 spewing flames as it flew and being moved on the launch pad.

Among these, what particularly caught people's attention was a young girl dressed in white. The photos showed the girl, presumed to be Chairman Kim's daughter, holding his hand while watching the test launch. The Korean Central News Agency also mentioned, "(Chairman Kim) personally appeared with his beloved child and wife."

This is the first time North Korea has officially reported on Chairman Kim's children. Until now, specific information such as the number of children, their gender, or age has been thoroughly concealed.

However, it is reported that Chairman Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju gave birth to children in 2010, 2013, and 2017. Among them, the second child was revealed to be a daughter named Kim Ju-ae through American basketball star Dennis Rodman, who visited North Korea in 2013, and the girl shown in the photos released this time is presumed to be Kim Ju-ae.

Foreign media have unanimously highlighted the official first appearance of Chairman Kim's child and offered various interpretations of the background. The British daily The Guardian cited Michael Madden, a North Korea expert and visiting researcher at the U.S. think tank Stimson Center, calling it a "very important scene" and stating, "The fact that the daughter was revealed in such a way indicates a certain level of calmness on Chairman Kim's part."

Researcher Madden suggested, "This disclosure may also mean that (Chairman Kim's) daughter will receive education and training to become a leader," adding, "She might be preparing to become a central leader or could act as an underground player like her aunt (Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Party)."

In contrast, Bloomberg News pointed out, "It is rare for the children of North Korean leaders to be publicly revealed before they are old enough to take over (their father's) role," and noted, "Chairman Kim's daughter appears to be a student and looks too young to hold a political position."

Ken Gause, a North Korea expert at the U.S. think tank Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), focused on the fact that Ri Sol-ju appeared alongside. Gause explained, "Whenever Ri Sol-ju appears, there is always a strategically relevant message," adding, "Typically, Ri Sol-ju's appearance is planned to ease tensions, mitigate the negative impact of sending aggressive messages (such as missile launches), or to demonstrate the unity of the Kim family when there are internal issues."

AP News viewed Chairman Kim's first public appearance of his daughter as a display of confidence in enhancing nuclear capabilities. Citing experts' analyses, the outlet reported, "(Chairman Kim) observing the missile launch with his family indicates confidence in success."