Roaming Military Facilities Without Hesitation... Arm-in-Arm with Kim Jong-un
North Korea Changes "Beloved Son" to "Precious Son"
Experts Say "Public Appearances Likely to Increase"
Some Suggest "Designation as Baekdu Bloodline Successor"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, has once again revealed his second daughter, Ju-ae, at an official event. It has been 9 days since she was first unveiled at the launch site of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 'Hwasong-17'. Experts analyze this as a demonstration of the will to guarantee the safety of future generations through nuclear forces, while some suggest the possibility that the second daughter has been designated as the successor of the Baekdu bloodline.
The girl reappears, this time in 'Ri Sol-ju style'
Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, appeared once again holding hands tightly with his second daughter Kim Ju-ae, who was revealed for the first time at the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch site on the 18th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Korean Central News Agency reported on the 27th about the commemorative photo session for the developers and contributors of the Hwasong-17 ICBM, stating that "(General Secretary Kim) appeared at the photo session with his honorable child." Although the exact date was not specified, based on the North Korean state media's practice of reporting the day after major events, it appears the photo session took place the previous day.
The agency released several photos showing General Secretary Kim and his daughter together at the site. When she first appeared, the daughter wore a white padded jumper with bangs down, dressed like an elementary school student, but this time it was different. She wore a black coat trimmed with luxurious fur and her hair was neatly styled. At a glance, she looked very much like an adult woman, almost mistaken for her mother, Ri Sol-ju.
This seems to be a staging to emphasize the authority of the so-called 'Baekdu bloodline' descending from President Kim Il-sung, even for a young child.
General Secretary Kim, dressed in a black leather long coat, affectionately linked arms and held hands tightly with his daughter, openly showing his affection. The girl responded with applause to the cheering participants of the commemorative photo session, naturally revealing her status as the daughter of the supreme leader.
Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, appeared once again holding hands tightly with his second daughter Kim Ju-ae, who was revealed for the first time at the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch site on the 18th, for a commemorative photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Earlier, the National Intelligence Service stated at the National Assembly Intelligence Committee plenary session on the 22nd that the girl who first accompanied General Secretary Kim at the ICBM launch site on the 18th is judged to be his second daughter, Kim Ju-ae. According to intelligence authorities, Kim Jong-un married Ri Sol-ju in 2009 and is reported to have had children in 2010, 2013, and 2017, with the girl presumed to be the second daughter among them.
North Korea revealed images of the girl standing in front of the ICBM and the transporter erector launcher (TEL) just as when she was first unveiled. This was a deliberate display of a child about 10 years old freely moving around military facilities.
Regarding this, Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se on the 22nd analyzed on a broadcast, "The ICBM launch being so routine that a child can appear alongside shows this both inside North Korea and as a display to the international community."
Notably, North Korean media previously referred to the girl as "beloved child," but in this report, the honorific was elevated to "honorable child." A scene was also revealed where the daughter shook hands with a military officer in uniform; the officer bowed slightly and extended his hand politely, while the girl stood upright and clasped the officer's right hand with both hands.
Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, appeared once again holding hands tightly with his second daughter Kim Ju-ae, who was revealed for the first time at the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch site on the 18th, and posed for a commemorative photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Experts view the reappearance of General Secretary Kim's daughter as a symbol of the 'future generation.' It is interpreted as implying that only nuclear forces can guarantee the future and safety of the younger generation.
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, said, "Showing the daughter in front of the ICBM developers seems to be a message from the father to the military to 'defend the Baekdu bloodline to the end.' It can be interpreted as sending a message that nuclear forces are necessary to protect future generations, including his daughter."
In fact, at the commemorative photo session, General Secretary Kim remarked, "In today's world where confrontation by force determines victory or defeat, only by becoming the strongest, not the weak, can the country and nation protect their present and future, as history shows."
Furthermore, there are expectations that the girl's public appearances will increase in the future.
Hong Min, head of the North Korea Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification, analyzed, "Accompanying a child to a mass destruction weapons launch site is quite unnatural from a Western perspective. It shows an intention to soften and mitigate the aggressive image of military buildup through the daughter." He added, "Using Kim Ju-ae for national security marketing is not a one-time event; it is likely that she will accompany public activities in the future. It seems they judged her utility in sending domestic and international messages to be high."
Unprecedented honorifics and appearances suggest designation as successor
Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, appeared once again holding hands tightly with his second daughter Kim Ju-ae, who was revealed for the first time at the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch site on the 18th, and posed for a commemorative photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Some suggest that the daughter, who has appeared repeatedly at key military sites, is being designated as the 'successor.'
Jung Sung-jang, head of the North Korea Research Center at the Sejong Institute, pointed out, "The April 19th edition of Rodong Sinmun referred to her as 'beloved child,' but the April 27th edition used the expression '(Kim Jong-un's) most beloved child.' Considering that when Ri Sol-ju first appeared, she was simply called 'Comrade Ri Sol-ju, wife,' this kind of honorific is quite unprecedented."
Korean Central News Agency also elevated Kim Ju-ae by calling her "honorable child," which is considered unusual. Especially, the emphasis such as "most beloved child," which was not even used for the supreme leader's wife, is interpreted as hinting that Kim Ju-ae will be the successor of General Secretary Kim in the future.
Jung added, "Rodong Sinmun introduced as many as 15 photos of Kim Jong-un and Kim Ju-ae together on pages 1 and 2, so it is inappropriate to see this as an impromptu decision. When a king has multiple children, it is natural to designate the most beloved child as the successor, so the continuous appearances of Kim Ju-ae officially confirm the fourth-generation power succession."
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