It appears that Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, accompanied him on his visit to China.
In a photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency on September 2, a figure believed to be Ju-ae was seen aboard Chairman Kim's special train upon arrival in Beijing. Although her face could not be clearly identified as it was obscured by Chairman Kim, analysis suggests that, given North Korea's protocol order, the only person who could walk directly behind Chairman Kim and ahead of Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is Ju-ae.
The National Intelligence Service stated, "It appears that Kim Jong Un was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae during this visit to China," adding that they are closely monitoring Ju-ae's activities.
While his wife, Ri Sol Ju, has accompanied him on three previous visits to China, this is the first time Chairman Kim has brought his daughter along. The visit of Chairman Kim and his daughter to China could be interpreted as a declaration to the international community that Ju-ae is the next leader.
Since her first public appearance in 2022, Ju-ae has gradually expanded her presence to livelihood and security sites, increasing her political stature. As Ju-ae, who is seen as a likely successor, has become more prominent, First Lady Ri Sol Ju's public appearances have decreased. After attending the New Year's celebration performance last year, Ri Sol Ju disappeared from public view, while Ju-ae's activities have been increasingly highlighted.
At the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone in June, Ri Sol Ju made her first appearance in a year and a half, but she was seen standing a step behind Chairman Kim and Ju-ae, which was interpreted as evidence of Ju-ae's elevated status as a successor.
Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party and Chairman Kim's younger sister, also showed deference to her niece Ju-ae at the handover ceremony for the new tactical ballistic missile system in August last year, bowing deeply and politely guiding her to her seat.
Given that Ju-ae has effectively been fulfilling the role of 'First Lady' and is being pointed to as the next successor, her appearance alongside Chairman Kim on the multilateral diplomatic stage is seen as more than just participation in a diplomatic event; it is being interpreted as a kind of initiation as a successor. However, as North Korea has not made an official announcement regarding a successor, some analysts believe that Ju-ae's presence in China may simply be an extension of using her as a symbol of the 'next generation,' rather than a definitive indication that she has been designated as the successor.
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