Like His Grandfather Kim Il Sung... Kim Jong Un Appears in China with Ju Ae, a 'Successor Debut?'

Kim Jong Un Attends Parade Alone, Without Wife or Daughter, at China's 80th Victory Day Anniversary
Leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia Stand Together on Tiananmen Rostrum

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un visited Beijing to attend the 80th anniversary military parade of China's Victory Day, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae. Although Ju Ae did not appear at the main parade event, the fact that she accompanied Kim Jong Un on an overseas trip is unprecedented and has drawn significant attention. Some analysts interpret this as North Korea’s attempt to effectively introduce its fourth-generation successor to its long-standing ally, China.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing, the capital of China, at 4 p.m. local time on the 2nd. According to the photos released by the agency, Kim's daughter Ju Ae (red circle), Party secretaries Jo Yong Won and Kim Tok Hun, and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui accompanied him. September 2, 2025, Yonhap News Agency

On September 3, Kim Jong Un attended the parade held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Instead of his usual Mao suit, he wore a black suit with a light gold tie. When he arrived in Beijing by special train the previous afternoon, his daughter Ju Ae appeared right behind him. However, at the event itself, Kim Jong Un entered alone, without any companions. While several other leaders attended with their spouses, his wife Ri Sol Ju was not seen.

This marks the first time Kim Jong Un has participated in a multilateral international event, and it is highly unusual for Ju Ae to accompany him. Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s official newspaper, also featured a front-page report on Kim Jong Un’s arrival in Beijing, including a photo of Ju Ae being welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi alongside her father.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun attended the large-scale military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on September 3, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Im Eul Chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, stated, "Given the nature of the North Korean regime, the public appearance of the supreme leader’s family is never accidental but a thoroughly calculated move." He added, "This is not simply a family visit, but is essentially being viewed as a 'successor’s debut.'" He explained, "North Korea’s tradition of power succession is solidified not only through internal stabilization but also through external recognition by key allies such as China and Russia. Ju Ae’s presence at the Victory Day celebrations in China can be interpreted as her de facto debut as successor, similar to Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in 1983."

In fact, there is precedent for this: Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, the late President Kim Il Sung, also brought his son Kim Jong Il to major multilateral diplomatic events. In 1957, Kim Jong Il, then 15 years old, accompanied his father to the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution in the Soviet Union. He also attended the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1959 and the 10th anniversary of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in 1965. Later, Kim Jong Il visited China in 1983, where he met Deng Xiaoping and was recognized as North Korea’s successor. Three years after Kim Il Sung’s death, in 1997, Kim Jong Il officially assumed the position of North Korea’s supreme leader.

Meanwhile, neither Kim Jong Un’s wife Ri Sol Ju nor his sister Kim Yo Jong, deputy director of the Workers’ Party, have been seen at any point during his visit to China. While Kim Jong Un had previously traveled to China three times accompanied by his wife, this time his daughter Ju Ae is effectively fulfilling the role of North Korea’s "First Lady." An official from the presidential office stated, "We are closely monitoring developments related to the composition of North Korea’s delegation to China and other related trends."