Kim Ju Ae is believed to have a younger sibling whose gender remains unknown, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), adding a new detail to assessments of the North Korean ruling family’s succession plans.
The NIS said on September 10 that it currently believes Kim Ju Ae is being prepared to succeed her father, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and has a younger sibling. The agency did not provide further details about the child’s age or gender.
The latest assessment adds to previous intelligence suggesting that Kim Jong Un has three children, although South Korean officials have continued to examine the family’s exact birth order and other details that remain difficult to independently verify.
“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 in an official statement.
The NIS also said it was still working to establish whether Kim Ju Ae has an older brother. Even if such a sibling exists, however, South Korean intelligence believes he is unlikely to be considered a successor to Kim Jong Un.
Kim Ju Ae has emerged as an increasingly visible figure in North Korean public life since she was first shown publicly in 2022 during an inspection linked to the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Her appearances have since expanded beyond military events, placing her alongside her father at some of the country’s most important political and state occasions.
She has also appeared during major diplomatic and ceremonial events, including an official visit to Beijing, political gatherings and military parades. The growing frequency and prominence of those appearances have drawn close attention from South Korean and international analysts seeking clues about the future leadership of North Korea.
North Korean state media has also played a role in raising her public profile. She has been described as the “beloved child”, while state outlets have used the term “hyangdo”, translated as “great person of guidance”. The expression carries particular significance because it has been associated with the country’s supreme leadership and figures positioned within the ruling dynasty.
The public presentation of Kim Ju Ae has therefore become one of the clearest signs that Pyongyang may be preparing the next generation of its leadership. Her exact position within the succession process remains difficult to establish from outside North Korea, where information about the Kim family is tightly controlled.
The NIS assessment nevertheless provides a further indication of how South Korean intelligence views Kim Ju Ae’s growing role. While questions remain over the identities and birth order of Kim Jong Un’s children, the agency’s latest statement suggests that it continues to regard his daughter as the leading figure in the next generation of North Korea’s ruling family.
