South Korea’s National Intelligence Service continues to assess that Kim Ju-ae is emerging as the leading candidate to succeed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as it investigates whether he has a son. According to the service, Kim Ju-ae, believed to have been born in 2013, is currently the most likely candidate for the leadership.
The intelligence service assesses that, if the existence of a son is confirmed, he could be Kim Ju-ae’s older brother. However, the service believes that even if such a son exists, he could not succeed Kim Jong-un under current conditions.
Assessment of Kim Jong-un’s other children
South Korean intelligence also assesses that Kim Jong-un has a younger child whose gender has not yet been determined. Work continues to establish the number of Kim Jong-un’s children and the possible order of succession.

Kim Ju-ae’s public role
Kim Ju-ae has attended various events alongside her father since she first appeared in North Korean state media in 2022. These events have included military parades and missile tests.
South Korean intelligence described Kim Ju-ae in January 2024 as the most likely successor to the North Korean leader. The succession debate returned to the agenda after Kim Jong-un visited with his daughter on January 1 a family monument that holds symbolic importance for North Korea’s ruling dynasty.