South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter is in line to become her father’s eventual successor, lawmakers noted on Monday, according to Reuters.
NOS told lawmakers its analysis stems from what it described as “credible intelligence” it had gathered, Reuters reported, citing briefings from members of government and opposition parties after a closed-door parliamentary meeting.
Video footage posted last month showed Kim and his daughter on a tank.
KIM JONG UN APPEARS WITH TEENAGE DAUGHTER AT LIVE FIRE MISSILE TEST IN NORTH KOREA
This North Korean government photo shows leader Kim Jong Un, front right, his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, and other soldiers on a tank at a military training base in North Korea, on March 19, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
The South Korean agency indicated that the scene in which the girl drives a tank was intended to emphasize her supposed military suitability and allay doubts about a female successor, lawmakers noted, the newspaper said.
North Korean state media KCNA last month published photos of the North Korean leader and his daughter with a tank, following earlier images of the girl using firearms, Reuters reported.
The daughter is believed to be about 13 years old and is named Ju Ae.
IRAN’S WAR AGAINST US AND ISRAEL IS FEEDED BY NORTH KOREAN WEAPONS, EXPERT WARNS
In this North Korean government photo, leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, center, tries out a new pistol at a factory that produces pistols and other light weapons in an undisclosed location in North Korea, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
The newspaper reported that ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won indicated that the scenes are intended as a tribute to the North Korean leader’s military actions years ago, when he was appointed to succeed his father as leader of the regime.
Korea Institute for National Unification analyst Hong Min said the tank scene is not enough to establish that she has been appointed as her father’s successor, pointing out that she appeared with her father rather than independently, unlike her father’s independent military appearances when he was being groomed to take over.
NORTH KOREA TESTS SOLID FUEL ROCKET ENGINE AS KIM RAISES THREAT TO US MAINLAND
This photo, taken on December 20, 2025 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on December 23, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Ju Ae (L) inspecting the Milyong Hotel, which was recently completed in the Samjiyon tourist district of Ryanggang Province. (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
North Korea is one of the only nuclear weapons countries in the world.
