North Korea unveils image of Kim’s teenage daughter firing rifle at shooting range
Speculation has mounted that Kim Jong-un is grooming his daughter – believed to be named Kim Ju-ae and about 13 years old – as his successor
The report also confirmed Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong, who in recent years has served as his fierce spokeswoman towards Washington and Seoul, now serves as the general affairs director of the party’s central committee following a promotion at the congress. Her new title signals a broader role overseeing the party’s internal operations and administrative affairs.
State media photos showed Kim Yo-jong and other top officials aiming the rifles handed out by Kim Jong-un at a shooting range. Kim’s young daughter, wearing a brown leather coat similar to her father’s, was also seen handling the weapon as smoke rose from the barrel.
Since first appearing in public at a long-range missile test in November 2022, the girl – believed to be named Kim Ju-ae and about 13 years old – has accompanied her father to a growing number of events, including military demonstrations, factory openings and a trip to Beijing in September, where Kim Jong-un held his first summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in six years.
The party congress, which concluded on Wednesday in Pyongyang after seven days, is North Korea’s most significant political event, held every five years since 2016, and a carefully choreographed spectacle glorifying Kim’s leadership before thousands of delegates.
At this year’s meetings, Kim doubled down on his plans to accelerate North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, which already is equipped with various weapons systems threatening the United States and US allies in Asia, and confirmed his hardline view of rival South Korea.