South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected Kim Ju Ae, his daughter, as successor.
According to the BBC, the South Korean spy agency told lawmakers that it assessed Ju Ae to be the designated heir after considering a “range of circumstances”, including her increasingly prominent public appearances at official events.
In recent months, Ju Ae has been pictured alongside her father at high-profile engagements, including a visit to Beijing in September — her first known trip abroad.
The NIS said it would monitor closely whether she attends the North’s party congress later this month — the country’s largest political event, held once every five years.
This party congress is where the country is expected to outline its priorities on foreign policy, war planning and nuclear ambitions for the next five years.
Lee Seong-kwen, a South Korean lawmaker, told reporters on Thursday that Ju Ae, who had previously been described as being “trained” as a successor, has now entered the stage of “successor designation”.
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