In a move that has analysts and intelligence agencies watching closely, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has taken a significant step that appears to confirm her future role. Kim Ju Ae was seen publicly visiting the mausoleum of her grandfather and great-grandfather for the first time, an act rich with political symbolism in the isolated state.
A Symbolic Visit to the 'Eternal Leaders'
State media images released on Friday, 2 January 2026, showed Ju Ae accompanying her father, Kim Jong Un, to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang. This vast mausoleum houses the embalmed bodies of her grandfather, Kim Jong Il, and great-grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who are officially referred to as the country's "eternal leaders." The visit was reported by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Experts note that her placement during the visit was particularly telling. Cheong Seong-chang, an analyst at Seoul's Sejong Institute and author of a book on Kim leadership, pointed out that Ju Ae was positioned in the centre of the front row—a spot typically reserved for her father. Cheong suggested this could be interpreted as "reporting to the 'eternal leaders'... that she is being presented as his successor."
The Rise of the 'Beloved Child'
Kim Ju Ae was formally introduced to the world in 2022 when she appeared with her father at an intercontinental ballistic missile launch. Since then, North Korean propaganda has steadily elevated her status. State media has referred to her as "the beloved child" and a "great person of guidance" (hyangdo)—a weighty term usually reserved for top leaders and their heirs.
Her path to likely succession became clearer last year when South Korea's spy agency concluded she was next in line after she joined her father on a high-profile trip to Beijing. Before her 2022 debut, the only outside confirmation of her existence came from former NBA star Dennis Rodman following his 2013 visit to North Korea.
Public Displays and Political Forecast
The mausoleum visit follows another notable public appearance. On Thursday, footage from New Year celebrations in Pyongyang showed a rare moment of affection where Ju Ae placed a hand on her father's face and kissed his cheek, an image that made headlines in South Korea.
Looking ahead, analysts speculate that Kim Ju Ae could be elected to a major party position soon. There is talk she might become First Secretary of the Central Committee, the second most powerful role in the ruling party, at a landmark congress expected in the coming weeks. Cheong Seong-chang expects her to be "formally confirmed as the next successor both domestically and internationally" in the near future.
The Kim family, with its so-called "Paektu bloodline," has ruled North Korea for decades with an iron fist and a pervasive personality cult. Current leader Kim Jong Un is the third generation to lead the world's only communist dynasty. The latest actions surrounding his daughter strongly indicate the careful preparation for a fourth.
