The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13, made her first known visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Thursday, New Year’s Day. The mausoleum displays the embalmed bodies of her late grandfather Kim Il Sung and great-grandfather Kim Jong Il.
State media images on Friday showed Ms. Kim standing in the front row with her parents and bowing at the mausoleum. She has appeared increasingly in state media over the past three years, accompanying her father at military parades, missile launches, and international trips, including a September visit to Beijing.
Experts say the visit is significant because the Kumsusan Palace is considered a site that symbolizes the legitimacy of the North Korean leadership. The visit comes ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party congress, which the National Intelligence Service of South Korea predicts will take place in January or February and will establish new policy priorities and reshuffle officials.
Some analysts have suggested that Ms. Kim could be considered for roles within the party in the future, though other experts note she is currently too young to hold high-level positions.
Asia Pacific Newslog 