North Korea has released a new image of Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter, Ju Ae, firing a pistol, just weeks after photos showed her shooting a rifle, fuelling speculation that she may be groomed as the country’s next leader.
State media published the image on Thursday, showing Ju Ae at a “major munitions factory” alongside her father. Flames were visible from the pistol’s muzzle as she fired with one eye closed, highlighting her active participation in military-related activities, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
The visit marked the closing stages of North Korea’s Workers’ Party congress last month, where Ju Ae has appeared prominently in official photos. She inspected the production of new pistols and other “portable light arms” alongside Kim Jong Un, with the pair donning matching leather jackets, a symbol often associated with authority in North Korea. Officials briefed them during the inspection, and Kim personally tested the new pistol, praising its “excellence.”
Ju Ae was first publicly introduced in 2022 when she accompanied her father to an intercontinental ballistic missile launch. Since then, her high-profile appearances and the rare release of images showing her handling firearms have strengthened perceptions that she may be positioned as a future leader.
Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University, told AFP that the image signals the regime’s attempt to cultivate her as a “strong and formidable” figure, suggesting military leadership qualities despite her young age.
Before her official introduction, the only public confirmation of Ju Ae’s existence came from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who visited North Korea in 2013. The new image reinforces the Kim family’s continued focus on promoting the “Paektu bloodline” and maintaining its dynastic hold on power.
