South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) is still trying to determine whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has an older son, but continues to assess that his daughter is the likely successor to the country’s leadership.
The NIS issued the clarification on Thursday following a recent media report claiming South Korean intelligence authorities had determined that Kim did not have a son with his wife, Ri Sol Ju.
The agency said it was still working to verify whether Kim has an older son. However, it assessed that even if a son exists, he is currently not in a position to succeed his father.
Kim took over North Korea’s leadership following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.
Kim’s daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and believed to be around 13, has increasingly been seen alongside her father at major state and military events. The NIS has previously assessed that she is likely to eventually take over the leadership of North Korea.
The agency said Kim also has a younger child, although the child’s gender has not been confirmed.
The NIS did not elaborate on Thursday on its assessment of Kim Ju Ae’s political standing. Previously, however, it said the assessment was based on a comprehensive analysis of her public appearances and the state protocols afforded to her.
Since late 2022, Kim Ju Ae has accompanied her father to numerous high-profile events, including missile launches and major military parades.
North Korean state media has described her as Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child, while state media coverage has increasingly highlighted their close relationship and her growing political prominence.
Reports identifying her as Kim Ju Ae are based partly on comments by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who said he held Kim Jong Un’s baby daughter during a 2013 visit to Pyongyang.
In 2023, a South Korean lawmaker said the NIS had told a parliamentary committee that Kim had an older son. The agency later reportedly clarified that it was still attempting to verify the reports.
The question of whether Kim has an older son remains significant in discussions over North Korea’s future succession because of the country’s deeply rooted patriarchal and male-dominated political system.
Since North Korea was established in 1948, all three of its leaders have been male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong Un succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, who had previously taken over from his father and North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung.
Some experts have questioned whether senior North Korean officials, particularly those from an older generation, would accept a woman as their leader.
Others have also warned that Kim Ju Ae’s eventual rise could potentially threaten the continuation of the Kim family dynasty if she marries outside the ruling family and power is eventually passed to her child.
