Kim Jong Un has been seen accompanied by his daughter on multiple outings. Most recent pictures seem to show Kim Ju Ae driving a battle tank, accompanied by her father, the Supreme Leader and three uniformed officers. Kim Ju Ae’s sudden and increased public presence seems to be indicative of her being groomed to be the heir to her father’s position.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a appearance alongside his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae widely regarded as his presumed heir during a large-scale military exercise, where state media released striking images and footage of the pair riding a new-generation battle tank. pic.twitter.com/rwtWwrTvWn
— NextMinute News (@nextminutenews7) March 20, 2026
Not much is known about Kim Ju Ae. Her name and age, which are believed to be 13, are all speculative. State media refers to her as Kim Jong Un’s “respected” or “most beloved” child. Her name comes to the wider world courtesy of former NBA champion Dennis Rodman, who reportedly held the dictator’s newborn daughter when he visited Pyongyang in 2013.
Speculation suggests that she is likely in her teens, probably 13 years of age in 2026. Her trip abroad came when her father took her to a major gathering of world leaders in China in 2025. She closely resembles her mother.
Kim Ju Ae has been accompanying her father to various high-profile public and military events, which have marked her as the heir apparent to her father’s seat in the North Korean regime. However, there have been rumors that the Supreme Leader, in fact, has an elder son who will take up his father’s position, as is tradition in the country. Kim Ju Ae has often been considered the second child of Kim Jong Un, as his first and third children have never made a public appearance.
Despite rumors of Kim Jon Un having an older son, his 13-year-old daughter is being set to succeed him. https://t.co/q7cSzBbBji
— ABC 33/40 News (@abc3340) February 13, 2026
There are many reasons why it is believed that Ju Ae is accompanying her father to military and public events. It might be a way to soften the Supreme Leader’s image, while also providing a misdirection to those who might wish to harm the legal heir. However, intelligence agencies that suggest that Kim has other children do not know for certainty.
Kim Jong Un won a landslide victory in an election held on 15th March. He received 99.93% of the votes. However, the other votes did not go to a candidate who stood against the Supreme Leader. These were votes that simply did not vote ‘yes’ for the candidacy that the party put forth. North Korea’s state media made the unusual choice of revealing these numbers, acknowledging them publicly for the first time. Kim Jon Un apologised for not receiving 100% of the votes and vowed to strive for it in the next election cycle. A few votes were not cast at all, as a minuscule population from the country works abroad.
