Wed Sep 03 02:58:42 UTC 2025: **Headline: Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Makes International Debut, Fuels Succession Speculation**
**Beijing, September 3, 2025** – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his teenage daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae, on her first overseas trip this week, accompanying him to Beijing. Her presence at official events in China has reignited speculation about her potential as the next leader of North Korea.
Kim Ju Ae, estimated to be around 13 years old, was seen with her father as they arrived in Beijing via armored train. Kim Jong Un attended a military parade staged by China to commemorate the end of World War Two in the Pacific.
This is not Kim Ju Ae’s first public appearance; she previously accompanied her father to a missile launch in 2022. However, this is her first foray into the international arena, a move analysts are watching closely.
“She is getting practical protocol experience which should serve her well as North Korea’s next leader or a core elite,” said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at the Stimson Center.
While it is still too early to say definitively if she is being groomed as Kim Jong Un’s successor, the move is significant. Analysts note that Kim Jong Un himself never accompanied his father, Kim Jong Il, on international trips.
South Korean intelligence officials consider Ju Ae to be the most likely successor, despite questions over whether she can ultimately rise to the top of the male-dominated dynasty.
“If this is part of a succession campaign, this would certainly help with that effort as it would be seen as Kim Ju Ae’s debut on the international stage,” said Rachel Minyoung Lee, another researcher with the Stimson Center.
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