Fri Jan 02 04:42:59 UTC 2026: North Korean Leader’s Daughter Appears at Mausoleum, Fueling Succession Speculation
SEOUL – January 2, 2026 – Kim Ju Ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, made a prominent public appearance at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on January 1, 2026, accompanying her parents in paying respects to former leaders. This marked her first visit to the mausoleum, further intensifying speculation that she is being groomed as her father’s successor.
Photos released by state media show Ms. Kim alongside her parents, Kim Jong Un and Ri Sol Ju, in the main hall of the palace, which houses the remains of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. This visit follows a series of increasingly high-profile appearances by Ms. Kim over the past three years, prompting analysts and South Korean intelligence to suggest she may be the heir apparent.
Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute believes the Kumsusan Palace visit is a deliberate move by Kim Jong Un ahead of a forthcoming ruling party Congress, where her succession could be formalized.
Experts at the Korea Institute for National Unification emphasize the image North Korea is projecting of a stable family dynamic, with Kim Ju Ae also attending this year’s New Year’s celebrations and traveling with her father to Beijing in September 2025.
However, South Korea’s Unification Ministry remains cautious, stating that it is too early to definitively conclude that Ms. Kim is the designated successor, given her young age. Some experts also point out that potential roles of Kim’s other children could leave room for caution in drawing conclusions about Ms. Kim’s succession.
Hong Min of Korea Institute for National Unification said: “It’s practically impossible to publicly designate Kim Ju Ae, who is believed to have just turned 13, as the successor when she’s not even old enough to join the [Workers’] Party.”
First Piper 