South Korea's NIS says North Korea is building Kim Ju Ae's military leader image
In short
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told a parliamentary audit on 29 October that Kim Jong Un's daughter Ju Ae is further consolidating her designation as successor. The agency said military activities make up 60% of her public appearances and that she was staged as taking part in nuclear and missile work.
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South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on 29 October that Kim Jong Un's daughter Ju Ae is further consolidating her designation as successor and is building a narrative as a military leader, including by staging involvement in practical nuclear and missile work. Yonhap and Newsis carried the statement as breaking news in the afternoon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Chosun Ilbo reported that the NIS gave the assessment at the National Assembly Intelligence Committee audit at its Seoul headquarters, as relayed by the committee's party secretaries, Yoon Kun-young (윤건영) of the Democratic Party and Yu Yeong-ha (유영하) of the People's Power Party. [ 4 ]
According to that report, the NIS analysed Ju Ae's public activities as a time series since her first appearance in 2022 and concluded that her standing as successor is being impressed on the public in stages. It judged this to be a strategy to raise public acceptance gradually. The NIS said military-sector activities account for 60% of her appearances and that she is photographed commemoratively only at military events, which it described as an apparent effort to build a military-leader narrative. [ 4 ]
Yoon said that, asked whether Kim Ju Ae is her real name, the NIS answered that it is. [ 4 ]
Newsis also reported that the NIS said North Korea and the US had not yet found common ground because of differing positions on conditions for dialogue. The NIS was said to be preparing for a possible change in the situation around the APEC summit. On Kim Jong Un's recent visit to Dandong, China, the NIS analysed that he may have conveyed North Korea's thinking on talks with the US to the Chinese leadership. The available Newsis text is cut off after this point. [ 2 ]
A Yonhap photo caption dated 7 September recalled that the Korean Central News Agency reported Kim Jong Un attended a ceremony at Wonsan port for the commissioning of the Kang Gon-ho (강건호), and that his wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Ju Ae accompanied him. According to the caption, Kim stressed the importance of nuclear forces and said an important plan to strengthen naval power would be revealed in eight months. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The report gives South Korea's intelligence agency's assessment of how North Korea presents Kim Jong Un's daughter to its public. The documents also carry the agency's view on stalled North Korea-US talks, but give few details on it.
Key facts
- The NIS reported on 29 October that Kim Ju Ae is further consolidating her designation as successor, according to Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The NIS said her military-sector activities account for 60% of the total and that she is photographed commemoratively only at military events. [ 4 ]
- The NIS said she was staged as being involved in practical work in the nuclear and missile field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The NIS analysed her public activities as a time series since her first appearance in 2022 and judged that they are meant to raise public acceptance gradually. [ 4 ]
- Asked whether Kim Ju Ae is her real name, the NIS answered that it is, according to lawmaker Yoon Kun-young (윤건영). [ 4 ]
- Newsis reported the NIS also said North Korea and the US had not found common ground on conditions for talks. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Kim Jong Un's recent visit to Dandong, China, conveyed North Korea's position on talks with the US. Newsis reported only that the NIS analysed this as a possibility.
- What a Yonhap headline means by work continuing for a fourth month. The available text of that Yonhap report gives only the headline and a short summary, with no detail on it.
- The full NIS assessment of North Korea-US talks and the APEC summit. The Newsis text is cut off after the Dandong point.
- The NIS made the report at the National Assembly Intelligence Committee audit held at its Seoul headquarters, as relayed by the committee's two party secretaries, Yoon Kun-young (윤건영) of the Democratic Party and Yu Yeong-ha (유영하) of the People's Power Party. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes a breaking-news item on the NIS statement about Kim Ju Ae. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes its breaking-news item, with NIS comments on North Korea-US talks. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap publishes a report on the NIS saying Kim Ju Ae is consolidating her successor designation. [ 3 ]
- Chosun Ilbo publishes details of the NIS report to the Intelligence Committee audit. [ 4 ]
- Yonhap publishes an updated roundup of the NIS report. [ 5 ]