The National Intelligence Service of South Korea has claimed in its latest assessment of the future leadership of North Korea that Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is on the path to being designated as her father’s successor

According to Sputnik, South Korea’s assessment suggests that Kim Ju-ae’s public appearances at official ceremonies, visits to the mausoleums of former leaders, and her presence alongside her father at major political events have led South Korean security analysts to conclude that she may play a key role in the transfer of power.

The intelligence service emphasized that the phrase “in the stage of being designated as successor” indicates progress in her succession trajectory. Previously, she was described as being trained and prepared for potential succession, but the new assessment suggests that the possibility of her succession has become more serious.

The report comes as North Korea does not release official information about its succession process, and the country’s power structure remains highly secretive. Earlier sources also noted that Kim Ju-ae’s presence beside her father at major events has drawn global attention to these speculations. / Tasnim