At only 12 years old, she is on her way to succeeding the greatest dictator in the world

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In recent months Kim the daughter, who is described in the mass media as “lovely”, “noble” and “respectable”, was photographed next to her father in publicized official events, such as a visit to Beijing in September, ballistic missile tests and military parades.

The father’s choice to place his daughter in the front of the stage is a political earthquake in a 78-year-old patriarchal and conservative dynasty. Placing her in the spotlight – next to her father and not behind him – conveys a clear and distinct message, the exception in the dictatorial landscape: inheritance is not a right granted only to boys. This is despite the fact that, according to various reports, Kim also has a younger son.

NBA player Dennis Rodman revealed it

Other than her age and name, no other details about Kim Joo Ah are known – and even these are not verified. She was first revealed to the world in November 2022, holding her father’s hand while visiting a missile launch site. Until her public appearance, estimates were that the father had a first-born son, but now they are in doubt.

The daughter’s name became known through former NBA player Dennis Rodman, who made an unusual visit to North Korea in 2013 and said he held the couple’s baby. The government never officially confirmed her name, and in NIS there are opinions that her real name is something else.

Her exceptional status is evident not only in her presence at sensitive events, but also in her appearance: while her peers are subject to strict and strict dress code rules, which include many prohibitions, Jo Ah appears in meticulous hairstyles and luxurious designer clothing – which the majority of the country’s population cannot afford.

So Kim Sr. also benefits from the move

It is hard not to wonder what is behind the move right now, and what urges the leader of North Korea to bet on such a young heiress. After all, Kim is only at the beginning of the fifth decade of his life. It seems that placing the daughter in the front of the stage is not just a symbolic step, but a strategic “initiation” move designed to establish her authority among the military elite even during her father’s lifetime.

“The daughter’s initiation did indeed begin early compared to her father, who was exposed to the public around the age of 20, but the process is customary in North Korea,” explains Dr. Alon Lebkowitz, head of the Asian Studies Department and the multidisciplinary Department of Humanities and an expert on North Korea. This is how they gradually build their legitimacy internally and externally – as a figure who will lead the country after his death.”

In addition, Dr. Lebkowitz explains, putting the daughter in the frame also serves Kim Jong Un’s image. “Her exteriority is here to convey the message: ‘I am a good and loving father. Everything they try to make about me as cruel is not true. Also, this is a move that strengthens his image as the father of the nation. The goal is to be perceived as his grandfather and father were perceived – everyone’s father.”

Since Kim Joo Ah’s revelation, many questions have also been raised about the health of the leader. “We don’t know if he has health problems, but the fact that he invests so much energy in his daughter at such an early stage does raise questions. However, over the years he has been eulogized several times, so it’s hard to really know.”

Bottom line, Kim Joo Ah’s regular presence at sensitive events, alongside reports of a developing cult of personality that includes a demand from women who bear her name to change it, indicate that this is not a fleeting PR gimmick, but a calculated strategic choice.