Kim Jong-un’s Daughter Drives a Tank as Talk Accelerates Around North Korea Succession
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was filmed teaching his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, believed to be around 13, to drive a battle tank during a military exercise, as shown in state media footage published last month.
- South Korea’s spy agency now believes Kim Ju-ae has been officially chosen to succeed her father, based on credible intelligence shared with South Korean lawmakers.
- The tank video and public appearances seem designed to emphasize Ju-ae’s military competence and reduce skepticism about a female heir, according to South Korean intelligence committee lawmaker Park Sun-won.
- Kim Ju-ae was first publicly identified by Dennis Rodman in 2013 and made her public debut during a 2022 missile test launch; she has since been seen participating in military inspections and handling firearms alongside senior officials.
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