North Korea’s Kim Ju Ae Speculated to be Heir Apparent

Sophia Shum Gagnier

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported on April 7 that it assesses Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as the heir apparent for the Kim dynasty in North Korea. Their statement followed the release of photos and video of Kim Ju Ae at her father’s side, driving military tanks and visiting shooting ranges. The NIS’s conclusion, said to be supported by “credible evidence” rather than circumstantial, follows years-long speculation that she would succeed her father after they made a public appearance together to inspect ballistic missiles.

Kim Ju Ae first made headlines in 2013, when former NBA star Dennis Rodman announced he had met her as an infant and reported her name to Western reporters upon his return from North Korea. Neither her name nor her age has been confirmed by official sources. However, her presence at several high-profile events, including a visit to the Russian embassy in Pyongyang in May 2025 and a visit to China with her father in September of the same year, suggested to many that she is being presented as the next leader of North Korea to allies.

Other figures have also been considered contenders for succession. Rumors have swirled over the years about the potential for Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, to be the next leader. Though Kim Yo Jong has held high office, most recently being appointed General Affairs Department of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea in February, and attended the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, observers of North Korean protocol suggest Kim Jue Ae exhibits hierarchical behaviors indicating the her primacy. Kim Ju Ae is also not the chairman’s only child. The NIS has estimated that Kim Jong Un has three children, including possibly a son who some South Korean politicians have assumed would be preferable as leader over a woman. However, no other child has been publicly named or had their pictures released to the public.

Importantly, if Kim Ju Ae were to be advanced in a similar manner as her father and his father before him, she would soon become more entrenched in the affairs of state. Both Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un held several political and military offices before their ascendance to party chair. At present, there have been some references to her in state media with the title of “acting missile director,” though some analysts cast doubt on the power of this unclear position. It does, however, seem to advance the notion that she is heir apparent to hold even a nominal position in government as a young teenager.

With persistent doubt surrounding the health of Kim Jong Un, fueled by NIS statements regarding his potential risk for heart disease or diabetes, or the recent death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and subsequent inheritance of the Supreme Leader title of his son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, such seemingly dramatic moves to establish a line of succession in North Korea have captured much public attention. Kim Ju Ae’s public presence certainly implies a future for her in leadership roles, though the next steps to creating institutional power have yet to fully play out. With an eye to the future, a greater degree of integration into military and state affairs would provide more concrete grounding for the finding that she is being groomed for leadership, as well as consideration for the potential threat to her perceived legitimacy as both a woman and a young person, and the second child to a family with a first-born son in a deeply patriarchal society – albeit one that has intentionally positioned women in high-profile positions.

South Korea Responds to the U.S.-Iran War

Stephanie Bulega-Nasuna 

The U.S.-Iran war has several economic and political implications for South Korea. The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway that connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. About one-fifth of global energy passes through the waterway, but since February 28 Iran has kept the strait closed.

For South Korea, the  Strait of Hormuz, represents a crucial chokepoint through which 70% of the country’s crude oil imports pass. Currently, 26 remain South Korean-flagged vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf. The South Korean public fears an energy crisis. South Korea does not possess enough indigenous fossil fuel resources, making it the world’s fourth largest importer with a majority originating from the Middle East. The conflict also impacted South Korea’s biggest industry, semiconductors. The government placed 14 semiconductors inputs under heightened monitoring 

President Lee Jae Myung’s administration has taken an active, whole of government approach towards the ripple effects of the U.S.-Iran war. Lee’s approach has included fuel pricing caps, coordinating with International Energy Agency (IEA) to release 22.5 million barrels of crude oil, planned stimulus checks for South Korean citizens, and the government secured 24 million barrels of crude oil from the UAE.  

Domestically, the Lee administration’s proactive response is most likely motivated by the upcoming local elections in June. A poor response to the impact of the war can affect the performance of the Lee’s party in the election. As a result, this would empower the more progressive base of the Democratic Party of Korea who disagreed with Lee’s approach to relations with the United States and Japan. 

Additionally, the U.S.-Iran conflict has created security concerns for U.S.-South Korea's defense posture. The United States  moved 48 THAAD interceptors in South Korea to the Middle East. There are concerns, South Korea is less protected from North Korean missile attacks as the war drags on. Even though U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to pressure Iran, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has made two calls to his counterpart in Iran. Cho during this call praised the ceasefire agreement and called for safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. For Washington to restrain Seoul, President Trump could retaliate with tariffs. Currently, Seoul faces the challenges of high dependence on fossil fuels in an unstable region and the unpredictability of the U.S., a longtime security partner. President Lee Jae Myung has sought to make South Korean foreign policy more independent, today are the perfect conditions especially, as South Korea engages Iran unilaterally. 

This Week in Korean History

On April 11, 1919, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was founded in Shanghai, China. From there, key Korean independence activists including Syngman Rhee and Kim Ku governed in exile until 1932, when Japanese crackdowns in China forced the Provisional Government to move to a series of other Chinese cities. The Provisional Government did not return to the Korean Peninsula until 1945 following Japan’s defeat in World War II.