On New Year's Day 2026, Kim Jong-un brought his daughter, believed to be named 'Ju-ae', to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun for the first time, where the bodies of his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il lie in state. By bringing her to this 'sacred site' that symbolizes Kim family rule and the 'Paekdu bloodline', many experts in South Korea and Japan believe it's increasingly likely this daughter will become the fourth-generation hereditary successor. But what do ordinary North Koreans think of 'Kim Ju-ae', who is clearly being repositioned from 'girl' to 'adult'? We spoke with two reporting partners living in northern North Korea. (ISHIMARU Jiro / KANG Ji-won)
◆Rumors of 'genius assisting Kim Jong-un' from her first appearance 4 years ago
The daughter known as 'Ju-ae' first appeared in state media in January 2022, which came as a great surprise to North Korean residents. South Korean authorities estimate she was born in 2013. Her name and age have remained officially undisclosed ever since, and asking about them or discussing why she's being shown publicly has been strictly prohibited as 'spreading rumors'.
At the same time, identical rumors spread across the country: "the daughter is exceptionally bright, a prodigy with an outstanding memory who never forgets anything she sees," and "she's such a genius that despite her young age, she's already assisting Kim Jong-un." ASIAPRESS reporting partners believe "the authorities are deliberately spreading these stories."
Four years after her first appearance, what's changed in terms of information and public perception? We asked Ms. A in Ryanggang Province and Mr. B in North Hamgyong Province.
◆Still, nobody knows the name 'Ju-ae'
Ms. A is a woman in her 30s living in Ryanggang Province.
"Even now, nobody in North Korea knows that child's name or age. Kim Jong-un himself hasn't officially announced her age. People say it's because she's meant to carry on the legacy of previous leaders, but it might just be because Kim Jong-un is still relatively young. Either way, people don't try to find out.
When ASIAPRESS told me that 'South Korean authorities believe her name is Kim Ju-ae,' I asked around, but ordinary people don't know. It's never been mentioned in the 'Lecture Outlines' [the basic educational materials for residents]. Maybe the cadres know.
The cadres say things like 'she assists Marshal Kim Jong-un and is a genius' or 'she's really good with computers'. They're probably deliberately leaking information."
