Where is Kim Ju Ae? Kim Jong-un’s daughter absent from key party congress amid succession rumours
Succession rumours swirl as Kim Jong Un’s daughter misses major event
- Kim Jong Un's daughter, Kim Ju Ae, was notably absent from North Korea's key Workers' Party of Korea congress, prolonging uncertainty over the state's succession plans.
- Her non-appearance was significant as South Korea's National Intelligence Service had recently suggested she had entered a “successor-designate stage”.
- Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13, has frequently appeared alongside her father at major military parades and public events since November 2022, fuelling succession speculation.
- The South Korean spy agency, initially sceptical, now views her numerous high-profile appearances as an effort to build a narrative for the country to accept its first female leader.
- The congress, North Korea's most important political gathering, opened with Kim Jong-un declaring a “proud period” for the nation, despite the ongoing ambiguity regarding his successor.
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