North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made headlines by bringing his teenage daughter on her first international trip to Beijing, igniting intense speculation about her role as his potential successor in the secretive, nuclear-armed dynasty. The young girl, believed to be Ju Ae based on insights from former NBA star Dennis Rodman—who met her as a baby during a 2013 visit to Pyongyang—stepped off an armored train alongside her father, drawing global attention during China’s massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender.

Experts like Michael Madden from the U.S.-based Stimson Center see Ju Ae, estimated at 13 years old, as the frontrunner to lead North Korea, gaining crucial experience through high-profile events. “She’s receiving practical protocol training, interacting with foreign leaders, a privilege neither Kim Jong Un nor his aunt ever had,” Madden noted. Her public appearances have evolved from missile launches in 2022 to diplomatic engagements, including a recent Russian Embassy visit, suggesting a deliberate succession strategy.

Unlike her grandfather Kim Il Sung, who traveled abroad in the 1950s, or her father Kim Jong Il, who rarely left North Korea, Ju Ae’s Beijing debut marks a historic shift. Rachel Minyoung Lee of the Stimson Center added, “Her expanded role in political and economic events could broaden her influence, especially if state media amplifies her presence.” While North Korea remains tight-lipped about her age and other siblings, South Korean intelligence views her as the likely heir, though her rise in the patriarchal regime remains uncertain.

Also Read: Kim Jong Un Inspects Missile Factory Ahead of China Visit

This international exposure, unprecedented for a Kim family member of her generation, has analysts watching closely. The way North Korean media portrays her during this trip could offer clues about her future, with some suggesting it’s a calculated move to groom her for leadership amid the regime’s opaque succession plans.

Also Read: North Korea’s Kim to Attend Beijing Military Parade