North Korea has released a rare photograph of leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae firing a rifle at a shooting range, further fuelling speculation that she is being groomed as his eventual successor. The image, published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), shows Ju Ae peering through the scope of a sniper rifle with smoke rising from the barrel, marking another high-profile public appearance that has drawn international attention.
Ju Ae has increasingly appeared alongside her father at key political and military events in recent months, strengthening perceptions that she may be positioned for a future leadership role in the nuclear-armed state. Her latest appearance follows participation in major public outings, including a recent military parade linked to the closing stages of the country’s key party congress. Analysts say the growing visibility of the young figure is unlikely to be coincidental.
According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un presented new sniper rifles to senior party and military officials as a gesture of appreciation and “absolute trust". The report did not specifically mention Ju Ae’s participation but confirmed that the leader later visited a shooting range with officials, where he personally fired the weapon and posed for photographs. The state media coverage appeared designed to highlight military readiness and loyalty within the leadership circle.
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Experts in Seoul have interpreted the imagery as part of a broader narrative-building exercise. Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies, said the photographs underline Ju Ae’s familiarity with weapons and suggest she is receiving symbolic training associated with succession. South Korea’s intelligence agency has also recently indicated that Pyongyang may have begun preparing her for a future leadership role.
In a separate development, KCNA reported that Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, has been appointed to head the ruling party’s general affairs department. Analysts describe the role as highly influential, comparable to a party secretary-general position, and view the move as part of ongoing internal consolidation within the leadership structure.
The Kim family has ruled North Korea for decades under the banner of the so-called Paektu bloodline, with an extensive personality cult reinforcing dynastic continuity. Ju Ae’s increasingly prominent public appearances — particularly in military contexts — are being closely watched by regional observers for clues about the regime’s long-term succession planning.
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