Kim Jong Un's daughter Ju Ae in Beijing amid succession speculation

Kim Jong Un brought a young girl believed to be his daughter to Beijing this week, marking what North Korean state media and outside analysts described as her first international public appearance and intensifying speculation that she is being prepared as a future leader. The North Korean leader arrived by armoured train on Tuesday to attend a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II; photographs released by state media showed the girl, commonly identified as Ju Ae and estimated by South Korean intelligence to be about 12 or 13, stepping off the train directly behind him.

Photos from the arrival captured Ju Ae standing close to her father as Chinese officials greeted the North Korean delegation. State broadcasts, however, did not show her seated with leaders on the main parade platform, producing conflicting accounts of how publicly she participated in the Beijing events. Some international images placed her among the wider VVIP presence near Tiananmen Square, while official North Korean footage focused principally on Kim Jong Un.

Ju Ae first surfaced publicly in late 2022, when North Korean media released photos of her attending the...