Kim Ju Ae: North Korea leader Kim Jong Un chooses daughter as heir, Seoul says
www.bbc.com
South Korea's spy agency says Ki Ju Ae's prominent public presence indicates she is the chosen heir.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected his daughter as his heir, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday.

Kim Ju Ae - who is believed to be 13 - has in recent months been pictured beside her father in high-profile events like a visit to Beijing in September, her first known trip abroad.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it took a “range of circumstances” into account including her increasingly prominent public presence at official events" in making this assessment.

  • red_green_black@slrpnk.netEnglish
    191·
    9 hours ago

    Kim isn’t in the best of shape but he isn’t at Donald Trump levels of poor health. As for naming his daughter the heir to the throne it could be she is the only legitimate child he has. In terms of male relatives the only one of the Kim family that is not as old or older than him (and not dead) is Kim Han Sol, and if anyone is paying attention it’s obvious why he isn’t getting the throne

    • Ugandan Airways@lemmy.zipEnglish
      17·
      9 hours ago

      He’s almost 40 years younger than Trump, so I don’t think it’s comparable. I’m the same age as Kim and I know no one who is in as bad as shape as him (maybe one or two co-workers who are morbidly obese). There is nothing healthy about being 5’3” and 275 lbs.

      • red_green_black@slrpnk.netEnglish
        71·
        9 hours ago

        Yes but it’s not “dude is going to croak any day now.”

        Even more so as his status and position gives him access to the best medical care

        • Ugandan Airways@lemmy.zipEnglish
          9·
          9 hours ago

          I don’t know. Heart attacks are a real thing. Your 40s get weird with health stuff. I agree that I don’t think he is going to croak any day now, but it does seem like they are preparing for him to be gone. His father only lived to 60.

          • red_green_black@slrpnk.netEnglish
            3·
            9 hours ago

            I don’t dispute in having a successor prepared for when the time comes. It’s just that for a monarchy it’s good policy to have an heir ready in the wings, otherwise you get a lovely power struggle.

            In this case it would be between factions of the ruling elite that are die hard cultists and factions that didn’t drink the kool-aid and just want to stay in power.

            Normally a population opposition would also be in the mix but unlike Venezuela and Iran NK seems to have taken care of that