Kim Jong Un is making a surprising move in his diplomatic relations with the rest of the world by showing his teenage daughter her first international appearance at China’s Victory Day military parade that took place in Beijing. Hundreds of onlookers have witnessed that occasion and rapidly started imagination about which one of Kim’s children could be the next successor of the despotic regime of North Korea.
At electric ceremonies when the worker king arrived with his armored train and others when the parade was held, familiarize yourself with the daughter that is probably the youngest of the family – Kim Ju-ae. Yet, the most important thing is that North Korean state media, without publicizing her name or rank, implicitly acknowledge with this attendance the elevation of her position on the international stage.
Within the borders of North Korea, Kim Ju-ae is no stranger to the public eye. She is usually among the leaders present at the drill exercises, the launches of missiles, and the commemorative events with the top officials. This family-oriented display of power seems to be a prelude to a new presidency that both the world and the North Korean people have already grown accustomed to. As a result of her debut in Beijing, the place where this mingling of politics and diplomacy has long been traditionally, now marks the point where she goes beyond domestic symbolism and becomes a player on the world stage.
On a broader level, this release from Kim has several layers of meaning. By showing off his daughter at such an event, which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim was endorsing not only the very close ties between North Korea, Beijing, and Moscow but also the message that he was ready to hand over the baton of power to his family. It was a move that connected his family’s succession narrative with the present global political climate.
Looking from a different angle, this showcase forces us to reconsider our assumptions about a leadership model in a severely patriarchal society. There is still doubt about the possibility that a woman could be the leader of North Korea, but Ju-ae’s conspicuousness in the regime’s familial tradition may even break down such barriers. In this way, Kim seems to be gauging what the reaction is among domestic elites and foreign observers by putting herself at the front.
Introduction of Kim Ju-ae on the world stage provides a telling example of North Korea’s current dual political aims: to follow through with hereditary succession while strengthening strategic ties with China and Russia. The signal to the rest of the world is simple—the Kim line is not only resolute in continuing, but the future of the dynasty might even be already here, standing next to its leader.
