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| ▲ An outdoor board at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing displays images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae on Feb. 12, 2026. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ An outdoor board at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing displays images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae on Feb. 12, 2026. (Yonhap) |
NK leader-daughter
N.K. leader's daughter Ju-ae takes center stage with father in photos at Beijing embassy
BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- Kim Ju-ae, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, took center stage with her father in photos displayed on an outdoor board at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing, amid speculation that she is being positioned as his successor.
The embassy's outdoor board, seen by Yonhap News Agency on Friday, was carrying 25 photos of the North Korean leader's activities, including a larger central image juxtaposing Kim with his teenage daughter.
Showing their attendance together at a New Year's performance in Pyongyang, the central image featured a Chinese caption saying that Kim was sending New Year's blessings to the people, without mentioning Ju-ae.
The North Korean Embassy in Beijing has previously displayed images of Kim, sometimes in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, but this is the first time that a photo of him with his daughter has taken center stage.
The other 24 photos also included several images of Ju-ae with the leader, including their attendance at the inauguration of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort area in June last year, and Ju-ae shaking hands with Xi in Beijing on the occasion of a Chinese military parade in September.
The display of these images is notable as Seoul's intelligence agency assessed Thursday that Ju-ae appears to be in the process of being designated as Kim's successor.
"Kim Ju-ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun," a lawmaker said the previous day, citing information from the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
"Signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies," the lawmaker also said.
North Korea has, however, not confirmed the daughter's name or her official status so far.
It is unclear when the new photos were displayed on the embassy board. When last seen in December, it was carrying only Kim's image.
The embassy has typically replaced the photos on the board two or three times a year, often featuring Kim's meetings with Xi to highlight the friendship between the two nations.
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