North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been rumoured to be dead for the past week.

However, South Korea has since dispelled the rumour, saying that Kim is "alive and well", and has been staying at the North Korean port city of Wonsan since April 13.

Who to succeed Kim as the new North Korean leader?

Talk of Kim's death have sparked discussion on his potential successor as well.

His younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, and his uncle, Kim Pyong Il, are said to be the frontrunners for the position.

Sister Kim Yo Jong commands influence among ruling elite

Kim Yo Jong, thought to be four years younger than her brother, who is believed to be 36, wields considerable influence within the North Korean regime.

Said to be her brother's confidante, she accompanied him to both Trump-Kim summits in Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam.

She also represented North Korea in the 2018 Winter Olympics held at Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Kim has also spoken on behalf of the regime, demonstrating her central role in the Kim dynasty, and the confidence her brother has placed in her.

In her first public statement, Kim called South Korea a "frightened dog barking" -- a phrase her brother used on United States President Donald Trump in 2017 -- after Seoul protested against a live-fire military exercise by the North in early March.

She also publicly commented on a letter sent by Trump to the North Korean leader, saying it is a good example of good personal relations between the leaders, but that it is not a good idea to make hasty conclusions or be optimistic about the prospect for bilateral relations.

Potential successor but road to becoming leader is fraught with difficulties

However, while she is likely to emerge as leader in the event of her brother's passing, it is possible other members of the top ruling elite could try to curtail her power, and relegate her to a smaller role akin to a figurehead, Koh Yu Hwan, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University, said.

Experts have also not ruled out a possible scenario where the regime undergoes a power struggle similar to the ones that happened before in the decades under the Kim family's rule.

In addition, taking into account the patriarchal nature of the North Korean society, there is a good chance Kim might not be allowed to replace her brother and take up the position of the country's top ruler.

Leonid Petrov, a North Korea expert at Sydney's International College of Management, told The Guardian that the younger Kim, being a significant stakeholder in the regime's survival, "plays a pivotal role" in the country's domestic and foreign campaigns.

However, he said she will not become more than her brother's most trusted ally due to the Confucian nature of the country, where "seniority and masculinity are respected".

Kim Jong Chul, the older half-brother of the North Korean leader, was even said to be considered "no good" by their father because "he is like a little girl".

Even if she did take up the mantle, her uncle, Kim Pyong Il, might be assigned to her as a political guardian to support her in maintaining the Kim regime, other North Korea watchers opined.

Nevertheless, Lee Sung-Yoon, a North Korea expert at Tufts University, told New York Post that it is not impossible for her to be the next leader as the need to keep power within the family trumps everything, including "any traditions of chauvinism or misogyny" in the isolated regime.

Internet users stan Kim Yo Jong

Perhaps it is the rarity of a female "dictator" that has captured the attention of a certain demographic on the Internet.

A community of Twitter users has become somewhat obsessed with Kim Yo Jong, churning out numerous fan art and fancams to show their support for, or stan, her.

e-excuse Kim Yo Jong-senpai

w-would you mind kicking me in the balls?

🥺
👉👈 pic.twitter.com/wONLgQTob1

— Rev says I love my wife (@Rev_says_desu) April 25, 2020

"Hi, My name is Kim Yo Jong and I'm late for my first day as a dictator"

*𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙈𝙀 𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙎*

===
Patreon:https://t.co/ZQ3xB8khR9

Commission:https://t.co/WxBF3McxPz

#KimYoJong #KimJongUn #Fanart pic.twitter.com/326EqP2yJa

— 𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 | アーデン 🍥 (@ardenlolo) April 26, 2020

https://twitter.com/SearsRowbuck/status/1252965196143853580

Stan Twitter -- Twitter users who edit fancams to show support for their favourite K-pop stars, and to troll others as well -- has also come up with fancams that centre on Kim Yo Jong, using what limited pictures they could find of her from her public appearances.

https://twitter.com/dykeprivilege/status/1254173010774437889

Given the highly secretive nature of the country, it is unlikely to say for certain if Kim will be the next leader of North Korea.

In the meantime, Kim Jo Yong-centred social media posts are here to stay.

https://twitter.com/kevincarrico/status/1254225811323801600?s=12

 Top image via Getty Images