Kim Jong Un's daughter, 13, gets 'missile general director' appointment: South Korean media

Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter has reportedly gotten a name change and a new role, in what is widely believed to be the next stage of her successorship.

Kim Ju Ae, believed to be 13, was previously appointed the heir of the North Korean leader, said a South Korean spy agency on Feb. 12.

According to a subsequent Feb. 22 intelligence report, the younger Kim has now undergone a name change to "Kim Ju Hae" — a step that her father also took in his ascent.

She has apparently also received a new role as "missile general director" in North Korea.

Missile general director

Ju Hae has featured more prominently alongside her father in recent years.

In her new role as missile general director, she receives reports from generals and issues directives, said South Korean intelligence authorities.

Her father reportedly assigned her this role to enable early control over the military.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) also said that they had detected circumstances in which Ju Hae "provides opinions on some policies".

"This is the stage of being designated as a successor," they said, according to Chosun Daily.

Beloved child

Ju Hae is the only known child of Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.

The NIS believes the couple have an older son, but he has not been acknowledged or revealed by North Korea state media.

Ju Hae's existence was officially confirmed in November 2022, with state media referring to her as a "beloved child" while she accompanied her father at a ballistic missile launch.

Her name has never been reported in the state media.

The name "Ju Ae" was first revealed in 2013 by Dennis Rodman, a former NBA player who visited North Korea at Kim Jong Un's invitation.

It means "main love", referring to her father's wish for her to be "a beloved daughter cherished by many", said a former North Korean ambassador who later defected in 2019.

Top image from AFP and KCNA