Kim Jong Un’s potential heir makes public visit to N Korean founder’s tomb

Kim Ju Ae’s first public visit to the Kumsusan Mausoleum added to speculation she may become the next in line.Published On 2 Jan 2026North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Ju Ae, who is widely speculated to be his potential successor, made her first public visit to the Kumsusan Mausoleum in Pyongyang alongside her parents, state media images show.Photographs released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday captured the family paying respects to Ju Ae’s grandfather and great-grandfather, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean state. Analysts say that propaganda surrounding the Kim family’s “Paektu bloodline” has allowed its members to dominate daily life in the isolated country and maintain power for decades.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Demonstrations turn deadly in Iran over rising living costslist 2 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,408list 3 of 4Peru approves emergency overhaul of state oil firm Petroperulist 4 of 4At least 17 dead as heavy rains trigger flash floods in Afghanistanend of listOver the past three years, Ju Ae has appeared more frequently in state media, prompting speculation from analysts and South Korea’s intelligence services that she may be positioned as the country’s fourth-generation leader.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae inspect a training of the Korean People’s Army at an undisclosed location in North Korea [File: KCNA via KNS/AFP]Photographs show Ju Ae accompanying her father, mother Ri Sol Ju, and senior officials on the visit on January 1, standing between her parents in the main hall of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.Ju Ae was first publicly introduced in 2022 when she accompanied her father to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Believed to have been born in the early 2010s, she also took part in this year’s New Year celebrations, and in September made her first public overseas visit, travelling to Beijing with her father.