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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (5th from L), alongside his daughter, Ju-ae (4th from L), and his wife, Ri Sol-ju (3rd from L), visits the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on Jan. 1, 2026, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) and his daughter, Ju-ae (3rd from L), pose for a photo with soldiers during an inspection of the construction site for the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations in Pyongyang on Jan. 5, 2026, in this image captured from the Korean Central Television the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
N Korea-power succession
N. Korea stresses importance of designating leader's successor in party magazine
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean party magazine stressed the importance of designating the state leader's successor in a publication in March last year, shortly before leader Kim Jong-un's daughter, Ju-ae, resumed public appearances following a brief hiatus.
Amid speculation that Ju-ae is being groomed as Kim's potential successor, the publication has gained attention as it may have been aimed at setting the stage for the ruling family's third hereditary transfer of power.
"Geunroja," which means "workers" in Korean, a magazine published for party officials, raised the "issue of designating a successor to inherit the status and role of the political head and establishing (the designee's) leadership," in the March publication obtained by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.
The magazine, a key party publication intended for ideological indoctrination and policy promotion among officials, described the issue as central to handling the country's leadership succession, although it made no mention of Ju-ae.
Designating a successor in line with the people's respect and trust, and the collective will of the party as well as establishing the successor's leadership while the state head is alive were listed as central to addressing the succession issue.
The magazine also noted the importance of nurturing party and workers' loyalty to the successor, and combating any dissent against the successor's monolithic leadership, referring to the power transition from late leader Kim Jong-il to the current leader and his son, Kim Jong-un.
Kim Jong-il paid attention early on to grooming Kim Jong-un as his successor and made "enormous" efforts to that end, it said, also calling for cooperation from the party and its officials in succession issues.
The March publication came a month before the teenage Ju-ae was seen in North Korean media accompanying her father at an official inspection of a construction site in Pyongyang, resuming her public appearances after remaining out of the public eye for about three months.
On New Year's Day, Ju-ae paid tribute to the late North Korean leaders and her ancestors at the family mausoleum, the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, for the first time alongside her father. Her presence at the mausoleum has rekindled speculation she may be the heir apparent to Kim.
North Korea has yet to publicly designate Kim's successor, instead introducing her as Kim's beloved daughter whenever she has been mentioned in state media.
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