Repeated appearance of Kim Ju-ae, aged about 10, sparks succession speculation in North Korea
Kim Jong-un’s daughter became the protagonist of the large nighttime military parade the North Korean regime held in Pyongyang on Wednesday night to mark the 75th anniversary of its army’s formation. The repeated appearances of Kim Ju-ae, aged about 10, at public events have sparked speculation about succession in North Korea. The little girl, believed to be the second daughter of the North Korean leader, appeared front and center during the event, in place of her father, as he shook hands with senior officials.
The North Korean state press has been silent about Kim’s children for years. Last November, however, he appeared alongside Ju-ae during a ballistic missile launch. Since then, the girl has participated with her father in various events, most notably on Tuesday at a banquet for the anniversary of the creation of the armed forces.
Analysts have pointed out that she is the equivalent of a North Korean “princess” and that her frequent presence next to the president could indicate that she is his designated successor. Kim Jong-un’s father, Kim Jong-il, chose him as his successor over his older sons because of his physical resemblance.
The streets of what the dictator described as an “ideal socialist city” showcased that country’s latest and greatest nuclear missiles. According to the official news agency KCNA, fireworks were displayed in Kim Il-sung Square, military bands and uniformed soldiers marched in unison.
The leader wore a black coat and felt hat, an outfit worn by his grandfather and founder of the country, Kim Il-sung, and was also accompanied by his wife Ri, according to official photos. On the red carpet, the dictator posed with his family and accompanied by his generals, inspecting the soldiers with bayonets and greeting the troops and missile units as they passed.
The exposed weapons included at least ten Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the most advanced in the country, and vehicles apparently designed to carry solid fuel ICBMs, the specialist website NK News reported. The crowd cheered as a column of the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) appeared in the square, the agency said.
Columns of missiles paraded across the plaza, including a “nuclear tactical unit” demonstrating its “powerful deterrence and counterattack,” according to KCNA. The law demonstrated “the transformative development of the country’s defensive capability and increased nuclear strike capability,” it added.
Analysts said the scale of weapons on display highlighted progress that poses a challenge to the United States. “They have displayed more ICBMs than before during the last parade, in line with Kim Jong-un’s long-standing directive on the mass production of nuclear weapons and delivery systems,” analyst Ankit Panda told AFP.
The expert believed this is a problem for Washington, which was planning a local missile defense system to deal with a “limited” threat from North Korean missiles. “North Korea has already shown that its nuclear forces are far from limited.” Other analysts pointed out that Pyongyang is sending a clear signal by displaying more Hwasong-17 missiles than in the past. “This is North Korea trying to declare itself a full-fledged nuclear power,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Seoul’s Ewha University.
North Korea has held four nightly military parades in recent years, including the one on Wednesday. Pyongyang has vowed to expand and intensify its military exercises in preparation for war, following a year in which it conducted a record number of weapons tests. Kim recently called for an “exponential” increase in the country’s nuclear arsenal, including the mass production of tactical nuclear weapons and the development of counter-nuclear missiles.
Source: La Verdad
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