Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?
Kim Ju-ae arrives in Beijing with her father Kim Jong-un on September 2. Image / KCNA
Kim Jong-un has been repeatedly exposing his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, to public events, fueling discourse around leadership succession.
Her appearances go beyond simply showcasing the leader’s child. They serve as a public announcement, both domestically and internationally, of how the regime is preparing for the transfer of power to the next generation.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Kim Ju-ae has been featured in events focused on positive achievements and loyalty mobilizations. This suggests a deliberate attempt to cast her as a symbolic figure sharing in national accomplishments, while imprinting her across North Korean society as the inheritor of loyalty and leadership.
However, given that the country continues to operate under a deeply rooted patriarchal order, some analysts question the likelihood of a female successor. It is therefore important to closely examine the timing and background of Kim Ju-ae’s emergence.
Kim Ju-ae made her first public appearance in November 2022 at the launch site of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Her youthful appearance and the way she held her father’s hand, was immediately reported by North Korean media and drew intense attention from the international community. This was not the first time a child of North Korea’s supreme leader had appeared in public, but her estimated age, around ten years old, sparked even more interest.
Since then, Ju-ae has appeared at military, political, and economic events, gradually establishing an independent presence. While she initially appeared to be simply a child accompanying her father, over time her image shifted to that of a supporting figure.
She was shown standing in front of her mother, Ri Sol-ju, and at times, even appearing more central than Kim Jong-un himself. Her attire also transformed from that of a child to business suits and heels, projecting the image of a mature adult and portraying her as someone directly participating in and contributing to state affairs, rather than just a young girl.
This intent is further supported by the evolution of how she is addressed in state media. Initially referred to as “beloved child,” by 2023 state media began using the plural form of a phrase traditionally reserved for Kim Jong-un—“the great person of guidance”—thereby putting her on equal footing with her father.
More recently, terms evoking Kim Il-sung and reminiscent of the titles used when Kim Jong-un was being positioned as successor—such as “Young General, the Shining Star of Korea”—have been used to elevate her status. These changes in title and presentation clearly indicate that her appearances are part of a calculated political move with succession in mind.
Evidence that Ju-ae is being positioned as a successor can also be found in the nature of the events she attends. She is consistently present at ceremonies that highlight the regime’s achievements or rally loyalty.
According to 38 North, North Korean media have reported 41 public appearances by Ju-ae to date. Notably, she has never appeared at disaster sites. Her presence is strictly limited to events that showcase success and project the regime’s prestige domestically and internationally.
This sends a clear message. The state is crafting her image as a co-inheritor of accomplishments and loyalty, imprinting her in the minds of citizens as the natural successor, while deliberately excluding her from negative contexts. This is a textbook propaganda strategy that North Korea has repeatedly employed with past successions. Leaders have always appeared at sites of success, and all credit was directed to them, reinforcing the narrative of “great leadership.”
While Kim Jong-un has occasionally visited apartment collapse sites or flood sites to craft the image of a compassionate, “people-loving” leader, such a narrative cannot yet be applied to Ju-ae. She is too young. Rather than burdening her with the incongruous image of a nurturing leader carrying the people’s suffering, the regime finds it far more effective to brand her as a “competent next-generation leader” through appearances at successful events.
Thus, her exposure is inevitably limited to events that build legitimacy for power succession and emphasize the continuity of loyalty.
Some question whether Ju-ae can truly be the successor. The skeptics cite rumors that Kim Jong-un has a son. They note that while she did accompany her father during the recent visit to China, she only made a brief appearance and did not engage in any official activities, leading some to argue that speculation about her succession should be tempered. Given that North Korea’s traditional power structure is male-centered, these doubts are not without merit.
However, the cases of Kim Jong-un and that of his father, Kim Jong-il, suggest a different perspective. Kim Jong-il did not make an official appearance in the media until his thirties. Kim Jong-un only began to rise in late 2009, just two years before taking over.
In both cases, no alternative siblings were presented to the public during the succession process. If Kim Jong-un intended to position a son as his successor, there would be no reason to place his daughter at the center of all propaganda and achievements, thereby diluting the successor’s legitimacy.
On the contrary, Kim Ju-ae’s prominent exposure at such a young age may reflect a deliberate and carefully planned strategy by Kim Jong-un to establish a female successor in a male-dominated society.
Had Kim Ju-ae been a son, legitimacy based on gender would have been far more naturally accepted. Because she is a daughter, far more meticulous groundwork is required.
Thus, Kim Jong-un appears to be placing his daughter on achievement-centered stages from an early age to help her build a public record, and over the long term, to accumulate legitimacy as both heir and future leader.
Kim Jong-un’s past actions also support this interpretation. Early in his rule, he ruthlessly executed high-ranking figures such as his uncle Jang Song-thaek and Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Hyon Yong-chol to consolidate his own power. Given this precedent, it is only natural that he would be meticulously preparing the groundwork to securely transfer power to Kim Ju-ae and ensure a smooth succession.
Kim Ju-ae’s recent presence during Kim Jong-un’s visit to China is also notable. On the international stage, her appearance alone serves as a way to stamp her image as a future leader. Domestically, the fact that she attended China’s Victory Day ceremony was sufficient to promote her as a “next-generation leader on the global stage.”
However, her absence from any further appearances suggests that, due to her young age, meaningful roles cannot yet be expected of her. At the same time, it reflects the regime’s effort to carefully manage her image for protection. In short, North Korea ensured it achieved the symbolic success it needed from her appearance, while minimizing unnecessary risk. Her mere presence, rather than any action, was the message.
Ultimately, Kim Jong-un’s calculated gamble raises a fundamental question of whether a female leader can emerge in a patriarchal society like North Korea?
Kim Ju-ae’s repeated appearances and symbolic presentations clearly suggest she is being positioned as a key figure in the succession structure. However, whether this will actually lead to a transfer of real power remains uncertain.
Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University.
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