North Korean palace visit by Kim’s daughter renews succession debate

January 2, 2026byVerified News Online

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State media has released images of the first recorded visit of Kim Ju-ae, the teen daughter of Kim Jong-un, to the country’s most sacred site

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, his wife and their daughter (centre) visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Thursday. Photo: KCNA via Reuters

Park Chan-kyongPublished: 12:45pm, 2 Jan 2026An appearance by the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a sacred palace has renewed scrutiny on whether she is being groomed for succession in the secretive regime.

Kim Ju-ae, believed to be around 13 years old, made her first recorded visit on Thursday to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the holiest site in the country dedicated to its hereditary rule, sparking speculation she could receive an official title at a coming party congress.

While some observers see her prominent positioning in released photographs by state media as a powerful succession signal, others caution that the imagery may just be intended to project stability and family unity.

Ju-ae was accompanied by her parents on New Year’s Day to the palace in Pyongyang, where Kim Jong-un’s late father and grandfather lie in state.

While state media KCNA did not mention her by name, released pictures placed her at the forefront, flanked by her father and mother, Ri Sol-ju.

AdvertisementThis marked the first time Ju-ae – who made her public debut in November 2022 – was shown paying respects at the palace, a site regarded as the ultimate symbol of legitimacy for North Korea, where strict protocol dictates positioning during visits, according to analysts.

“It is remarkable that Ju-ae was placed front and centre at the sanctified palace for the first time, where visitors are arranged strictly according to rank,” Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), told This Week in Asia.

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