Signals from Pyongyang
Since 2022, Kim Jong-un has made numerous public appearances with his daughter Kim Ju-ae. Military parades, missile tests, strategic visits: it is present in highly symbolic sequences. For Seoul, these images are not trivial. They reflect a desire to to gradually establish its image in North Korean opinion.
Analysis of South Korean services
Thursday, South Korean authorities estimated that Ju Ae would now be considered the most likely heir. This reading is based on the frequency of its appearances and the protocol surrounding it. In an ultra-firm diet like that of North Korea, every detail counts. But no official confirmation has been made. Issued by Pyongyang.
A succession still unclear
The Kim dynasty has ruled the country since 1948, from Kim Il-sung to; Kim Jong-il, then Kim Jong-un. Preparing a fourth generation would be a historic turning point, especially since it would be a woman. There remains a major unknown: the calendar. Kim Jong-un, aged around forty years old (to be confirmed), shows no official sign of withdrawal.
An internal and external message
Beyond of succession, this staging can serve another objective: to consolidate the stability of the estate. of the diet. By displaying continuity dynastic, Pyongyang sends a signal to its elite like at home his adversaries. For now, the scenario remains hypothetical. But the symbols are very real.
