Kim Jong-un appointed his 13-year-old daughter as head of North Korea's nuclear forces.
Kim Jong-un has appointed his 13-year-old daughter, Ju Ae, to head North Korea's missile program, according to the South Korean newspaper The Chosun Daily, citing government sources familiar with intelligence data.
According to an insider, Ju Ae has been given a position similar to that of director of Pyongyang's missile force and now allegedly oversees production related to military projects. Intelligence maintains that, although General Jang Jang-ha formally heads this department, it is the North Korean leader's daughter who receives reports from the military and makes key decisions.
Experts believe the appointment may indicate that Ju Ae is being considered as a potential successor to her father. This opinion is supported by observations: in recent years, she has regularly accompanied Kim Jong Un to public events, including visits to missile testing sites.
Ju Ae is the middle of three children born to Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. The girl's name was first announced in 2013 by American former NBA player Dennis Rodman, who visited North Korea. Little is known about Kim Jong Un's family, but it is believed that the couple's eldest child was born in late 2010 or early 2011, the second in late December 2012, and the third in 2017.
Photo: KCNA (Korean Central News Agency)