On September 2, 2025, the world watched as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing, China, not alone but accompanied by his young daughter—believed to be Kim Ju Ae—on what is widely considered his most significant foreign trip in years. The arrival, after a 20-hour journey from Pyongyang aboard the family’s iconic drab green, bulletproof train known as "The Sun," marked not only a diplomatic maneuver for Kim but also the international debut of the girl many speculate could be North Korea’s next leader.
Kim Ju Ae, whose name and age remain officially unconfirmed by North Korean authorities, is believed by South Korean intelligence and various media outlets to be around 12 or 13 years old. Her presence at such a high-profile event has set off a fresh wave of speculation about her role in the secretive regime’s future. According to The Associated Press, since November 2022, Kim Ju Ae has been showcased at a growing number of major public events tied to North Korea’s nuclear-armed military, including missile tests, military parades, and the launch of a naval destroyer in April 2025. Her appearances have even expanded into economic projects and cultural events, such as the opening of a beach resort in June 2025.
The Beijing trip, which placed Kim Jong Un alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, was a show of unity among Washington’s key adversaries. Yet, notably, Kim’s daughter did not appear publicly at the parade itself, even as her father shared the spotlight with global heavyweights. According to The New York Times, this event marked both Kim Jong Un’s and his daughter’s debut on a multilateral diplomatic stage.
Upon arrival at Beijing Railway Station, Kim and his entourage were greeted by senior Chinese officials, including Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as reported by The Washington Post. Directly behind Kim, Ju Ae appeared dressed in a sleek, belted navy blazer and matching trousers, her hair styled in a half-updo secured by a matching bow, and sporting a thin gold wristwatch. The image was striking, reminiscent of her mother Ri Sol Ju’s public appearances, and underscored the careful choreography of her growing public profile.
Little is publicly known about Kim Ju Ae’s life. The assumption of her name is based on a 2013 account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who, after visiting Pyongyang, recounted holding Kim’s baby daughter and speaking with Ri Sol Ju, referring to the child as "Ju Ae." South Korean intelligence believes she was born in 2013 and that Kim Jong Un has at least two other children: an older son and a younger third child whose gender is unknown. North Korean state media, however, have never publicly confirmed these details, referring to her only as "beloved" and "respected."
Her first public appearance came during the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2022, as documented by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). She wore a white coat and red shoes, watching the missile soar and walking hand-in-hand with her father. Since then, she has been photographed at a variety of state events: attending a military parade in February 2023, visiting the country’s aerospace agency in May 2023, watching a warhead missile launch exercise in March 2023, touring a poultry factory in January 2024, and appearing at the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in June 2025. Images of these appearances, though widely circulated, cannot be independently verified due to North Korea’s strict media controls.
The question on many observers’ minds is whether Kim Ju Ae is being groomed as the next leader of North Korea. According to The Associated Press, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) issued a careful assessment in 2024, stating that it views Ju Ae as the likely successor, based on a comprehensive analysis of her public activities and the state protocols afforded to her. However, the agency also noted that various possibilities remain, given Kim Jong Un’s relative youth (41 years old) and good health, as well as the existence of other children.
This possibility is complicated by North Korea’s deeply entrenched male-dominated leadership tradition and Confucian influences. Since its foundation in 1948, North Korea has been ruled exclusively by male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong Un himself inherited power upon his father Kim Jong Il’s death in late 2011, who in turn had succeeded state founder Kim Il Sung in 1994. As of September 2025, North Korean state media have made no direct comments on succession plans or Ju Ae’s potential role.
Experts are divided on what Ju Ae’s public appearances signify. Some, like Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute, told The New York Times that bringing Ju Ae to China was “a strong signal to the world that she is going to be his successor,” emphasizing that she is gaining practical protocol experience for future leadership. Others, like Rachel Minyoung Lee, a North Korea expert at the Stimson Center’s 38 North program, cautioned that this situation is unprecedented: “It’s hard to say because we’ve never had the situation before where they brought out a young Kim. So it is hard to compare … but I don’t know that that’s enough to say that this is part of the succession campaign.” Lee suggested Kim could be giving his daughter exposure to the world stage or simply trying to humanize himself as a leader.
Historically, the Kim family’s use of their armored train for such journeys is laced with symbolism. Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un’s father, was famously afraid of flying and relied exclusively on the train for foreign trips, including a three-week, 12,400-mile round trip to Moscow in 2001. The train, equipped with bulletproof plating, luxury supplies, and even entertainment for the ruling family, has been a fixture in North Korean state propaganda for decades. Kim Jong Un has continued this tradition, using the train for both domestic and international travel, and even holding Politburo meetings aboard its cars, according to The New York Times.
The Beijing military parade itself, hosted by Xi Jinping to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Sino-Japanese War and World War II, was a display of China’s military prowess—featuring hypersonic weapons, nuclear-capable missiles, undersea drones, and thousands of soldiers. More than 20 heads of state attended, including leaders from Russia, Iran, and Cuba, underscoring the event’s geopolitical significance. For Kim Jong Un, the trip was a strategic move to break out of North Korea’s isolation and balance relations between traditional allies Moscow and Beijing.
As the world scrutinizes every move, the presence of Kim Ju Ae on this diplomatic stage has only intensified curiosity about North Korea’s future. While the regime’s succession plans remain shrouded in secrecy, her carefully orchestrated public appearances signal a potential shift in the country’s dynastic politics—one that could have profound implications both inside and outside North Korea’s borders.
For now, observers are left to interpret the symbolism and spectacle, as the next chapter of the Kim dynasty quietly unfolds on the world stage.