SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un honored the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War armistice by visiting war memorials and cemeteries, and for the first time, his daughter Ju Ae was at his side during the commemorations, according to state media outlet KCNA.
Kim toured cemeteries, greeted war veterans, and placed flowers at the burial sites of first-generation guerrilla fighters. As is customary, he repeated Pyongyang’s long-standing assertion that North Korea achieved a “great victory” in the 1950-1953 conflict. The Korean War concluded with an armistice agreement, not a formal peace treaty.
State-released photos and video footage showed Ju Ae walking next to her father throughout the visits. She was placed at the center of ceremonial formations and joined Kim in greeting elderly veterans, further raising her public visibility on the world stage.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry confirmed this was Ju Ae’s first time attending the armistice anniversary events and her first visit to either the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery or the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service believes, based on what it calls “credible intelligence,” that Ju Ae has been designated as Kim’s successor — a conclusion shared with lawmakers during briefings held earlier this year.
The assessment is supported by Ju Ae’s growing presence in state media. In March, images were released showing her behind the wheel of a new tank. She had previously been photographed firing a rifle at a shooting range and handling a handgun.
Kim also paid his respects at a cemetery for Chinese volunteer soldiers, visiting the grave of Mao Anying, the son of Mao Zedong, KCNA reported. Analysts view the gesture as a sign of strengthening relations between Pyongyang and Beijing.
