North Korea: Kim Jong Un shows up with daughter

Enlarge image

Daughter meets troops: Kim Jong Un with Kim Ju Ae and his wife Ri Sol-Ju (l.)

Photo: STR/AFP

North Korea's army and its country's nuclear weapons serve as a guarantee of survival for ruler Kim Jong Un internationally.

Now the dictator has once again paid public tribute to his military apparatus on the occasion of its 75th anniversary - and he appeared with his family.

The visit apparently took place on Tuesday, but photos were not published until Wednesday.

Photos showed Kim at a lavish banquet with his daughter Kim Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol-Ju.

According to the AP news agency, it is only the fourth public appearance by Kim Ju Ae, whose age is estimated to be nine or ten years old.

She shook hands with senior military officials at the meeting and also took part in testing an ICBM.

In the state media she was benevolently described as "respected" and "loved".

Kim urged further efforts to strengthen the army, according to state news agency KCNA.

A "double effort" is needed to "strengthen and develop" the armed forces.

The country spends a large part of its budget on the army.

Hacker attacks are also apparently helping Pyongyang to finance its nuclear program.

Family visit probably out of calculation

According to analysts, visiting the troops with his daughter is no coincidence.

According to AP, Kim Jong Un wants to demonstrate with the family appearance that he has no intention of voluntarily giving up his nuclear arsenal or the decades-long rule of his family dynasty.

At the same time, the family appearance fuels speculation as to whether Kim wants to position his daughter as a potential successor at the head of state.

The timing of the banquet with the military, however, could be linked to a massive parade on Wednesday, at which the country could display many of the weapons from its growing nuclear program.

Satellite images have been showing major troop movements and presumed preparations for days.

North Korea, which is largely isolated internationally, has been using its arsenal for decades as a deterrent against arch-enemy USA and neighboring South Korea.

After Kim's public appearance with his family, Seoul also felt compelled to comment.

President Yoon Suk-yeol called for readiness to face a "rapidly changing security situation."

fek/Reuters/AP