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North Korea - Kim Jong Un successor: propaganda offensive with daughter Kim Ju Ae

2023-02-28T15:58:20.970Z


She could become his successor: North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un is currently showing up with his ten-year-old daughter. What we know about them and how the productions are received by the people.


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She is now very present in the North Korean public: the daughter of the dictator Kim Jong Un.

Most recently in this action last Sunday, which state television presented with a series of stills: A groundbreaking ceremony for an ambitious construction project in Pyongyang.

The daughter pitches in.

However, not much is known about the girl, who is referred to by the state media as "Beloved" or "Respected Child".

Katharina Graça Peters, DER SPIEGEL


»This is a young girl, nine, ten or eleven years old.

And it is believed that she has an older brother and a younger sister.

But you don't know that for sure.

This is information from the South Korean secret service and you can believe it.

But you don't always have to.

We know that they exist from US basketball player Dennis Rodman, who was in North Korea in September 2013 and apparently paid a family visit to the Kim family.

He said that at the time he was holding Kim Jong Un's daughter, and her name was Ju Ae.

So we know that there is a daughter with that name, but we hadn't seen her before."

The name Ju Ae has not yet been confirmed.

However, a rumor is circulating on social media that North Korea's security ministry is asking all girls and women registered with the name "Ju Ae" to change their names.

After all, no one should share the name with the "Beloved Child".

Whether that's true - unclear.

But the practice of changing names is said to have a long tradition in North Korea.

During the regimes of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung, namesakes were also said to have been forced to change first names.

Kim Jong Un has ruled North Korea for more than ten years.

He was 27 years old when his father Kim Jong Il died in December 2011 - and he succeeded him.

He brutally eliminates all competition: The top military officers who are still walking next to his father's coffin later lose their posts - and disappear from the scene.

Kim has his uncle executed.

And he even has his own brother murdered.

Kim Jong Un's succession question became relevant a few years ago when there was speculation about Kim's health condition.

Kim went into hiding and made no public appearances for six weeks.

At the time, there was speculation that his sister Kim Yo Jong might take power.

So now Kim Ju Ae is in focus - and the successor speculation is picking up speed again.

Katharina Graça Peters, DER SPIEGEL

“One reason for this is that North Korea functions like a dynasty or a monarchy.

The power passes from the Kim ruler to his child as well.

So far that was the son.

And now there is speculation as to whether this could be the daughter.

But is it really too early to tell.

And on the other hand, many consider it very questionable that a woman could actually become the successor, because women are really disadvantaged in North Korean society, they really don't have the same rights as men.

And even if Kim Jong Un were even striving for that, then you would have to explain to the people and the elites why suddenly a woman who is actually the lower sex is suddenly at the head of the state.«

The publicly displayed intimate relationship between father and daughter is striking – also rather atypical for North Korea.

Katharina Graça Peters, DER SPIEGEL

»Of course, it could also be that Kim Jong Un is trying to make his family a bit more modern in propaganda, maybe even trying to remind them of European celebrities.

Because if you look at it, for example, she stood on the balcony at a military parade and wore a coat and hat, which reminded me a bit of European royals.

Possibly the attempt to modernize the propaganda, also the attempt to present himself as a kind, caring father.

Because Kim Jong-un, for example, you always see him when he's holding his daughter's hand.

It's quite loving how the two treat each other.

For example, there was a situation when he was walking along the lines of soldiers.

And then he calls his daughter over and they walk hand in hand down the red carpet past these soldiers.

They smile at each other again and again and she also strokes his face.

Perhaps it is an attempt to convey this image to the public of a kind, kind father.«

However, the propaganda to the outside still seems martial: it is defined by deterrence maneuvers.

Kim Jong Un announced in November that he wanted to make his country the "most powerful nuclear power in the world".

Kim presented his daughter to the public for the first time during the recent rocket launch.

Possibly as a sign that it will lead the nuclear and missile program into the next generation.

Internally, it should be more important for propaganda to cover up the country's devastating economic situation.

Kim opened a meeting with representatives of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea this week to discuss strategies for improvement.


This includes the ambitious plan to build 50,000 apartments in the capital.

The appearance with the help of daughter and spade is the latest attempt to continue to sell the Kim dynasty to the people as the only alternative.

Katharina Graça Peters, DER SPIEGEL

“But of course the question is, what do the North Koreans think when this child, who is obviously well fed, wears nice clothes, how does that affect them?

And some people I've talked to assume that that doesn't necessarily have the positive effect that the regime is trying to achieve, but that a lot of people who have children who are malnourished are wondering how they are going to raise their children should feed them and for whom the entire economic basis has collapsed because they can no longer sell anything on the market, so that they look at this production quite bitterly.«

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2023-02-28

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