Executive Summary

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s health, and his seeming reluctance to step back from governance, is fueling speculation about regime succession planning. Meanwhile, since 2022, Kim has promoted his tween daughter, Kim Ju Ae. She has occupied a position of prominence at various government events. This enhanced media attention has fueled South Korea’s intelligence community speculation. The intelligence community believes that North Korea is grooming her to take the reins. That said, other experts on North Korean affairs offer several non-succession-related hypotheses. We further note that there are several factors that argue against a succession scenario.

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