Behind the opaque curtain of the North Korean regime, signs are multiplying: the supreme leader's daughter, Kim Ju Ae, is emerging as the designated successor. A bold gamble in a patriarchal society... but carefully orchestrated.

The Workers' Party congress concluded yesterday in Pyongyang. Unsurprisingly, Kim Jong Un was re-elected as head of the regime. However, the North Korean leader already seems to be preparing for the future: the woman whom the official media now present as his "beloved daughter" could well become the next figure in power.

Thirteen-year-old Kim Ju Ae is the only one of the leader's three alleged children to have appeared in public. In the official narrative, she is now associated with the "morning star," while her father is referred to as the nation's "sun." The message is clear: the light of the dynasty must continue to shine.

A meticulously planned production

In a country where everything is secret (Kim's exact age, her wedding date, or even the number of her children remain unknown), every image broadcast by state media counts. And these images speak volumes.

According to an investigation by Nikkei Asia, artificial intelligence analysis of 14,000 hours of North Korean television shows that Kim Jong Un now appears on screen almost as often as her father. She is omnipresent: military ceremonies, school inaugurations, factory visits—all signs that she is more than just a "princess" of the regime.

The image work of a future leader

Another clue: the carefully calibrated evolution of her style. Gone are the teenage puffer jackets and flat shoes; in their place are structured coats, immaculate outfits, and long hair, a sign of distinction in a country where young women are expected to wear their hair short. Her appearances on her father's arm, walking at his side rather than at a distance, leave little doubt as to the symbolism: an heiress in the making.

State media also frequently broadcast scenes of tenderness between Kim Jong Un and his daughter: knowing glances, kisses, affectionate gestures. In a regime where the leader is revered like a deity, displaying such closeness is a political exercise: humanizing the leader, legitimizing their blood ties, and reinforcing the idea that the only one who has the right to touch him... is his heir.

Prepare the ground... well in advance

At 13, Kim Ju Ae is far removed from wielding real power. But time is working against her father. Kim Jong Un, in his forties and with uncertain health, is said to have learned from the brutal transition he experienced after his own father's death. Preparing a succession, especially a female one, in a patriarchal system requires patience and calculation.

By consolidating his daughter's legitimacy now, Kim seems to want to ensure that, when the time comes, the dynasty will endure.

Two women at the heart of power

The other rising female figure in Pyongyang, Kim Yo Jong, the leader's sister, was promoted at the congress to a position equivalent to a ministerial portfolio. A shrewd strategist, she appears as a "potential regent" tasked with mentoring the young heir in the event of a power vacuum.

In a state shaped by men, Kim Jong Un seems to be placing his bets on two women: his sister for immediate stability, his daughter for the future. A bold gamble, but perhaps the only way for the "sun" of Pyongyang to ensure the survival of his empire beyond his own shadow.