North Korea's Kim Jong Un seen at shooting range with daughter
Kim Jong Un was shown by state media inspecting a munitions factory alongside a girl believed to be his daughter, widely thought to be Kim Ju Ae. The rare appearances have fueled speculation that the North Korea leader may be preparing her as a future successor.
- Asia
- DPA
- Published Date: 09:00 | 12 March 2026
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was shown in state media photos inspecting a munitions factory with a girl believed to be his daughter, who observers suspect he may be grooming as a political successor.
Images published by state news agency KCNA on Thursday showed Kim and the girl, whose age is estimated at about 13, wearing black leather jackets as they examined pistols and tested them at a shooting range during the visit on Wednesday.
KCNA's report did not mention Kim's daughter, referring only to members of the Central Military Commission who accompanied him. Her name and age have never been officially confirmed.
Former US basketball player Dennis Rodman, who met Kim in North Korea in 2013, has said the girl's name is Ju Ae.
She has appeared repeatedly alongside her father since her first public appearance in 2022, often attending inspections or weapons tests.
Photos released by KCNA on Tuesday also showed the pair watching the test of a cruise missile on a television screen. The missile was fired by the North Korean navy from the destroyer Choe Hyon, according to the report. The girl was not mentioned in that report either.