Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought a child believed to be his daughter to a lavish banquet at a military barracks on Tuesday.
A nine-year-old girl, believed to be Kim Jong-un’s second child, and her father attended a barracks visit and dinner to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the country, along with his wife, Ri Sol-ju. The Korean People’s Army (KPA) state media reported Wednesday.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that meeting Kim and “his esteemed” daughter was a dream come true for military personnel at the dinner party.
Photos released by the state-run Rodong Sinmun show a girl walking next to Kim and her mother as they enter a banquet as military officers applaud. .
At the banquet, the girl sat in the center of the lead table between Kim and her mother.
In a country where the Kim family and military are all powerful, having a girl attend such an important event sends a clear signal, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
“By showing off his wife and daughter, Kim Jong Un wants observers at home and abroad to see the irreversible link between his family’s dynasty and the North Korean military,” he said. said.
Other observers said it was clear that Kim had chosen a successor, confirming speculation that began with the girl’s appearance at an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test-launch with her father in November.
South Korean lawmaker and National Intelligence Service secretary Yoo Sang-beom said after the launch that the girl was believed to be Joo-ae.
There was an image of the two walking hand-in-hand while inspecting a giant missile, which state media called Kim’s “beloved” daughter.
North Korean state media later that month published an article with a photo of Kim Jong-un and his daughter, describing her as the “most beloved” child, said a senior analyst at South Korea’s Sejong Institute. A Chung Sung-chan said:
“Given these factors, there is no longer any doubt that Kim Ju-ae has been appointed as Kim Jong-un’s successor, and we will be paying close attention to what impact this will have on North Korea’s domestic and foreign policies in the medium to long term.” term, and how the North Koreans will accept the fourth-generation inheritance,” Jeong said.
The Kim family’s rule in North Korea dates back to 1948, when Kim Il Sung came to power in the aftermath of World War II.
When he died in 1994, his son Kim Jong Il ruled the country. In December 2011, Kim Jong-un took power following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il.
There are no signs that Kim Jong-un will take over leadership anytime soon.
The Kim regime has hosted such banquets for the military before, but photos of Tuesday’s event depicted a more glitzy setting than seen so far.
“Kim’s extravagant banquet commemorating the military is meant to show that officers are highly respected in society and that soldiers are well supported by the state,” Easley said. .
KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un made a speech at a banquet where the North Korean leader praised and encouraged the military without making any remarks about the United States or South Korea.
Tuesday’s banquet came a day before what many experts predicted would be the largest military parade in North Korea’s history.
North Korea is ending a record year of missile tests, and analysts expect to see examples of those missiles and more during events expected to begin late Wednesday night.
