SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his young daughter to a soccer game celebrating the birthday of his late father, state media said Saturday, her latest in a series of public appearances that have triggered debate on whether she鈥檚 being prepped for a future leadership role.
The official Korean Central News Agency said the presence of Kim and his 鈥渂eloved鈥� daughter, known as Kim Ju Ae and believed to be around 10 years old, brought 鈥渏oy and excitement鈥� to Friday鈥檚 ceremonial game between staff members from the Cabinet and the Defense Ministry.
The Defense Ministry team won the match 3-1 and then beat the Cabinet staff again in a tug-of-war event, according to the report, which didn鈥檛 mention any comments made by Kim. The event was to celebrate the birthday of the late Kim Jong Il, the country鈥檚 previous leader and the father of the current ruler.
鈥淭he stadium was filled with joy and excitement of officials of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defense who had the great honor of holding significant sports and cultural events on the spring holiday of February in the presence of Kim Jong Un whom they wanted to see even in their dreams,鈥� the KCNA report said. It said all participants at the event made a 鈥渇irm pledge to serve the people with devotion with renewed courage and in high spirits.鈥�
Photos published by North Korea鈥檚 official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim and his daughter smiling and clapping from the VIP seats, where they sat in the center between senior government and military officials. Kim Yo Jong, Kim鈥檚 sister and one of his top foreign policy officials, was seen sitting in a row behind them.
The event marked the sixth known public appearance of Kim Ju Ae, but the first that wasn鈥檛 overtly related to her father鈥檚 nuclear arms ambitions. She was in November when Kim Jong Un brought her to observe a flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
She also appeared with her father in , Pyongyang, last week, when troops rolled out more than a dozen ICBMs, an unprecedented number that underscored how Kim continues to expand his military capabilities despite limited resources while diplomacy remains stalled.
Prior to the parade, Kim Ju Ae also , where she sat in the seat of honor at a banquet while being flanked by her parents and generals. She also appears alongside her father in several new postal stamps released Friday to mark the November ICBM test, which the North has described as a success.
Analysts say Kim Ju Ae鈥檚 appearances at major events tied to the country's military is her father鈥檚 way of reminding the world he will never voluntarily surrender his nuclear weapons and missiles, which he clearly sees as the strongest guarantee of his survival and the extension of his family鈥檚 dynastic rule. Her prominent exposure in state media could also be aimed at strengthening domestic loyalty to the Kim family and preparing for a future heredity transfer of power.
While North Korean state media鈥檚 lofty descriptions of Kim Ju Ae, who has been called 鈥渂eloved鈥� and 鈥渞espected,鈥� have fueled speculation that she鈥檚 being primed as a future leader, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Youngse during a parliamentary session on Wednesday.
Kwon, Seoul鈥檚 top point man on North Korea, said Kim Jong Un鈥檚 relatively young age 鈥� believed to be 39 鈥� and North Korea鈥檚 male-dominated power hierarchy make it questionable whether Kim Ju Ae is being groomed as his successor.
Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
