Kim Ju Ae (Kim Jong Un’s daughter)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Kim Ju Ae

• Kim Ju Ae is the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Ri Sol Ju. The North Korean government has released very limited details about her, and both her exact name and birth date remain unconfirmed.

• In 2012, Ri Sol Ju was absent from public view for several months, which was later linked to her pregnancy with Kim Ju Ae. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) estimated in 2023 that Kim Ju Ae was 10 or 11 years old.

  

• Some South Korean lawmakers, citing different sources, suggested she was born in 2013. Reports also claim she may have an older brother born in 2010 and a younger sibling born in 2017, though this remains disputed.

• In 2013, former American basketball player Dennis Rodman visited Pyongyang and mentioned the name “Ju Ae” after reportedly meeting Kim Jong Un’s daughter.

• However, a former South Korean intelligence officer argued Rodman had misunderstood the Korean phrase “jeoae” meaning “that girl”, and claimed her name was actually Un Ju.

• Other defectors have suggested different names, including Ju Ye. In 2022, a North Korean defector claimed her name was written in Hanja as 主愛, while a diplomat who defected in 2023 stated it was 主叡 (Ju Ye).

• On 18 November 2022, Kim Ju Ae made her first public appearance during the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean state media released photographs of her with Kim Jong Un at the launch site.

  

• Soon after, state media referred to her not only as Kim’s ‘beloved‘ or ‘precious‘ daughter but later as his “respected” daughter, a title usually given to highly honoured leaders.

  

• Between November 2022 and February 2023, she appeared at least four more times in public. On 14 February 2023, North Korea released postage stamps showing Kim Ju Ae with her father during the missile launch.

  

• She later joined her father at events including the February 2023 celebration of the Day of the Shining Star, the September 2023 parade for North Korea’s 75th anniversary, and the December 2023 New Year’s Eve festivities in Pyongyang.

• Radio Free Asia reported that North Korea forced citizens with the same name ‘Ju Ae’ to change it in early 2023.

• In 2024, Kim Ju Ae attended the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s 79th anniversary celebration on 10 October.

• On 29 July 2024, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed meeting that she was being trained as her father’s successor.

• Some analysts and former intelligence officials disagreed, saying her age, inexperience, and North Korea’s patriarchal system made succession unlikely.

• In 2025, Kim Ju Ae appeared at several important events, including the April launch of the destroyer Choe Hyon, and the May celebration of Victory Day at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang.

• On 2 September 2025, she accompanied Kim Jong Un to Beijing for China’s military parade marking the 80th anniversary of its victory over Japan in World War II. This was her first official public appearance abroad.

  

• Reports said Kim Ju Ae had been given the title ‘Morning Star of Korea,’ echoing the honorific once used for founder Kim Il Sung.

• Sources said she was homeschooled in Pyongyang, enjoyed swimming and skiing, and impressed her father with strong horseback riding skills.