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At the Sejong Institute's 10th Colloquium of June 11th, 2024, Seong Chang Cheong, Director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy presented “North Korea's Succession Issues and assessing Kim Jong-un's Stature”
The Colloquium was moderated by Jungsup Kim, Vice President of the Sejong Institute.
In the discussions about Kim Jong-un's daughter, Kim Ju-ae, and her current status, the question "Is she the heir?" is an open question. It is a question for the far future, and the concern should be whether Kim Ju-ae is being 'groomed' as the successor and receiving relevant training for the succession. In our society, the lack of a strict distinction between the "designation" and the "formalization" of North Korea's successor and the sometimes equating of the two phrases has caused great confusion.
As North Korea's succession system is not something that can be done all at once, it is necessary to examine the succession process in three stages: 'internalization and succession lessons' → 'internal formalization' → 'external formalization'. Kim Ju-ae is currently basically in the 'internalization and succession training' stage but also shows some characteristics of the 'internalization' and 'externalization' stages.
Kim Ju-ae does not currently hold an official title or authority, but she is given the status and protocol of being next in line to Kim Jong-un. Given Kim Ju-ae's succession lessons are mostly about the military sector, it is possible that North Korea could become more belligerent in the future after she ascends to power.