Kim Jong-un could trigger a fierce internal power struggle in North Korea if he were to die or become incapacitated, potentially pitting his teenage daughter against his influential sister Kim Yo Jong, according to reports quoting a former intelligence official.
The North Korean leader represents the third generation of his family to rule the communist state, following his father and grandfather. Recent developments suggest he may be preparing to extend the dynasty into a fourth generation by eventually handing power to his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who is believed to be around 13 years old.
Intelligence Warnings of Possible Power Struggle Between Kim Yo Jong And Kim Ju-ae
However, any succession plan could face challenges from Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, who is widely regarded as the second-most powerful figure in North Korea after her brother and is believed to harbour ambitions of her own.
Rah Jong-yil, a former South Korean ambassador to the United Kingdom and former deputy director of Seoul’s intelligence service, warned that a leadership struggle is a realistic possibility.
“It depends on the timing, but I believe if Kim Yo Jong believed that she had a chance of becoming the top leader then she would take it,” he told The Telegraph.
“For her, there are no reasons to refrain from putting into effect her own political project.”
He also suggested that a confrontation between aunt and niece over succession would likely involve little restraint, given the regime’s past behaviour.
Who Is Kim Yo Jong?
Kim Yo Jong is believed to be in her late 30s and is the only daughter among the five children of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who ruled from 1994 until his death in 2011.
She first drew major public attention during her father’s funeral and quickly consolidated influence within her brother’s administration after he assumed power.
There were also reports that she temporarily filled his role in 2014 during a period of about a month when Kim Jong-un was absent from public view.
Since 2014, she has served as vice director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department. In 2021, she was appointed to North Korea’s top decision-making body, the State Affairs Commission, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
