North Korean leader made a public appearance with his daughter, Ju Ae, during a New Year’s Day visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun—a symbolic site that honors the country’s founding leaders.

Photos from North Korea’s state news agency KCNA depict Ju Ae standing between her parents in the mausoleum’s main hall—a moment analysts note has stoked speculation about her future role in the regime.

Over the past three years, Ju Ae has been featured more often in , fueling speculation from analysts and South Korea’s intelligence agency that she could be positioned as a potential successor to Kim Jong Un.

This appearance aligns with a longstanding North Korean tradition: Kim visits the mausoleum on significant dates and anniversaries to bolster the legitimacy of the nuclear-armed nation’s dynastic legacy.

North Korea has never verified Ju Ae’s age—her exact age is still unknown—but she is thought to be approximately 12 or 13 years old.

After her public introduction in North Korea in 2022, Ju Ae made her first public appearance outside her home country in September, accompanying her father on a —his first trip to China in years—a move analysts said might signal her role as North Korea’s heir-in-waiting.

Ju Ae’s existence was accidentally disclosed over a decade ago by retired NBA player Dennis Rodman in an interview with The Guardian.

During a 2013 visit to Pyongyang, Rodman told reporters he had “held baby Ju Ae” and described Kim Jong Un as a “good dad.”

Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley told Digital in September that putting Ju Ae in the global spotlight at such a young age could have long-term effects.

“She’s being shaped into a role instead of being supported to figure out her individual identity, and that pressure could have a ,” she said. 

Digital’s Emma Bussey and Reuters contributed to this report.