The smart people keep saying Kim Jong-un is showing his daughter off to emphasize hereditary power transition:
This undated photo provided on Nov. 27, 2022, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and his daughter, right, walking to a photo session with those involved in the recent launch of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA,” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s disclosure of his daughter in recent public events was likely an attempt to show his people that one of his children would one day inherit his power in what would be the country’s third hereditary power transfer, South Korea’s spy service told lawmakers Thursday.
Kim publicly took his daughter to three events in the past few months: a missile launch site, a photo session with weapons scientists and a touring of a missile facility. State media called her Kim’s “most beloved child,” sparking outside debate over whether she’s being groomed as his heir apparent, though she’s believed to be around 9 or 10 years old.
In a closed-door Parliamentary committee meeting, the National Intelligence Service said it assessed that by taking his daughter to public places, Kim aims to show North Koreans his resolve to hold another round of hereditary power transition, Yoo Sang-bum, one of the lawmakers who attended the private NIS briefing, told reporters.
You can read more at the link, but I think he is showing off his daughter to make him look like a nice family man to rehab his image before any future potential talks.
N.K. leader meets with members of children’s body North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (front) meets representatives of the Korean Children’s Union (KCU) under North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2023, as he joins a group photo session with the members of the North Korean children’s body who have attended the ninth general meeting, in this photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. The KCU, formed in 1946, is a youth organization composed of children aged around 7 to 13. (Yonhap)
Little Kim was recently out with her father Big Kim again:
Photo, released by the Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 27, 2022, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (front, R) with his daughter during a photo session with officials involved in this month’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a second public appearance with his daughter during a photo session with officials involved in this month’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, state media said Sunday.
Photos published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed the daughter, presumed to be Kim’s second child, Ju-ae, dressed in a long black winter coat with a fur collar and with her hair partially tied back, as she walked hand in hand or linking arms with her father.
You can read more at the link, but some of the speculation I have read is that Kim Jong-un is show casing his daughter now to set her up for succession. She is believed to be 10 years old so I find it hard to believe she is being set up for succession at that age.
I think it is more likely that Kim is using his daughter to soften his image in preparation for any future negotiations. His sister has long been playing the bad cop with bombastic language and threats while Kim Jong-un is the good cop where he speaks more measured and is mostly smiling in photo ops.
N.K. leader revisits Mangyongdae school This photo, released by the Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 17, 2022, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) inspecting a cafeteria during a visit to the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in Pyongyang the previous day. Kim also visited the school on Oct. 12 to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary. (Yonhap)
New 100-minute KJU propaganda documentary on KCTV Sunday, titled "The People's Father." Another one about "fatherly care" for the people re: policies on home construction, food, consumer goods, COVID etc. Not too exciting but some tidbits. First, tshirt touchin a plant on a train pic.twitter.com/sHi0EadnWL
N.K. leader revisits Mangyongdae school This photo, released by the Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 17, 2022, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (2nd from L) inspecting a pistol live-firing demonstration by students during a visit to the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in Pyongyang the previous day. Kim also visited the school on Oct. 12 to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary. (Yonhap)
Kim Jong-un is not happy that the South Korean military under President Yoon Suk-yeol is taking measures to improve defense readiness:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned that South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol government and its “military gangsters” will face annihilation should it make any “dangerous attempt” like a preemptive strike, according to Pyongyang’s state media Thursday.
Kim issued the strongly worded, direct warning against the South’s conservative administration, coupled with biting criticism of the United States, in his speech the previous day marking the 69th anniversary of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War. Pyongyang calls the anniversary “Victory Day” and commemorates it in a celebratory mood.
Kim mentioned South Korea’s president by name three times in the address and branded its military as gangsters, citing its stated strategy to counter the North’s nuclear and missile threats through the reinforcement of the so-called three-pillar system, including the Kill Chain preemptive strike capabilities.
“Such a dangerous attempt would be punished immediately by powerful forces, and the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and his military would be wiped out,” he said, appearing in public for the first time in 19 days along with his wife Ri Sol-ju for the Pyongyang ceremony.
You can read more at the link, but it is ironic that Kim is calling Yoon a gangster when the North Korean regime has long been called the Sopranos State.
It seems to me that Kim Jong-un is setting conditions to justify a nuclear test:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for stronger “self-defense” measures to tackle “very serious” security challenges as he presided over a key ruling party session earlier this week, Pyongyang’s state media reported Saturday.
But there was no specific message issued from the fifth enlarged plenary meeting of the party’s eighth Central Committee with regard to the possibility of the secretive regime carrying out another nuclear test.
The North stopped short of delivering new major messages toward the United States or South Korea through the three-day high-profile session that ended Friday.