The display of affection between Kim Jong Un and his 10-year-old daughter at a massive military parade signals North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme will continue for at least another generation, says Steven Borowiec.
, there was one moment of tenderness. Appearing at a podium in the main square of the capital city, Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un playfully brushed the cheek of his daughter Ju Ae. In response, Ju Ae reached up and clasped the sides of her father’s face. The two locked eyes and smiled in an exchange of affection.
Intelligence agencies believe that Kim has two other children, neither of whom have appeared in state media, which is the outside world’s primary window into how things work in North Korea.Ju Ae made her first appearance last year when she wasas he inspected an intercontinental ballistic missile. Over the decades, North Korean leaders, including Kim’s father and grandfather, have regularly been photographed with children, both their own offspring and in settings like schools. For immediate propaganda purposes, showing Kim standing amid high-powered weapons sharing a tender moment with his daughter underscores his role as a father and protector.
Then there is the bigger question of succession. North Korea is essentially a family-run enterprise, with the only three leaders to have helmed the country throughout its existence having all been members of the same family. It is therefore safe to assume that Kim will lead the country for as long as he is able, and then, barring any unforeseen changes, be succeeded by Ju Ae.
After taking power, he therefore carried out purges of anyone he saw as potentially posing a threat to his rule, burnishing an image for himself as a ruthless leader who demanded obeisance. Most famously, Kim is believed to have had his prominent uncle Jang Song Thaek killed to buttress his own control of state affairs.
Also, Ju Ae’s appearance sends a message to any power brokers secretly planning to challenge Kim’s rule that he clearly intends to keep control in the family and will not tolerate outside attempts to infiltrate the top ranks.KIM HAS NO INTENTION OF GIVING UP HIS NUCLEAR WEAPONS
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