On Nov. 21, the world was shocked to see Kim Jong-un hand-in-hand with his presumed daughter on his visit to their launch site for nuclear missiles in Pyongyang.

Because North Korean media is heavily censored, not much about Kim’s private life is known to the public. This is the first time Kim’s child  has been acknowledged by the North Korean media. 

“I thought Kim gave birth to only one son,” Yoonseo Kim (12), government and politics student, said. “I remember long ago reading an article about how there was speculation that Kim was going to pass down his regime to his only son, but I guess I was wrong. I was actually confused, but more shocked, when my friend sent me a photo of Kim  and his daughter walking together.” 

BBC suspects the girl with the “long ponytail, dressed in a white coat and black pants” in a series of released photos is Kim Chu-ae. Korean analysts believe that she is one of Kim’s three children, born in 2010, 2013 and 2017 respectively.

“This is a pretty big deal.” Triston Lee (12), senior studying international relations, said. “There must have been an underlying intention as to why Kim decided to reveal his daughter’s identity that day. I think this was to announce to the world that she will play a big role in advancing the country’s nuclear missiles.” 

North Korean expert Michael Madden believes Chu-ae to be between ages 12 and 13, which would make her Kim’s eldest child. He, like Taejoo, believes her public appearance could be Kim’s way of “showing that the fourth generation of power succession is going to come through [blood]line.”