North Korea hasn’t said whether the girl has any siblings. Her age remains a mystery. The world doesn’t even know her name. The important thing is that she’s the “most beloved” daughter of Kim Jong Un.
The young girl, who South Korean authorities believe is named Ju Ae and is about 9 years old, has suddenly been featured in North Korean state media alongside her all-powerful father. She most recently accompanied Kim on a photo op to celebrate the successful launch of the country’s most powerful ballistic missile — prompting “stormy cheers of ‘Hurrah!’” according to a Korean Central News Agency dispatch published Sunday.
Despite all the mystery, the events sent clear signals to both the North Korean public and the wider world: First, that the Kim regime is here to stay. Second, that the ruling family won’t be bargaining away its nuclear arsenal any time soon.
