Kim Jong Un with his wife and daughter in a photo published by state media on November 19, 2022. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter recently accompanied him on a visit to the site of the test launch of the new Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean media openly ran images of Kim and his daughter strolling about near the missile hand-in-hand. The eyes and ears of the world are now focusing on why North Korea released images of one of Kim’s children for the first time ever.

In regards to this extraordinary event, many North Koreans say that the move is likely a strategy to emphasize Kim’s “love for the next generation” and North Korea’s ability to protect itself, as well as to claim justification for bolstering the country’s defenses. This is to say, Kim used his own child as a means of propaganda to remedy the growing breakdown in people’s loyalty toward his regime. 

What do North Koreans think about the sudden public appearance of Kim’s daughter? After images of her appeared in state media, Daily NK interviewed a high-ranking cadre in Pyongyang and a resident of Yanggang Province.

First, they were surprised by the public appearance of Kim’s daughter in state mdia. In fact, the resident of Yanggang Province said many people were surprised “because it was the first official appearance of the child,” and that the move seemed aimed at “promoting Kim’s humanity by showing that he’s the father of a family and the head of a household.”

The cadre in Pyongyang said that the daughter’s appearance in public is being received positively, and that placing images of her in state media was aimed at “inspiring the people with the actions of the father of the people, who is giving his body and soul for future generations.”

Daily NK (DNK): Kim’s daughter made his first appearance through the newspapers and broadcast media. What do you think the reason was for the sudden appearance?

High-ranking cadre in Pyongyang (A): I think it was to show that the Supreme Leader [Kim Jong Un] is a family man with a daughter. I also think it aimed to show Kim’s will to drive away the dark clouds of war above the heads of our children and open a future of peace without war. In short, Kim is the father of the people and his daughter’s public appearance was aimed at inspiring the people by showing he is dedicating his body and soul to future generations.

Resident of Yanggang Province (B): I think they wanted to show the Supreme Leader’s love for his daughter, and that he’s the father of a family and the head of a household. Perhaps the authorities are trying to promote Kim’s humanity and intimacy to the people. 

DNK: What do North Koreans think about the daughter’s appearance?

A: Some people adore the Supreme Leader as an intimate father of a family, while others don’t. The very next day after it was revealed that the Supreme Leader went to the launch site with his daughter, the Central Committee’s Organization and Guidance Department and Ministry of State Security issued instructions to put a halt to rumors. Since the instructions were issued the very next day after the daughter’s appearance, almost nobody is publicly opening their mouth or saying anything. People are talking quietly, like they were talking about a neighbor who just moved in.

People think that the Supreme Leader, now that he’s a family man and father and who usually takes care of the affairs of state for the whole country, is tightening his belt and diligently making inspections to bequeath to his family’s future and future generations a nation that will never experience war. Within the Workers’ Party, people say the [appearance of the daughter] had a somewhat dramatic effect.

B: Many people wonder since he brought a young daughter to a nuclear missile test launch site. Many people were also surprised because it was the daughter’s first public appearance. Most people who saw her think well of her, saying she’s pretty because she takes after her mother and father, and that she’s lucky to look like her mother. Some people also wonder if the authorities are trying to make people and even children understand the need and rationale for strengthening national defense to protect [the people’s] happiness.

DNK: What was people’s first impression of Kim’s daughter?

A: She’s about as tall as her father, so people thought she must have been eating well since she was little, and that the Supreme Leader’s family lacked for nothing. They also said she looked like her mother and father, but more like her mother.

B: Many people say she looked just like her mother and father. Some people also said since she eats and dresses without wanting for anything, she appears tall and mature for her age.

DNK: Why did Kim bring his daughter and not his son? Do people know that he has a son?

A: Some people know he has a son. However, many people believe he must have a son, even if they don’t actually know for sure. If he had no son, the First Lady [Ri Sol Ju] would not have appeared at a place like the rostrum at military parades. Given the structure of our nation, people think that unless a woman has a son who can continue the line, she is unqualified to be the Mother of Korea. Because [Ri] is treated like the Mother of Korea, they think she must have a son. Because the son will be the successor, they must be closely hiding him. Then he’ll appear when he’s at least in his 20s once he’s reached adulthood. There is no need to show him to the people when he’s a teenager.

However, I think people believe Kim took his daughter along because she’s not leadership material. Since foreign countries already know about her, she can’t go abroad to study, so that’s why they gave her a public appearance. People think the daughter will not become a successor but rather an advisor to the leader like the Supreme Leader’s aunt [Kim Kyong Hui] and a loyal warrior for the Workers’ Party.

B: Rumors have gone around that he has a son, but nobody knows exactly how old he is. If he’s the youngest, he might have been too young to bring along. There is a rumor that if he’s the oldest, he might be studying overseas somewhere and not around, so Kim brought his daughter instead. However, people think since he brought his daughter and not a son, the child [the daughter] is not his successor. Some people also say they will reveal the son next.

DNK: Has there been any ideological education or propaganda regarding the daughter’s appearance?

A: There have been two lectures for leading cadres in the party, government and military regarding the child’s appearance. Mostly, the lectures said, ‘“Even the Great Leader is a father who just wanted to spend a day off with his child. However, he devotes himself to the happiness of countless families in the country and the future of the next generation. The Supreme Leader’s family stays with him on this path, too. It was a historic, deeply impressive image that showed the family of a great man among great men. It was a moment that moved the entire nation.”

B: Nothing has happened so far. 

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