Kim Ju-ae, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, recently test-fired a new sniper rifle, an event that underscores her growing public profile and potential role in the country's future leadership. This live-fire exercise followed a ceremony where Kim Jong-un and Ju-ae presented sniper rifles to key party officials and senior military officers.

The presentation took place on 27/2 at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, following the party's 9th congress. During the ceremony, Kim Jong-un praised the recipients, stating, "Comrades, you have fulfilled the historic duties and responsibilities entrusted by the party, the revolution, the country, and the people over the past five years." He described the sniper rifle, developed and produced by the Defense Science Institute, as a "truly superior weapon."

Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae present rifles to officials and officers at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on 27/2. Photo: KCNA

Among the officials receiving a rifle was Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister. Following the presentation, Kim Jong-un, his daughter, and the officials participated in a live-fire drill at a training ground.

State media images showed Kim Ju-ae, dressed in a leather jacket, firing a sniper rifle and holding binoculars to observe the target while Kim Jong-un also fired. Another photo captured Kim Ju-ae standing between her father and rows of armed officials.

Kim Ju-ae test-fires a sniper rifle at a training ground. Photo: KCNA

Yang Mu-jin, an emeritus professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, South Korea, suggested that North Korea implicitly signals Ju-ae's succession training by highlighting her rifle skills. Ju-ae, believed to be born in 2012, is the second daughter of the North Korean leader, according to South Korean intelligence. Her public debut occurred in 11/2022 when she accompanied her father to an intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

Kim Jong-un and his daughter pose with officials who received rifles. Photo: KCNA

She has long been considered a potential successor, a perception strengthened by her recent public appearances. Earlier this month, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that Ju-ae is being groomed for succession.

Images released by North Korean media on 26/2 showed Kim Ju-ae wearing a black leather jacket, similar to her father's, while observing a large military parade for the party congress. Analyst Lim Eul-chul noted that these leather jackets, a familiar attire for Kim Jong-un at important events, are more than a fashion choice. Lim explained, "In North Korea's political symbolism, that style carries special meaning. It connects to the leader's image as the ultimate guarantor of national security and future prosperity. Therefore, it is hard to view it as a coincidence that this symbolic attire is worn by Kim's daughter."

Huyen Le (According to Rodong Sinmun, NK News, Chosun)