North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is now considered ‘heavily overweight’ after ballooning to 22 stone and is grooming his teenage daughter as his successor, according to South Korean intelligence.
His daughter, Kim Ju Ae, whose age has not been confirmed, has been seen with her father at a variety of events, fuelling speculation that Kim Jong Un has chosen her as heir apparent to lead a fourth generation of hereditary rule by his family.
MP Lee Seong-kweun said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has judged that she has been chosen as heir.
‘Pyongyang is teaching Kim Ju Ae to be heir apparent, indicating she’s the most likely successor,’ Lee told reporters after the agency briefing.
The NIS also told parliamentarians that Kim Jong Un is now ‘heavily overweight’ at ‘around 140kg’ (22 stone), putting him at ‘high risk of heart-related illness’.
The NIS also told parliamentarians that Kim Jong Un (pictured on July 26) is now ‘heavily overweight’ at ‘around 140kg’ (22 stone), putting him at ‘high risk of heart-related illness’
Kim’s weight gain was visible in photos yesterday as a shot from the side revealed a significant double-chin
The daughter, Kim Ju Ae (left), whose age has not been confirmed, has been seen with her father at a variety of events, fuelling speculation that Kim Jong Un has chosen her as heir apparent to lead a fourth generation of hereditary rule by his family
Kim appeared to be nearly double the size of the officials he met on July 26
Kim, who is widely known to be a cigarette smoker, was said to have shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes in his early 30s, Lee said, quoting the NIS.
North Korea also appears to be adjusting Kim Ju Ae’s level of exposure to the public, monitoring how North Koreans react to her role as potential successor, the NIS told MPs.
More than half of her outings with her father were related to military activity, such as overseeing drills, the agency told lawmakers.
Kim Ju Ae was referred to as a ‘great person of guidance’ – ‘hyangdo’ in Korean – by state media in March, a term typically reserved for top leaders and their successors.
‘Considering the word “hyangdo” was used, which is only reserved for a leader or successor, the NIS is assessing the succession plan is in shape to some extent,’ Park Sun-won, another MP, told reporters.
Kim (pictured earlier this month), who is widely known to be a cigarette smoker, was said to have shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes in his early 30s, Lee said, quoting the NIS
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (pictured yesterday) is now considered ‘heavily overweight’ after ballooning to 22 stone
Kim is pictured above in mid-July as he inspects a shellfish farm in North Korea
Kim sat down on a chair while his generals, most of whom are older than him, stood beside him during an appearance yesterday
When Kim met Vladimir Putin in June (pictured above), he was visibly heavier than the Russian leader
However, the NIS has not ruled out the possibility that another sibling could emerge as a potential alternative in the succession plan, Park said, given that North Korea has not made an official succession announcement.
First introduced to the world in 2022, Kim Ju Ae was once thought to be her father’s second child.
However, Seoul said last year it was ‘unable to confirm for sure’ that a once-suspected older son existed.
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman visited North Korea in 2013 and claimed he’d met a baby daughter of Kim’s called Ju Ae.
