South Korea trying to learn if Kim Jong Un has a son but daughter's status as heir appears solid

Kim Jong Un and his daugther attend a commissioning ceremony of a destroyer, Kang Kon at a port in Wonsan, North Korea Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s National Intelligence Service says it is trying to determine if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has a son, while the spy agency maintains Kim’s teenage daughter is his likely heir.

The NIS said in a statement Thursday that even if a son exists, he is not in a position to become the successor to Kim, who took the reins of North Korea’s government after the 2011 death of his father.

The NIS reaffirmed its previous assessment that Kim’s daughter, who is reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and around 13, is likely in line to take over leadership of North Korea from her father.

The NIS said it was still attempting to verify whether Kim’s daughter has an elder brother, but under the current circumstance he cannot be his father’s heir even if he exists. The agency said Kim Jong Un also has a younger child whose gender has not been confirmed.

The statement Thursday didn’t elaborate on the NIS assessment about Kim Ju Ae’s solid political status. But it previously cited a comprehensive analysis of her public activities and state protocols provided to her.

The statement was likely a response to a recent media report that South Korean intelligence authorities have determined Kim has no son with his wife Ri Sol Ju.

Since late 2022, Kim’s daughter has accompanied him to numerous high-profile events including missile launches and big military parades. State media said she is her father’s “most beloved” or “respected” child and churned out footage and photos proving their closeness and her rising political standing.

The report of her name is based on an account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Kim Jong Un’s baby daughter during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.

In 2023, a South Korean lawmaker said the NIS informed a legislative committee that Kim Ju Ae had an older brother. But the agency reportedly clarified it was still trying to verify reports that the North Korean leader had a son.

Whether she has an older brother is a key issue in outside discussions about North Korea’s potential succession plans because of its deep-rooted system of patriarchy and male-dominated power. Since its establishment in 1948, all three of North Korea’s leaders have been male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong Un was preceded by his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

Some experts doubt whether elderly top North Korean officials would accept command by a female. They also note Kim Ju Ae’s rise to power could eventually mean the end of her family’s rule if she marries a man from a different family and hands power to their child.

Other experts say Kim Jong Un, 42, is still too young to designate his heir, a move that could diminish his absolute power.

Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press