SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has driven a tank during army training supervised by her father, the pair’s latest joint public appearance fueling outside speculation that the girl is groomed as Kim’s heir.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that Kim oversaw an offensive tactical drill involving tank units and infantry troops a day earlier and called for completing war preparations.
Video and images released by state media showed Kim’s daughter sticking her head out of the driver’s hatch of a moving, olive green tank while her smiling father sat on top with three soldiers.
Observers say the girl’s position clearly showed she was driving the armored vehicle, her first such activity. But they note modern tanks are not technically complicated to pilot, especially while moving slowly for a brief time.
“She only drove straight at a low speed. It’s also easy to drive modern tanks, and I think it was easier for her to drive as she was on a flat ground,” said Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea.
The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13, has accompanied her father to a number of high-profile military and other events since late 2022. North Korean state media has called her Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child and published footage and photos indicating the two’s closeness.
They recently fired pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory and watched a live-fire test of multiple rocket launch systems. In September, the girl went to Beijing with her father. During New Years’ Day celebrations she kissed him on the cheek.
South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as his heir. Some experts disagree with that assessment, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the extremely male-dominated nature of North Korea’s power hierarchy.
The North Korean training, meanwhile, came as the U.S. and South Korea were engaged in their annual military exercises that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. The U.S. and South Korea wrapped up their 11-day computer-simulated command post exercise on Thursday, but they are still continuing field training.