In their latest joint public appearance, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter rode a tank together, state media photos showed on Friday (March 20, 2026), days after they watched rocket launches and fired pistols.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Mr. Kim oversaw firing and other drills involving tank units and infantry troops on Thursday and called for completing war preparations.

KCNA images showed Mr. Kim and his daughter, both wearing black leather jackets, riding in an olive-green tank with other soldiers during Thursday’s training. The images showed the girl sticking her head out of the tank’s hatch, while Kim sitting on the top of the tank and smiling.

The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, has accompanied her father to a number of high-profile military and other events since late 2022, sparking outside speculation that she is her father’s likely heir. 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.

Last week, they fired pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory and watched a live-fire test of multiple rocket launch systems. Last September, the girl went to Beijing with her father, and during New Years’ Day celebrations she kissed her father 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.

North Korean ‌leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, who is likely ​being prepared as his successor, accompanied her parents on her first public visit to the Kumsusan mausoleum to pay respects to former leaders, state media photos published on Friday (January 2, 2026) showed.

Ms. Kim has been making increasingly prominent appearances in state media over the past three years, fuelling speculation by analysts and South Korea’s intelligence agency that she may be in line ​to be the country’s fourth-generation leader.

Cheong Seong-chang, vice president at ⁠the Sejong Institute think tank, viewed Ms. Kim’s first presence at the Kumsusan palace as her father’s calculated move ahead of the upcoming ruling party Congress at which her succession ​might be formalised.

Mr. Kim was also ⁠accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and senior officials on the visit on January 1, with Ms. Kim between her parents in the main hall of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, state news ‌agency KCNA photographs showed.

Hong Min, an expert on North Korea ‌at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, said North Korea had been portraying an image of Mr. Kim’s “stable family” by ‍showing the wife and the daughter along with Mr. Kim on major events.

Kim Ju Ae, who is believed to have been born in the early 2010s, ‍attended this year’s New Year celebrations, according to state media on Thursday (January 1, 2026). In September, she travelled to Beijing with her father on her first public overseas outing.

Mr. Kim visits Kumsusan to honour his grandfather and state founder, Kim Il Sung, and father Kim Jong Il on key dates and anniversaries in a gesture affirming the dynastic heritage of the nuclear-armed country.

North Korea has never confirmed Kim Ju Ae’s age.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry spokesperson declined to comment on ⁠Ms. Kim’s appearance. An official told reporters the government’s view is it is too early to say she is ​a successor, given her age and she does not hold an official position.

Mr. Hong ⁠said potential roles of Kim’s other children have left room for caution in drawing conclusions about Ms. Kim’s succession.

“It’s practically impossible to publicly designate Kim Ju Ae, who is believed to have just turned 13, as the successor when she’s not even old enough to ⁠join the [Workers’] Party,” Mr. Hong said.