photo source, KCNA via Archyde.com
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is known to have one son and two daughters, but specific personal information of the children has never been disclosed.
The children of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have appeared in public for the first time.
On the 19th, North Korea’s state media, Chosun Central News Agency, reported that the previous day under the leadership of Chairman Kim, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwaseongpo-17 type was test-launched into the East Sea from Pyongyang International Airport (Sunan Airport), and he fired He told the president, “I came out personally with my beloved son and Mrs.”
The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, said that Chairman Kim “appeared in person with his beloved son and first lady at the test launch site of a historically important strategic weapon, which is a significant milestone in the strengthening of the DPRK’s nuclear force, and directly guided the entire test launch process.” They released pictures of them observing the launch scene.
In the photo released by North Korean media, Chairman Kim and a girl wearing white padding resembling Ri Sol-ju are holding Chairman Kim’s hand and walking on a missile launch site.
photo source, KCNA via Archyde.com
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, drew a line, saying, “It is excessive imagination to link (the daughter revealed this time) with the succession structure.”
Intention to show off ‘nuclear force’ and ‘Baekdu lineage’?
Experts analyzed that the reason Chairman Kim disclosed his daughter was to show off his power as a ‘Baekdu bloodline’, which means the direct line of Kim Il-sung.
Michael Madden, an expert on North Korea at the Stimson Center, told the BBC that the decision was made not only for external reasons, but also to show North Korean elites how strong the power structure of the Kim family was.
“There has been some sort of conflict between[Chairman Kim]and other elite groups over the past year,” Madden said. Therefore, the reason why the children were put on the official table is to show (to them) that the fourth generation of the Kim family will take place, and to warn them that “if they challenge (power), they will be defeated.”
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, said, “(Chairman Kim’s) accompanying his family is interpreted as an act to show off the Baekdu lineage,” but drew a line, saying, “It is excessive imagination to link this with the succession structure.”
I also saw that Chairman Kim may have an intention to build a human image.
Yang said, “(Chairman Kim) seems to have tried to highlight the image of a leader like an ordinary person with his daughter.” guessed that
Although detailed information regarding Chairman Kim’s children has not been disclosed, it is known that he married Ri Sol-ju in 2009 and has one son and two daughters.
Experts estimate that the daughter’s name, which was revealed this time, is ‘Kim Joo-ae’. This name first became known when American professional basketball player Dennis Rodman visited North Korea in 2013 and said that he met Chairman Kim’s family and hugged their daughter ‘Ju-ae’.
photo source, KCNA via Archyde.com
Jeong Seong-jang, head of the North Korean Studies Center at the Sejong Institute, assessed that North Korea’s launch of the Hwasong-17 was virtually a success.
What is your evaluation of this missile launch?
Experts evaluated that Chairman Kim showed off the improvement of North Korea’s missile launch capability enough to bring his daughter to the launch site.
North Korean media reported that the Hwasong-17 launched this time had a maximum apex altitude of 6040.9 km, flew a distance of 999.2 km for 4135 seconds (seconds, 68.9 minutes), and accurately landed in the planned waters of the East Sea.
The Rodong Sinmun wrote, “Through the test launch results, the reliability of the new important strategic weapon system that will represent our national strategic armed forces and its powerful combat performance as the world’s most powerful strategic weapon have been clearly verified.”
Jeong Seong-jang, director of the North Korean Studies Center at the Sejong Institute, said, “If North Korea fired at a normal angle (30 to 45 degrees) (rather than a high-angle launch method), it is estimated that the range would be more than 15,000 km considering the flight distance, flight time, and landing point. It is analyzed that it can strike the entire mainland,” he said. “If multiple warheads are mounted on the warhead, it can attack Washington DC and New York simultaneously.”
According to the media, Chairman Kim warned, “If the enemy continues to threaten by attracting nuclear strike means, our party and the republican government will resolutely answer nuclear weapons and head-on confrontation.”
Also, North Korean media used the expression ‘intercontinental ballistic missile units’ for the first time.
The Rodong Sinmun reported that Chairman Kim said, “Intercontinental ballistic missile units and all tactical nuclear operation units must be highly vigilant and strengthen training so that they can perfectly carry out their important strategic missions under any circumstances and at any time.” .
Until now, the possibility that there would be an ICBM operation unit under the North Korean Strategic Force has been continuously raised, but it has never been officially mentioned.
The Hwasong-17, first unveiled by North Korea in October 2020, is known to be the largest and longest of the existing ICBMs. It is estimated to be 22 to 24 m long and has a maximum range of 15,000 km.
