Kim Jong Un visited the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang with his daughter Ju Ae on the morning of May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II (Victory Day), according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 9th. Yonhap News

The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on the 3rd that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's frequent appearances with his daughter Ju Ae at official events appear to be a concerted effort to signal the existence of a successor.

The newspaper speculated that the background to Kim Jong Un's hurried succession preparations may stem from his own experience of only officially appearing in the media 1 year and 3 months before his father Kim Jong Il's death, as well as concerns about his health.

It also mentioned that rumors about Kim Jong Un's health have been circulating, including illnesses such as diabetes and gout, and quoted a Japanese government official who suggested that Kim Jong Un's occasional choice to wear sandals might be an attempt to alleviate pain caused by gout.

The newspaper further speculated that the position of First Secretary, newly established within the Workers' Party of Korea in 2021, might be a regent role to assist Ju Ae in case Kim Jong Un collapses before she assumes a public office.

Citing a Japanese government official who has been involved in North Korean affairs for a long time, it was stated that "at this point, the only person who can hold the position of First Secretary is Kim Yo Jong, the Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party of Korea."

At the 8th Party Congress held in January 2021, Kim Jong Un revised the Party regulations to establish the First Secretary position as a "deputy to the General Secretary." However, North Korean media have not yet reported who holds this position.

Yonhap News