North Korean leader Kim Jong Un revealed his daughter to the world for the first time on Saturday (November 19) in striking photos showing the pair hand-in-hand inspecting the launch of the nuclear-armed country’s largest ballistic missile the day before.
North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday.
The biggest surprise, however, was the presence of Kim’s daughter, whose existence had never been publicly confirmed before.
KCNA did not name the girl, who is seen in photographs in a white puffy coat holding hands with her father as they look at the massive missile.
Kim is believed to have as many as three children, two girls and a boy, experts said. Some observers believed one of those children was seen in footage of celebrations for a national holiday in September.
In 2013 retired American basketball star Dennis Rodman said Kim had a “baby” daughter named Ju Ae. After a trip to North Korea that year, Rodman told The Guardian newspaper he had spent time with Kim and his family, and held the baby.
Ju Ae is estimated to be about 12-13 years of age which means that in about four to five years she will be preparing to attend university, or go into military service, Madden said.
