North Korea has unveiled new postage stamps that feature Kim Jong Un’s ‘beloved daughter’ Kim Ju-ae. According to experts, the unveiling of the stamp is another sign of Kim Ju-ae’s rise in a nuclear-armed nation. For years the local media of North Korea never mentioned Kim’s children. But last year, Kim was pictured with his daughter at the launch of the country’s most powerful ballistic missile.
After that appearance, Kim’s daughter made high-profile appearances and has never been named by Pyongyang. While South Korea’s spy agency believes she is Kim’s second child, named Ju Ae. On Tuesday, a new series of stamps unveil by the state-run Korea Stamp Corporation in remembrance of the November 18 missile launch. While five of the stamps feature Kim and his daughter.
The state corporation describes on its website the unnamed girl as Kim’s daughter in a caption describing the stamps. While the series of stamps will be released on Friday. Some experts describe that the appearance of Kim’s daughter in the high-profile event indicates that she’s been groomed as the next leader of North Korea.
The stamps “look like the official start of Kim Ju Ae’s life as her father’s successor”, An Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, told AFP.
But others said it was still too early to say for sure, given that Kim is still in his 30s and the daughter’s name has never been mentioned officially.
Throughout North Korean history, whenever it officially named the country’s heir apparent, they made sure people knew the name of the person.
It’s still very possible that Ju Ae is just being used for (propaganda)… while Kim’s eldest son is being groomed as a successor behind closed doors.”
Yang Moo-jin-a professor at the University of North Korea told AFP.
