North Korean leader's teenage daughter drives tank in latest public appearance

SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter drove an army tank with her father sitting behind her in photos from state news agency KCNA on Friday, with analysts suggesting she may be training to succeed him.

Kim's daughter, known as Ju Ae and believed to be around 13 years old, has been making increasingly frequent public appearances with her father in recent months.

In the latest photos, she is seen looking out the driver's hatch with an expression of intent focus and her hair blowing, while her grinning father leans against the turret and three uniformed military officers sit on the hull.

Earlier this month, she was seen at a firing range aiming a rifle, and on a separate occasion was photographed shooting a handgun.

There has been no official confirmation by the North of her name or age.

Kim on Thursday supervised a drill of a new type of tank, which demonstrated superior offensive and defensive capabilities against drones and anti-tank missiles, according to the KCNA report.

Kim has in recent years pursued the modernization of the country's conventional weapons, including tactical missiles, alongside the development of a strategic arsenal that includes long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

-Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Chris Reese and Kevin Buckland/Reuters

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae ride a tank during what North Korean state news agency KCNA reports is an offensive tactical drill involving a new type of tank, at a training base in Pyongyang, North Korea, March 19, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via Reuters