Kim Jong-un Biography Flash a weekly Biography.
Kim Jong-un has spent the past few days doing what he does best: tightening his grip at home while quietly reshaping his image abroad. North Korean state media and outlets that monitor the regime report a flurry of tightly choreographed activity centered on three big themes: succession, survival, and status.
According to North Korea’s New Year coverage carried by KCNA and summarized by outlets like NK News and El País, Kim marked the start of the year with highly symbolic appearances alongside his teenage daughter, Kim Ju-ae, including a New Year’s visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum of his father and grandfather. El País notes that this is the first time Ju-ae has been shown paying tribute at this sacred dynastic site, standing literally between her father and mother in photos, which many experts see as a deliberate visual of the next generation of the Kim dynasty. Analysts at the Sejong Institute told South Korean media that Kim may be preparing to give her an official title at the upcoming Workers’ Party congress, though that remains speculative.
The succession drumbeat grew louder this week. Korea JoongAng Daily reports that a Workers’ Party theoretical journal has openly emphasized the need to cultivate a “successor,” drawing direct parallels to how Kim Jong-il groomed Kim Jong-un himself. That article, though published last year, is now being read in Seoul as fresh evidence that Ju-ae’s rising profile is not accidental but part of a long-term plan. Anadolu Agency and other outlets likewise highlight how this state-backed discussion of succession is unusually explicit by North Korean standards, even if Pyongyang has not confirmed any heir.
On the domestic front, Kim’s New Year address, as analyzed by NK Insider and Chatham House, pointedly avoided mentioning the United States or South Korea, a major break from his earlier, threat-laced speeches. Instead, he hammered themes of patriotism, loyalty, economic development, and solidarity amid sanctions and shortages. NK Insider reports that new propaganda materials now refer to the country as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea,” a branding move that may bolster his cult of personality but, according to defectors quoted by that outlet, risks backlash among a population already burdened by food and energy crises.
State media also continue to show Kim on the move: NK News and 38 North describe him inspecting key economic and showcase projects, including a massive greenhouse complex near the Chinese border and other construction sites, reinforcing his curated image as hands-on economic manager rather than just missile-obsessed strongman. USNI News recently noted his oversight of late-December cruise missile drills, reminding the world that the nuclear and missile program remains very much alive, even if this week’s messaging is more about rebuilding than saber-rattling.
There is little verified reporting of Kim’s personal social media footprint; instead, his image is propagated entirely through state outlets and then amplified globally by independent and government-linked watchers. Any rumors about his health, secret trips, or behind-the-scenes purges in the past few days are just that: rumor. The hard facts point to a leader carefully staging his daughter’s ascent, shoring up domestic loyalty under severe strain, and betting that a tighter alliance with Russia and a lower public profile vis-à-vis Washington will give him more room to maneuver in 2026 and beyond.
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Jan 25 20263 min