North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter fired pistols during an inspection of a light munitions factory, state media photos showed Thursday, as he pushes to modernise conventional forces after years of focus on nuclear weapons.
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited a factory producing pistols and other light arms a day earlier and reviewed a new pistol that recently entered production. After testing the weapon at a shooting range, Kim rated it "excellent," the agency said. During the visit, Kim stressed the importance of factories producing pistols and other light arms to strengthen "the combat efficiency of the army, public security forces and militia forces," according to the state news agency.
While Ju Ae was not mentioned in the KCNA report, photographs released by state media showed her accompanying her father during the inspection. The pair wore matching leather jackets and fired pistols at the factory's indoor range alongside senior officials. Kim's daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, has accompanied her father to a growing number of events, including military displays, factory openings and a September trip to Beijing, where Kim Jong Un held his first summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in six years.
The prominence of Kim's daughter at weapons facilities signals more than simply an inspection tour. Her increasingly prominent public appearances have prompted South Korean intelligence officials and experts to assess that Kim Jong Un is likely grooming her as a future leader to extend the family dynasty into a fourth generation. State media last month showed the girl testing a sniper rifle as Kim presented the weapons to senior officials following a ruling party congress where he issued his major political and military goals for the next five years.
Kim also announced plans to convene a meeting of the party's Central Military Commission next month to review plans for modernising munitions factories and allocating funds to upgrade three key defence production facilities. The announcement underscores a broader strategy to bolster conventional capabilities alongside nuclear development.
The inspection comes as the United States and South Korea conduct their annual Freedom Shield joint military exercise, which Pyongyang routinely condemns as a rehearsal for invasion. Earlier this week, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader, warned the drills could bring "unimaginably terrible consequences." The timing reflects persistent tensions on the Korean peninsula and Pyongyang's sensitivity to regional military activity.
For Australia and its Indo-Pacific partners, North Korea's weapons modernisation efforts and internal succession dynamics carry strategic weight. The regime's push toward modernising conventional forces alongside its nuclear arsenal presents a multi-layered security challenge for the region, particularly for allies including the United States and South Korea.