New stamps show Kim, his daughter and a missile

North Korea

Published: 14 Feb. 2023, 17:10

New stamps show Kim, his daughter and a missile

One of the new stamp designs released by Pyongyang's Korea Stamp Corp. on its website Tuesday features North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walking hand in hand with his daughter Kim Ju-ae in front of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile on a mobile launcher. [YONHAP]

North Korea on Tuesday unveiled a new postal stamp series featuring the daughter of the North's leader Kim Jong-un for the first time.

The stamp series, which commemorates the regime’s successful Nov. 18 launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), shows the regime leader and daughter Kim Ju-ae next to each other in five out of eight new stamp designs.

The designs were posted to the website of the North’s Korea Stamp Corp., which said the stamps will be issued beginning Friday.

New designs released by Pyongyang's Korea Stamp Corp. on Tuesday show Kim Ju-ae for the first time on the regime's stamps. [YONHAP]

Kim Ju-ae is believed to be the North Korean leader’s second child, but her prominent appearances in state media, and now postal memorabilia, has fueled speculation that she is being groomed as Kim Jong-un’s successor.

She was also present next to Kim Jong-un in state media photographs of the nighttime military parade that took place in Pyongyang on Feb. 8 to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North’s military, the Korean People’s Army.

Pyongyang’s state media has referred to the younger Kim as his “esteemed” daughter or as his “beloved” or “most beloved” child, in an indication that she may be his favorite offspring.

Seoul’s National Intelligence Agency has previously said that Kim has at least three children, with one elder son born in 2010.

Kim Ju-ae’s existence was first disclosed by former NBA star Dennis Rodman following his September 2013 visit to North Korea on an invitation from the North Korean leader.

The former Chicago Bulls forward said he held Kim’s daughter, who was just born, and revealed the baby’s given name was Ju-ae.

In a previous interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily, Hong Min, director of the North Korean Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), said the regime’s decision to publicize the close relationship between Kim Jong-un and his daughter at the Hwasong-17 test launch and subsequent military milestones has a “considerable image-making effect” and also brings the leader closer to the North Korean people.

“It shows they have a weapon that can secure the future of the country,” said Hong, “and presents an image of the head of a family and a leader who is guaranteeing the safety of all North Koreans and their children.”

Appearing with his daughter at the missile launch site also “softens the belligerent military image,” said Hong, and “provides a justification for developing missiles and having nuclear weapons.”

Hong was skeptical that Ju-ae is the heir apparent, noting that North Korea “in general is patriarchal,” and that “despite society changing in many ways, it is still a country where the differences between men and women are very severe.”

But Kim Jong-un’s own path to the regime’s helm suggests there is little guarantee his rumored first-born son would succeed him simply by virtue of order of birth.

The current North Korean leader was named as successor to his father Kim Jong-il in 2008, over his elder half-brothers Kim Jong-nam and Kim Jong-chol.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]