The National Intelligence Service delivered a report to the National Assembly saying it assesses that Kim Ju-ae, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has effectively entered the stage of being designated as successor.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) was said to have explained this at a closed full meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee on the 12th. Park Sun-won of the Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Seong-gwon of the People Power Party, the ruling and opposition secretaries of the committee, said in a briefing, "In the past, there was an expression that Kim Ju-ae was 'in successor training,' but today, notably, the term 'stage of being designated as successor' was used."
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that Kim Ju-ae has increased her presence by accompanying major military and symbolic events such as the Air Force Day ceremony and the visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and that indications were detected of her offering opinions on some policies during on-site inspections.
Park said, "Since late last year, Kim Ju-ae's protocol ranking has been highlighted as effectively No. 2," adding, "Taking together the fact that (Kim Ju-ae) is hearing difficulties on site and offering opinions on the execution of policies, and that her role is being actively strengthened, the National Intelligence Service analyzed and judged that this is the stage of being designated as successor."
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it plans to closely check signs related to the succession structure at North Korea's upcoming 9th Party Congress, including whether Kim Ju-ae attends, her level of protocol, the use of symbolic terms and her real name, and any changes to the party charter.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) also mentioned the possibility that the very nature of the 9th Party Congress could be a turning point. As Kim Jong-un marks his 15th year in power, the outlook is that he could shed the shadow of his predecessors, flesh out his vision of a nuclear-armed socialist power led by himself, and set in motion the so-called "Kim Jong-un era 2.0."
As for signs of preparation, blitz-style on-site guidance was cited. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that since December last year, Kim Jong-un has continued on-site activities to conduct final checks on performance by institutional sector about 40 times, and that in Pyongyang, movements of troops and equipment mobilized for a military parade have also been identified.
Regarding the timing of the Party Congress, it said, "Feb. 16 is Kim Jong-un's birthday, so it is highly likely to open after the Lunar New Year holiday," adding, "It could proceed for about a week as an internal event without foreign delegations."
On the agenda of the Party Congress, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) raised the possibility of confirming a "five-year plan for defense capability development" under a "North Korean-style CNI" concept that integrates the operation of nuclear and conventional forces while upgrading nuclear capabilities, and announcing a "new five-year economic development plan."
In addition, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said, "As concrete items, it could formalize a legacy project to build a grand canal linking the East and West seas, and, under a posture of responding by force, send messages to the United States while proclaiming peaceful coexistence and leaving room for dialogue. We see the likelihood of this as high."