S. Korea Finds Evidence Of Kim Jong-un's Daughter Being Trained To Become His Successor

North Korea appears to be preparing Kim Jong-un's daughter Kim Ju-ae to the role of the dictator's successor amid concerns about his health, Yonhap News Agency reports citing information from a lawmaker briefed by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).

• Speculation has been rife that Ju-ae was being groomed to become the next North Korean leader after the NIS for the first time recognised her as Kim Jong-un's most likely successor earlier this year amid apparent efforts to boost her public profile. The latest Yonhap piece notes that she is undergoing a special training for the role.
• The appointment of a female autocratic leader would be virtually unprecedented in modern history, but is not unimaginable, with Kim recently seen "expanding women's presence in the political scene," (per the Korea Times), presumably in relation to his succession options.
• Although dynastic successions are rare in non-monarchical autocracies, North Korea experienced two peaceful transfers of power from the father to the son. In addition, familial succession is believed to reduce the odds of a revolt by the heir apparent, while preserving the benefits of signalling regime continuity to the elites.
• While the 10-year old will not become her nation's fourth-generation leader anytime soon, while changes in the chain of succession cannot be ruled out, efforts to portray her as the heir apparent may serve to reassure the elites that that the regime will continue in its current form well beyond Kim Jong-un's life and disincentivise coups.