Beijing’s grand military parade last week, staged to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, was more than just an exercise in historical remembrance. It was a carefully orchestrated demonstration of shifting power in the international system, featuring an unprecedented gathering of three of the world’s most notorious strongmen: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The spectacle of these leaders standing shoulder to shoulder — their first-ever joint appearance — was not only symbolic but strategic. Together, they embodied a growing authoritarian bloc positioning itself in opposition to the United States and the liberal international order it has led since 1945. But the parade also carried a quieter, though perhaps equally significant, subplot: the surprising debut of Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Ju Ae, on the global stage.
Her presence in Beijing, marking her first known trip outside North Korea, strongly suggested that Kim is preparing her for succession — a move both bold and fraught with risks in one of the world’s most patriarchal political systems.
The parade itself was vast and theatrical, a showcase of China’s military might. Xi Jinping used the occasion to project strength, both at home and abroad. The presence of Putin and Kim provided an unmistakable message: that China is not isolated despite Western pressure, and that alternative centers of power are taking shape.
Putin’s attendance was notable given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has left Moscow heavily sanctioned and estranged from Europe. His appearance in Beijing was a calculated show of defiance, signaling that Russia retains powerful friends who will not abandon it.
Kim’s presence, meanwhile, was extraordinary for different reasons. North Korean leaders almost never travel abroad, fearing coups, assassination attempts, or the exposure of their tightly controlled images. For Kim to appear publicly in China — and to bring his daughter — suggests that the event was deemed critical not only for his international positioning but for his dynasty’s long-term survival.
The appearance of Kim Ju Ae stunned observers. She is believed to be around 12 years old, though her exact age has never been confirmed. Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, a rare American visitor to Pyongyang, once described holding her as a baby in 2013. That timeline places her birth somewhere around 2010–2012.
The North Korean regime rarely allows glimpses of its leader’s family. Kim Jong Un himself was largely kept from public view until his late teens, and his own children were long assumed to be hidden entirely from the spotlight. That has changed in recent years as Ju Ae has appeared at several major state events — but her appearance in Beijing was something different altogether: a deliberate international introduction.
Bringing her to such a momentous occasion was a clear signal. It suggests Kim is not merely grooming her behind the scenes but beginning to normalize the idea of her as his eventual successor.
Why Now?
Kim is only 41 years old, a relatively young dictator by historical standards. With access to world-class healthcare and surrounded by layers of security, he could reasonably expect to rule for decades. So why the rush to introduce Ju Ae?
Several factors may explain the timing.
- Health Concerns
Kim is visibly obese and a heavy smoker, both high-risk factors for chronic illness. His father, Kim Jong Il, famously suffered a stroke in 2008, and rumors have swirled for years about Kim’s health. Even if he is not currently ill, he may be acutely aware of the dangers of waiting too long to establish his heir.
- Challenging Succession
Handing power to a woman in North Korea will be historically unprecedented. In a deeply patriarchal, Confucian-influenced culture, female leadership remains marginal. By introducing Ju Ae early, Kim can slowly build her legitimacy and test the loyalty of key elites. Those who balk at the idea may expose themselves, allowing Kim to sideline or neutralize them well before succession becomes imminent.
- Dynastic Continuity
North Korea’s entire political system rests on the mythology of the Kim family. Kim Il Sung founded the state in 1948, and power has passed directly from father to son ever since. The dynasty itself has become North Korea’s only true “institution.” By publicly placing his daughter in the spotlight, Kim reinforces the idea that only the Kim bloodline can rule.
Officially, North Korea still calls itself socialist and retains the symbols of a Marxist-Leninist state. But in practice, ideology has long since taken a back seat to dynastic rule.
Kim Il Sung was not just president; he became “Eternal Leader.” His son, Kim Jong Il, inherited the throne in 1994, and Kim Jong Un did the same in 2011. The system functions less like a revolutionary republic and more like a monarchy — albeit one cloaked in revolutionary language.
Scholars often describe this as “family socialism”: a state ideology that merges collectivist rhetoric with hereditary succession. This peculiar hybrid explains why a teenage girl could plausibly be introduced as the future head of the world’s most repressive regime.
If Ju Ae is indeed the chosen heir, her path will be unusually difficult.
North Korean politics is overwhelmingly male-dominated. The military, the ruling Workers’ Party, and the security apparatus — the three pillars of regime survival — are all led by men. Women rarely rise to prominence unless they are directly connected to the ruling family.
Even in ordinary life, North Korean women face structural discrimination. They are expected to raise children and manage households, while men dominate public roles. Ironically, this has also enabled many women to defect, since their absence from workplaces is less conspicuous.
Against this backdrop, Ju Ae’s candidacy for supreme leadership is radical. Her advantage, however, is dynastic legitimacy. North Koreans have been conditioned for decades to see the Kim family as semi-divine. If her father insists she is the heir, most elites will accept it — though likely not without internal grumbling.
The biggest threat to Ju Ae’s succession may not be patriarchy itself but rival claimants within the family.
Kim Yo Jong: The Sister
Kim’s younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, is already one of the regime’s most powerful figures. She frequently issues blistering statements against South Korea and the United States, cultivating a reputation as a hawkish enforcer. Many analysts believe she could step in as a caretaker leader if Kim were to die suddenly.
Her prominence makes her both a potential ally and a rival to Ju Ae. In a system where legitimacy is tied to proximity to the leader, Kim Yo Jong’s influence could complicate her niece’s rise.
The Mysterious Son
Rumors persist that Kim has a son, possibly around 15 years old. If true, he would be the natural successor in a patriarchal order. Yet the boy has never been seen publicly, raising doubts about his health or political suitability. Unless he emerges soon, Ju Ae may outpace him in visibility and legitimacy.
In North Korea’s opaque system, rivals often disappear quietly — either sidelined or eliminated. The lack of public introduction may already signal that the son is not viable.
The prospect of a female dictator is rare in modern authoritarian regimes. While monarchies have occasionally elevated queens — Catherine the Great in Russia, Elizabeth I in England — contemporary strongman rule has been almost entirely male.
There are exceptions. Indira Gandhi ruled India with near-dictatorial powers during the 1975–1977 Emergency. Isabel Perón briefly inherited Argentina’s presidency in the 1970s. But both cases were short-lived and unstable.
Were Ju Ae to consolidate power and rule for decades, she would be one of history’s very few female autocrats to establish a durable dynasty. That possibility alone makes her introduction a remarkable moment in world politics.
Broader Axis: China, Russia, North Korea
While the intrigue of Ju Ae’s succession caught headlines, the Beijing parade also underscored something larger: the crystallization of an authoritarian alignment.
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China seeks to assert itself as a peer to the United States, challenging Western dominance in Asia.
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Russia, ostracized by Europe, leans on Chinese and Asian support to survive sanctions and isolation.
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North Korea, long treated as a pariah, gains newfound legitimacy by appearing on equal footing with its two giant neighbors.
For Xi Jinping, hosting Putin and Kim was a diplomatic coup. It sent a message to Washington: the U.S. is not the only pole of power, and efforts to isolate authoritarian regimes are failing.
For Putin, the appearance was a reminder that despite battlefield struggles in Ukraine, Russia still commands a seat at the global table — at least in Beijing’s version of it.
For Kim, it was both a personal victory and a dynastic gambit: he not only secured international exposure but introduced his heir in a setting designed to emphasize strength and unity.
The joint appearance of Xi, Putin, and Kim will unsettle policymakers in Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo. It suggests deeper cooperation between three states that each challenge U.S. influence in different arenas.
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Military Implications: North Korea continues to provide munitions to Russia, sustaining its war in Ukraine. China, meanwhile, benefits from the distraction of Western focus on Europe.
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Diplomatic Signaling: By showcasing Ju Ae, Kim indicates that his dynasty intends to endure, complicating hopes that regime collapse might resolve the nuclear issue.
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Ideological Contest: The spectacle underscored a growing divide: authoritarian solidarity on one side, liberal democracies on the other.
The image of Kim Ju Ae in Beijing captured a striking paradox. In one of the world’s most repressive, patriarchal states, a young girl is being positioned as the next supreme leader. Her rise would be unprecedented — both a step forward for female leadership and a chilling reminder of the persistence of dictatorship.
Whether Ju Ae ultimately inherits power remains uncertain. But her father’s decision to put her on display at such a momentous event is not a whim. It reflects long-term planning, an awareness of vulnerabilities, and a determination to preserve dynastic rule at all costs.
The Beijing parade thus symbolized more than just remembrance of a war eight decades past. It offered a glimpse into the future — one where authoritarian leaders tighten ranks, dynasties endure, and the liberal world order faces ever more formidable challengers.
