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| Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaks at a press briefing after he made policy reports to President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ministry's major tasks for 2023, Jan. 27. Yonhap |
Seoul's point man on North Korea said Monday it is "too early" to determine whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recently revealed daughter, Ju-ae, is the country's heir apparent despite her recent high-profile public appearances.
Ju-ae, believed to be around 10 years old, has appeared in public on seven occasions since the North disclosed her for the first time in November, fueling speculation she may be groomed as Kim's successor.
"Even if North Korea begins its succession plan now, the question remains over whether she will be able to lead the North Korean regime that is centered on the military," Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said in an interview with local radio station CBS, noting that the North's society is "much more patriarchal" than that of the South.
Kim has "clearly shown" his intent to hand down his power to the family's fourth hereditary successor though it is a "bit too early" to consider Ju-ae as the successor, the minister added.
Kwon also said he cannot confirm whether Kim has a son, widely believed to be his first child.
Kwon stressed the North could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a normal angle in the future, allowing it to fly with a range capable of striking the mainland United States.
"The North could also test-fire its ICBM with a range of over 13,000 kilometers to crash somewhere in the Pacific Ocean," he said.
Earlier this month, Pyongyang test-fired a Hwasong-15 ICBM at a lofted angle toward the East Sea.
He also pointed out that the North could conduct a seventh nuclear test soon, saying that the reclusive country has "been keeping Tunnel No. 3 and No. 4 at its nuclear test site in Punggye-ri well prepared (for the experiment)." (Yonhap)
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