Kim Jong Un Makes Rare Appearance with Wife and 'Respected' Middle Child, but His Other Rumored Kids Have Never Been Seen

Kim Jong Un made a uncommon nationalist quality pinch members of his family this week, according to a study by North Korean authorities media that cannot beryllium independently verified.

On June 24, nan North Korean dictator, his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and their daughter, Kim Ju Ae, appeared successful Wonsan, connected nan southeastern seashore of nan country, to observe nan opening of nan Wonsan Kalma coastal tourer area.

The trio was photographed waving to nan cheering crowds and surveying nan sprawling tourer area, which includes h2o features for illustration surf pools and h2o slides.

Ju Ae is believed to beryllium astir 12 years old, and is nan only 1 of Kim's children to ever look pinch him successful public. The leader and his woman are besides thought to beryllium parents to a boy who is astir 15 and a girl who is astir 8, but neither nan oldest nor youngest kid has ever been seen.

The father-daughter duo made their first nationalist appearances together successful 2022, pinch nan Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) referring to Ju Ae arsenic Kim's "beloved" daughter. Further references to her arsenic his "precious" and, much recently, "respected" child sparked speculation that she is being positioned arsenic her father's successor.

At nan time, Ankit Panda, an master pinch nan Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, echoed those thoughts to CBS News, saying, "State media underscoring her father's emotion for her further underscores this."

Panda added, "Both of her first nationalist appearances person been successful nan discourse of strategical atomic weapons — nan crown jewels of North Korea's nationalist defense capabilities. That doesn't onslaught maine arsenic coincidental."

The Wonsan tourer area is nan latest effort by Kim to boost tourism to his reclusive country. Due to sanctions connected North Korea complete its weapons program, overseas tourism is 1 of nan only viable sources of gross presently disposable to nan country. However, North Korean media has reported only that nan tourer area will beryllium opened to home guests opening connected July 1.

The state closed its borders astatine nan commencement of nan COVID-19 pandemic successful 2020, however, it has begun to slow assistance restrictions complete nan past fewer months.

The Wonsan Kalma edifice is said to beryllium ample capable to clasp 20,000 visitors, and will characteristic aggregate hotels, and opportunities to dine and shop. Outlets specified arsenic nan BBC, AP and The Guardian have noted, however, that it remains intolerable to verify nan claimed specifications of nan park, which was initially expected to unfastened successful 2019.

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Nevertheless, Kim said he had "great satisfaction" arsenic he trim a ceremonial ribbon to observe what is said to beryllium nan first of galore large-scale tourer zones.