North Korea's central news agency KCNA said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae visited a defense factory specializing in producing pistols and infantry weapons.
The released images show Kim Ju Ae and military officials directly firing a handgun at this facility. After that, Mr. Kim Jong Un and his daughter visited the production line as well as examined the products manufactured at the factory.
Mr. Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction with the "superior quality" of the gun models manufactured by the factory. The North Korean President emphasized that this facility plays an important role in improving the combat effectiveness of the army, and said that it is necessary to expand production capacity with a long-term vision.
The appearance of Kim Ju Ae in military-related activities continues to attract the attention of observers. Mr. Lim Eul Chul - a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University in South Korea - said that the shooting images are aimed at building the image of a strong and formidable woman.
According to Mr. Lim Eul Chul, participating in such activities shows that Kim Ju Ae is being shown as someone who is training the qualities of a military leader.
Kim Ju Ae is believed to be born in 2012 and is Kim Jong Un's second daughter, according to South Korean intelligence. North Korea first released images of her in November 2022 while accompanying her father in a transcontinental ballistic missile launch.
In the past time, Kim Ju Ae has frequently appeared with Mr. Kim Jong Un at many important events. Some assessments suggest that she may be a potential successor to the North Korean leader.
The South Korean National Intelligence Service said that Kim Ju Ae is being oriented to become a successor, the assessment is reinforced by her recent public appearances.
