this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has selected his daughter as his heir, South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday.

Kim Ju Ae - who is believed to be 13 - has in recent months been pictured beside her father in high-profile events like a visit to Beijing in September, her first known trip abroad.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it took a "range of circumstances" into account including her increasingly prominent public presence at official events" in making this assessment.

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[–] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 147 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

Diversity win! This up and coming dictator is a young woman!

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 47 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

More 👏🏼 female 👏🏼 dictators 👏🏼

- Neoliberals, probably

[–] murvel@feddit.nu 14 points 2 weeks ago

Try tankies

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[–] Chippys_mittens@lemmy.world 103 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

His sister is gonna coup that shit up.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 30 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

As she's then effectively getting in line, would that be a coup queue? Seems to track for NoKo. 🤪

Kinda makes me wish one of them thought screaming was singing, then we could dub them "NoKo Oh-No".

FWIW, the other thread I was fiddling with mentally was re: the term "chuffed" and its implied verb "to chuff" to create this headline: "Coup queue for NoKo chuff" 🤣

[–] thenextguy@lemmy.world 26 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I hope she doesn’t get a cold, otherwise that would be a ‘coup queue cachoo’.

[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] egrets@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Sorry, we've already assigned you the role of eggman.

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[–] gigachad@piefed.social 11 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Or she is going to get executed

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it took a “range of circumstances” into account including her increasingly prominent public presence at official events" in making this assessment.

Coup what shit? This speculation seven layers deep.

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[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 60 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Well there goes the legacy of terrible haircuts. Three generations of shite hair down the drain!

[–] ghost9@piefed.social 32 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

She hasn't taken over yet. There's still time!

[–] egrets@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago
[–] morto@piefed.social 9 points 2 weeks ago

Don't underestimate her haircut styling skills!

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 57 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Look at North Korea, breaking down those gender boundaries in the male-dominated dictatorship world.

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[–] skisnow@lemmy.ca 55 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That photo makes me feel old - I remember when Kim Jong Un looked young and stupid, now he looks old and stupid

[–] lmagitem@lemmy.zip 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Exactly! When did he age that much? It's crazy.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I suspect the last decade of dealing with Trump and Xi hasn't been the easiest time of his life. Just look at before and after pics of normal US presidents. That job ages them a decade in 4 years

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[–] ugandan_airways@lemmy.zip 47 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

He looks like shit for being in his early 40s. I wonder if there is something going on with his health and that’s why he is appointing a 13 year old heir. The article doesn’t elaborate on that but it says he “appears young and healthy.” He looks like he is about to pop. I don’t think I’d describe him as young or healthy looking.

[–] green_red_black@slrpnk.net 34 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Kim isn’t in the best of shape but he isn’t at Donald Trump levels of poor health.

As for naming his daughter the heir to the throne it could be she is the only legitimate child he has.

In terms of male relatives the only one of the Kim family that is not as old or older than him (and not dead) is Kim Han Sol, and if anyone is paying attention it’s obvious why he isn’t getting the throne.

[–] ugandan_airways@lemmy.zip 27 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

He’s almost 40 years younger than Trump, so I don’t think it’s comparable. I’m the same age as Kim and I know no one who is in as bad as shape as him (maybe one or two co-workers who are morbidly obese). There is nothing healthy about being 5’3” and 275 lbs.

[–] green_red_black@slrpnk.net 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yes but it’s not “dude is going to croak any day now.”

Even more so as his status and position gives him access to the best medical care

[–] ugandan_airways@lemmy.zip 16 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I don’t know. Heart attacks are a real thing. Your 40s get weird with health stuff. I agree that I don’t think he is going to croak any day now, but it does seem like they are preparing for him to be gone. His father only lived to 60.

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[–] regedit@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)
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[–] RalfWausE@feddit.org 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Look what Obama looked like when he entered office and how he looked when he left. And i bet being at the top of North Korea, surrounded by people who whould absolutely love to acquire your position by all means would be.... well... a bit more stressful.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

surrounded by people who whould absolutely love to acquire your position by all means

You think the third generational decedent of a national hero is going to be toppled by his most fiercely loyal family friends?

If the Kim family could have been pushed out by coup within the military, the CIA would have financed that shit 40 years ago.

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[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I remember just about every Kim not being very healthy. The jokes wrote themselves with Kim Jong-il.

[–] ugandan_airways@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yep. And he died at 60. Younger Kim is on the same track.

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[–] Notyou@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 weeks ago

I read a news article about that mentioned he was thrusted into power in his 20s so maybe he wanted to start introducing her to the system early.

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[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 37 points 2 weeks ago

Finally, the people's girlboss leader!

[–] thatradomguy@lemmy.world 30 points 1 week ago (1 children)

So the US can't even let women control their own bodies but North Korea can get a woman to lead the country? The fuck kind of timeline are we even on? Why haven't the epstein files gotten the idiot impeached yet?

[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 week ago

Why haven’t the epstein files gotten the idiot impeached yet?

'Cos most of the people who would impeach him are in said files?

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 27 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

I was hoping the era of women leaders was going to be a little less fascist. Does anyone have a link to the article not behind a paywall?

[–] skisnow@lemmy.ca 22 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

What Thatcher taught us was that it's acceptable for women to be in charge as long as they're overtly callous.

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[–] psx_crab@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 weeks ago (42 children)

Democracy is when you select an heir to your throne.

[–] Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Welcome President Baron Trump

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[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

We are about to see some of the most effective utiliseations of girl power in history

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[–] vantablack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] oopsgodisdeadmybad@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 week ago

I thought Mr. Nobutthole was invincible and would never die.

[–] Donebrach@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Let’s hope they don’t secretly have the protomolecule sample.

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[–] myfunnyaccountname@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 week ago

Well, when the rest of the world is lead by pedophiles, you play the card that will make taking them over easy.

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