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North Korea: The girl who forced a ban on an entire country

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Tue, 14 Feb 2023, 3:36PM
Kim Jong Un with his daughter attends a military parade. Photo / AP
Kim Jong Un with his daughter attends a military parade. Photo / AP

North Korea: The girl who forced a ban on an entire country

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Tue, 14 Feb 2023, 3:36PM

North Korea is reportedly banning its people from using the same name as Kim Jong-un’s daughter.

Ju Ae is Kim’s second child, and though she’s believed to be aged about 10, few details about her have been confirmed by the state – not even her name.

However, speculation around her moniker may finally have come to a close after recent reports the North Korea regime was compelling women and girls with the same name to change theirs at the behest of Kim, Radio Free Asia reported.

Women from two different cities in the country said local governments had issued orders to those named Ju Ae, telling them to amend details on their birth certificates.

 “Yesterday, the Ministry of Security in Jeongju City summoned women registered with the resident registration department under the name ‘Ju Ae’ to the Ministry of Safety to change their names,” one of the residents said according to Insider, which translated the original report.

Kim Jong Un and his daughter attend a feast to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army. Photo / AP

Kim Jong Un and his daughter attend a feast to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army. Photo / AP

Authorities said her name is now reserved for persons of “the highest dignity”, the resident claimed.

The parents of a 12-year-old girl in the same neighbourhood were also told to change her birth certificate, it was added.

Kim Ju Ae pictured at the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army in Kim Il Sung Square. Photo / AP

Kim Ju Ae pictured at the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army in Kim Il Sung Square. Photo / AP

Mystery has long shrouded Kim’s dynasty, and Kim Ju Ae is the only one who has been revealed to the public.

She made her public debut when she and her father inspected an intercontinental ballistic missile test launch in November.

Photos of the youngster being “paraded” by her father sparked theories she was Kim’s favoured successor.

North Korean media describes Ju Ae, who is estimated to be either nine or 10 years old, as his “most beloved child”.

Should she succeed her father to rule the nation, it would mark the rogue state’s fourth hereditary Supreme Leader after Kim Il-sung founded the controversial country in 1948.

South Korean news outlets previously reported that Kim has three children – born in 2010, 2013 and 2017.

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