SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised army tank training where his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae (13), drove an olive-green tank—her first such public feat—sticking her head out the hatch as her smiling father rode atop with soldiers. State media KCNA reported the Thursday drill, stressing war prep amid US-South Korea exercises, with the pair’s growing joint appearances since 2022 amplifying outsider bets on her as successor.
Experts note the low-speed stunt on flat ground suits modern tanks’ simplicity, following their shared pistol firing, rocket tests, and Beijing trip. South Korea’s spies see heir designation nearing, though skeptics cite Kim’s youth and North Korea’s male-dominated elite. The session underscores Pyongyang’s military posturing as Seoul-Washington drills wrap their command phase.
