Kim Ju Ae: Mere beloved daughter of Kim Jong Un, or successor?

Public appearances fuel speculation that she could be picked as future N. Korean leader

- Chang May Choon

Next to the bubbly 10-year-old girl, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looks every bit a ddal babo.

The Korean term is used to describe a father who loves his daughter so much that he would do anything for her, like a fool.

One moment, he was whispering into her ears, and the next, she was caressing his cheeks.

Their hands were locked as they strolled alongside each other at a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on Feb 8, both beaming widely as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was on display nearby.

The two peas in a pod have dominated global headlines since last November, when Kim Ju Ae made her public debut. She was introduced as the leader's "beloved" daughter as she accompanied him to the launch of the regime's largest ICBM, the Hwasong-17.

Their frequent displays of affection most recently at a sports event on Feb 17 - have spawned talk about succession plans, although some experts think it is too early to tell.

Not much is officially known about Ju Ae, other than the fact that she is part of the fourth generation of the Kim dynasty that has ruled North Korea since 1948.

North Korean media did not reveal her name, age or other details.

It was retired American basketball star Dennis Rodman who gave the first indication of her existence back in 2013, after he struck up an unlikely friendship with her father during a visit to Pyongyang.

Mr Rodman said he had "had a relaxing time by the sea" with the Kim family.