North Korea Releases New Pics of Kim Jong Un's Daughter Ju Ae

North Korea has released fresh images of leader Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter, Ju Ae, firing a pistol - weeks after she was photographed handling a rifle. The move has reignited speculation that she is being groomed as Kim's successor, AFP reported.

Ju Ae appeared prominently in state media coverage of the ruling Workers' Party congress last month, underscoring her growing visibility in official propaganda. Her latest appearance shows her aiming a pistol at a shooting range, flames visible from the muzzle, while attending an event at a major munitions factory alongside her father.

Both Kim and Ju Ae wore matching leather jackets, a style often associated with authority in North Korea, as they toured the facility. Kim personally tested a newly developed pistol, praising its "excellence," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The Kim dynasty has maintained its grip on power for decades, bolstered by a cult of personality around the so-called "Paektu bloodline." Analysts say Ju Ae's repeated public appearances are designed to project her as a strong figure.

"Despite her youth, the regime appears intent on cultivating her image as a formidable leader," said Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University in South Korea. "The pistol-shooting scene is meant to signal her emerging role as a military figure."