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BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 29 November 2022

Source: BBC

Wetin we know about North Korea leader Kim Jong-un daughter wey pipo suggest fit be im 'successor'

Kim Jong-un and im daughter Kim Jong-un and im daughter

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un daughter don appear in public for di second time inside one week, and e dey raise tok-tok say she fit be di successor in di making. But di kontri state media neva reveal di girl name or age and only described her as di leader "most beloved" or "precious" child.

North Korean state media outlet KCNA report am on Sunday say Kim and im daughter don meet sojas, scientists and odas wey dey involved for November Hwasong-17 missile launch.

Dem no put date for KCNA latest fotos but dem tok say Kim and Im daughter find di crowd "filled wit boundless passion and happiness" as dem express "di highest glory and ardent reverence for im".

So wetin we sabi about dis daughter of Kim Jong-un?

Dem first mention her for 2013

Kim Jong-un leads one of di world most secretive states, and pipo no too sabi plenti tins about im personal life.

For July 2012, North Korea confam say Ri Sol-ju na Kim wife, one month afta dem see her for public wit am.

Since then, South Korean media don speculate say di two get three children.

For September 2013, dem quote retired US basketball player Dennis Rodman, wey bin visit North Korea then on one "basketball diplomacy tour," for di British newspaper The Guardian say "Kim get one baby daughter."

"I hold dia baby Ju-ae and tok wit [Oga Kim wife] as well. Im na good dad and get a beautiful family," Rodman tell di paper.

But back then e no get any official response or confirmation from North Korea on Rodman comments.

First appearance for 2022

On 19 November 2022, KCNA publish plenti fotos of di father and daughter for di first time, confam long-rumoured reports of her existence.

Di state media report say di two dey follow officials tok, inspect missiles and watch di launch of one intercontinental ballistic missile from one viewing deck di day before.

But e no get detail of di girl name or age for di report.

"Di revelation of Kim Jong-un daughter don interest North Korea analysts far more than news say e successfully launch im most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile," BBC's Seoul correspondent Jean Mackenzie tok am.

"Dis one mean say dem don chose her mean as Kim Jong-un successor and go one day dey run North Korea?"

Second appearance for 2022

And only one week afta dem release di first fotos of di father and daughter, KCNA publish anoda set of fotos of di two of dem on Sunday.

Again, no mention of her age or name, but dis time dem describe her as di leader "most beloved" or "precious" child.

"Dis certainly dey striking. Di foto of Kim Ju standing alongside her papa as technicians and scientists wey dey involved in di latest ICBM launch dey celebrate am, dis go support di idea say dis na di start of her being positioned as a potential successor," di US NBC news network quote Ankit Panda, one expert wit di Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Some analysts, however, don caution say e still fit dey too early to tell whether she be di successor.

Dem quote Chun Su-jin, one South Korean author of one book on North Korean women leaders, for one Reuters' report say di chance of North Korean elites welcoming Kim daughter as ruler dey close to zero.

"E neva dey ready to welcome a leader of di other gender," she tok. "[Kim] just dey staging a show im be loving father, not just a brutal dictator wey shoot missiles."

"For North Korea, gender still dey important to be a leader," Hyun In-ae, one North Korean defector wey now work for di Ewha Institute of Unification Studies for Seoul.

Whether or not Kim daughter be di successor for di making, e don already get one female for di regime wey don catch international attention for some years.

Kim Yo-jong: di powerful sister

Wen rumours and speculation comot for 2020 about Kim Jong-un health, dem see im sister, Kim Yo-jong as a possible placeholder to take over di family dynasty until one of Kim children dey old enough.

Kim Yo-jong has been holding a senior role in the regime for some time. She has recently made insulting threats to South Korea over sanctions.

But e dey obvious say di appearance of Kim Jong-un daughter don spark more questions from di world, one BBC Jean Mackenzie explain am.

"Why unveil her now? She still dey very young. If e prepare her to take over, dis one fit mean say di 38-year-old leader get health issues? Im health na di subject of much speculation, as dem see am to present di biggest risk to di stability of di regime."