Pyongyang: North Korean state media has reported domestically on the return of leader Kim Jong-un following his visit to Beijing for China's military parade, featuring photographs of his daughter Ju-ae, who accompanied him.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's primary newspaper for domestic readers, highlighted Kim's arrival in Pyongyang on Friday after traveling to China earlier in the week via his private armored train. The Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the nation's state-run radio network, also announced his return during its 6 a.m. broadcast.
On Friday night, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which caters to audiences outside North Korea, released a brief dispatch regarding Kim's arrival. A photo shared by state media depicted Kim's daughter Ju-ae, dressed in a dark suit, beside him in the cabin of his private train. Accompanying them in the carriage were key North Korean party and government officials, including Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
Additional images published by KCNA showed Ju-ae following her father as they disembarked the train in Pyongyang. Ju-ae's presence on the trip has fueled speculation that she is being prepared to succeed Kim Jong-un.
During his first visit to China since 2019, Kim attended China's extensive military parade, joining Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In addition to attending the parade, Kim engaged in bilateral talks with both Xi and Putin before departing Beijing on Thursday night. This recent five-day journey marked Kim's longest visit to China among his five trips, including the latest one. Furthermore, Korean Central Television, North Korea's state-run TV network, broadcasted a 50-minute documentary about Kim's visit to China shortly after his return.
The documentary frequently depicted Kim in cordial discussions with Xi and Putin, suggesting that Kim's status is equivalent to that of other global leaders. It also showcased Kim and Ju-ae visiting the North Korean Embassy in Beijing, where Ju-ae stood behind her father as North Korean officials welcomed him.
Previously, North Korea's state media only released photographs of Ju-ae arriving at a station in Beijing and returning home on Friday.