Tyrant Kim Jong-un is often seen caressing his daughter’s cheek or holding her hand in public, with an expert casting doubt it is just a sign of fatherly devotion.
Kim Ju-ae was introduced to the world in November 2022, and since then the pair have made regular public appearances together throughout North Korea. In front of the world’s cameras, the supreme leader is often seen holding hands with the girl, believed to be around 12 years old - but North Korea expert Sung-Yoon Lee says it is more to do with protecting his nuclear arsenal than his abilities as a dad.
Dr Lee said: “The father and the daughter exhibiting affection, love for each other, often touching the other's face, the girl cupping the father's face and vice versa - all this is choreographed.
The pair are often pictured looking cosy together (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)"North Korea is playing a psychological game vis-a-vis the US and its allies by frequently showing the little girl in public. How? It creates the impression in Washington that de-nuclearising North Korea is really hard, virtually impossible.
"It says: 'look, Kim Jong-un obviously is a cruel dictator, but he obviously loves his daughter, maybe he's even a family man - he cares for his family, obviously. He wouldn't start a nuclear war, would he? He would not be crazy enough to start a nuclear war. So maybe, just maybe, we'll just have to resign ourselves to living with a nuclear North Korea'.
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“North Korea is arguably the most highly-choreographed theatre state in the world - nothing just happens on a whim spontaneously. So when you choreograph these scenes - the father looking like a loving dad and the cute-looking daughter showing affection for her father - it's a wholesome family ensemble favouring North Korea."
Dr Lee, a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, added he believes the days out with his daughter is Jong-un’s way of sending a message to US President Joe Biden. He added: “He's saying 'my nukes are here to stay. We are a dynasty, whereas you gentlemen, you'll be forgotten five years from now.
The expert has suggested their bond is a secret message to the US (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)"My power, my nukes, will be handed down to my next generation, to whomever I anoint as the next leader, so we have all the time in the world'. That kind of implicit message creates apprehension, tension, anxiety in Washington and other capitals around the world."
Dr Lee credited this masterstroke to the dictator's sister, Kim Yo-jong, who he describes as the "propaganda queen" of North Korea. He's written the first biography of her, which argues she is the most powerful woman in the despotic state.
He said: "She has been the de-facto head of North Korea's very powerful Propaganda and Agitation Department since 2012, officially since 2014. She is the censor-in-chief. She is the propaganda queen of North Korea.
"It is quite clear Kim Jong-un's frequent tendency to show up with his cute-looking daughter is very much choreographed and favours mostly the North Korean regime. It's very clever - and I think this is the product of Kim Yo-Jong, not Kim Jong-un."
Earlier this week it was reported Jong-un plans to pull out all the stops ahead of an official visit from Russian tyrant . Military, economic and other cooperation between North Korea and have sharply increased since Kim visited Russia last September for a meeting with Putin.
The U.S., South Korea and their partners believe North Korea has supplied artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia to support its war in in return for advanced military technologies and economic aid. Kim's comments came as media reports said Putin is expected to visit North Korea as early as next week. If realised, it would be their third summit meeting. Their first summit happened in Vladivostok in April 2019.
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