No end in sight to North Korean saga of unhappy Kim families

Amid speculation daughter of Kim Jong-un may be in line to succeed him, the grim fate of other clan members should serve as a warning

In the midst of all the media attention on Kim Jong-un’s young daughter Ju-ae, does anyone remember Kim Han-sol? After all, both are North Korean royalty and fourth generation scions of the Kim dynasty. With more members of the Kim family tree making their presence felt, will the strife seen over the last three generations continue?

In recent days, Kim Ju-ae, who is believed to be about nine years old, was photographed at two separate high-profile events, sparking speculation she may be her father’s potential successor.

In contrast, Han-sol, dubbed a “North Korean prince” by the New Yorker magazine in 2017, was last heard of in 2020 where he was said to have been taken into protective custody by the US’ Central Intelligence Agency. The last time he was seen publicly was through a short video in 2019 that the Free Joseon activist group took of him thanking them for their help.

Currently living either in the United States or Europe, Han-sol is the nephew of Kim Jong-un. He earlier made his way from Macau to Taiwan before trying to board a plane to seek asylum in the Netherlands.

Han-sol, 27, had feared for his life then, after his father Kim Jong-nam – the half-brother to Jong-un – was assassinated in 2017 on orders issued by Pyongyang. North Korea has denied responsibility for the killing.

Jong-nam’s death in a high-profile nerve agent attack at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport was the latest in a series of dark episodes involving the Kim clan.

In 2013, Jong-un executed his uncle Jang Song-thaek, previously one of the country’s most powerful men, for plotting to overthrow the state, building his own personality cult, and involvement in economic corruption.

Married to Jong-un’s paternal aunt, Jang was denounced as a “traitor for all ages” and “despicable human scum”, and his headless body, according to former US President Donald Trump, was displayed to North Korean officials.

Upon taking office in 2011, Jong-un also reportedly purged Kim Ok, the fourth wife and personal secretary of his father Kim Jong-il, before sending her to a prison camp, according to South Korean media. In 1998, Jong-il’s aunt – Ko Yong-suk – and her family defected, claiming they feared for their lives.

Jong-il is said to have purged his half-brothers during his initial rise to power, most notably Kim Pyong-il who was considered a serious contender for the top leadership.

He fell out of favour after Jong-il reported him for challenging the personality cult of his father and the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung. Pyong-il was sent to Europe where he remained for decades in various diplomatic positions.

As for Il-sung, he placed his younger brother, Yong-ju, in confinement for half a century following a power struggle with Jong-il.

Whether Ju-ae becomes the fourthgeneration successor is too early to tell. But it is worth bearing in mind that there are also at least five known members from the fourth generation – Han-sol and his sister Kim Sol-hui, and Ju-ae and her two other siblings.

Many consider Han-sol, the eldest son born to the first child of his father’s generation – the rightful heir to the North Korean leadership.

Some experts have even identified Han-sol as a potential successor should the regime topple, especially in a country that places emphasis on what is referred to as the Paektu Bloodline.

In an interview with Finnish media in 2012, Han-sol openly criticised the regime, referring to his uncle as a “dictator” and saying that he wished to return to his homeland one day to “make things better”.

Whether he still believes in his youthful wish is immaterial as the internal political machinations in Pyongyang are beyond his control.

Barring sudden and unpredictable changes to the regime, North Korea’s opaque political system and its consolidation of personal and family power is expected to continue.

This means the question of succession will continue to be played out in internal power struggles, family betrayals and even deadly family rivalries involving the next generation of Kims.

Kim Han-sol openly criticised the regime, referring to his uncle as a ‘dictator’ and saying he wished to return