This photo provided by the North Korean government shows its leader Kim Jong Un, front right, his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, and other soldiers on a tank at a military training base in North Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Teenage daughter of North Korean leader kim jong un While undergoing army training under her father’s supervision, she drove a tank in their latest joint public appearance, fueling outside speculation that the girl was being groomed as Kim’s successor.The official Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday that Kim had inspected an offensive tactical exercise involving tank units and infantry troops a day earlier and called for complete combat preparations.Videos and images released by state media showed Kim’s daughter sticking her head out of the driver’s hatch of a moving, green tank, while her smiling father sat on top with three soldiers.Observers said the girl’s condition clearly showed she was driving an armored vehicle, her first such activity. But he said that operating modern tanks was not technically complex, especially when moving slowly for short periods of time.Lee Ilwoo, an expert at the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said, “She just drove straight at a slow speed. Modern tanks are also easy to drive, and I think it was easier for her to drive because she was on flat ground.”The girl, reportedly named Kim Joo Ae and aged about 13, had accompanied her father to several high-profile military and other events since late 2022. North Korean state media called her Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child and published footage and photos indicating the closeness of the two.He fired pistols and witnessed live-fire testing of multiple rocket launch systems during a recent tour of a light munitions factory. The girl had gone to Beijing with her father in September. During the New Year celebration he kissed her on the cheek.South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month that Kim Jong Un was close to declaring him his successor. Some experts disagreed with that assessment, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and highly male-dominated nature. north koreaThe power hierarchy of.The North Korean training came as the US and South Korea engaged in their annual military exercises which the North viewed as an invasion rehearsal. The US and South Korea ended their 11-day computer-simulated command post exercise on Thursday, but they are still continuing field training.(Input from news agencies)