North Korea's leader Kim reveals his daughter in rare appearance

North Korea's person Kim Jong-un has appeared with his young girl successful nationalist for the archetypal time, confirming long-rumoured reports of her existence.

The girl, believed to beryllium named Kim Chu-ae, joined him astatine an inspection of the country's largest intercontinental ballistic rocket motorboat connected Friday.

The brace stood hand-in-hand during the test, which was condemned by the US.

Mr Kim leads 1 of the world's astir secretive states, and precise small is known astir his idiosyncratic life.

Several photos were published by North Korea's authorities quality bureau KCNA, showing the 2 holding hands portion they chat, talk with officials, inspect missiles and watch the motorboat from a viewing deck.

Chu-ae's nationalist quality is significant, said Michael Madden, a North Korea adept from the Stimson Center successful Washington DC.

Mr Kim - the 3rd procreation successful his household to pb North Korea - is showing elites successful his state that helium inactive has a steadfast grip connected power, Mr Madden told the BBC.

He said it could beryllium Mr Kim's mode of showing "that the 4th procreation of powerfulness succession is going to travel done my [blood]line".

It came aft reports that "there was immoderate benignant of struggle betwixt [Mr Kim] and different elite cohorts successful 2021", Mr Madden explained.

"If you situation me, you're going to spell down," is the connection from Mr Kim, helium said.

Mr Madden said helium believed Chu-ae was aged betwixt 12 and 13, which meant that successful astir 4 to 5 years she volition beryllium preparing to spell to assemblage oregon into subject service.

In September, respective North Korea experts reported that Chu-ae was shown successful a video astatine the country's National Day celebrations.

But this was speculation, and the North Korean enactment did not corroborate that it was so the leader's daughter.

The archetypal clip Chu-ae's beingness was ever mentioned was successful 2013, aft retired American hoops prima Dennis Rodman made a arguable travel to North Korea.

Mr Rodman said helium had spent clip with Mr Kim's family, relaxing by the oversea and had "held their babe Chu-ae".

Experts judge Mr Kim whitethorn person arsenic galore arsenic 3 children - 2 girls and a boy, with Chu-ae being the oldest.

But the person is highly secretive astir his household - adjacent his woman Ri Sol-ju was kept a concealed until immoderate clip aft the brace married.