Kim Jong Un reportedly took his young daughter to watch a long-range nuclear missile launch on Nov. 18 (this image was newly released on Sunday, a day after the first state media report on the launch) | Image: KCTV (Nov. 20, 2022)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sees nuclear weapons as necessary to protect “our children” from U.S. attack, state media reported Sunday, a day after revealing his young daughter publicly for the first time.
The argument for nuclear weapons development offers one explanation for why Kim chose to introduce his daughter at Friday’s launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), suggesting he sought to underline this justification. Some experts have speculated that her reveal was connected to succession plans or new propaganda strategies.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sees nuclear weapons as necessary to protect “our children” from U.S. attack, state media reported Sunday, a day after revealing his young daughter publicly for the first time.
The argument for nuclear weapons development offers one explanation for why Kim chose to introduce his daughter at Friday’s launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), suggesting he sought to underline this justification. Some experts have speculated that her reveal was connected to succession plans or new propaganda strategies.
Get the Daily Update
Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most –
Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. He joined the company in 2018 after receiving a master's degree in international security and foreign policy from South Korea's Yonsei University. Follow him on Twitter.