North Korea’s Kim Jong Un takes his daughter on tank ride during army training

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter ride a tank together in their last public appearance, state media photos showed, on Friday, March 20, 2026, days after watching rocket launches and pistols fire.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Mr. Kim inspected fire and other drills involving tank units and infantry units on Thursday and called for the completion of combat preparations.

KCNA footage showed Mr. Kim and his daughter wearing black leather jackets in an olive-drab tank with other soldiers during training on Thursday. In the footage, the girl is seen sticking her head out of the tank lid, while Kim is sitting on top of the tank and smiling.

Kim Jong Un (center) and his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, visit a military training base in North Korea | Photo Credit: AP

The girl, whose name is Kim Ju Ae and is reported to be about 13 years old, has accompanied her father to a number of high-profile military and other events since late 2022, prompting outside speculation that she is her father’s possible heir. North Korean state media called her the “most loved” or “respected” child of Kim Jong Un and published images and photos showing the closeness of the pair.

During a visit to a light munitions factory last week, they opened fire with handguns and watched live-fire testing of several rocket launch systems. The girl, who went to Beijing with her father last September, kissed his father on the cheek during the New Year celebrations.

South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month that Kim Jong Un was close to appointing him as his heir. Some experts disagree with this assessment, citing Kim Jong Un’s relatively young age and the highly male-dominated nature of North Korea’s power hierarchy.

North Korean training, meanwhile, took place as the United States and South Korea participated in annual military exercises that North Korea viewed as invasion rehearsals. The United States and South Korea wrapped up 11-day computer-simulated command center exercises on Thursday, but they are still continuing their field training.