North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter watch a football match
(Picture: via REUTERS)North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been pictured watching a football match with his daughter in her sixth public appearance with her father.
The official Korean Central News Agency said the presence of Kim and his “beloved” daughter, known as Kim Ju-ae and believed to be around 10 years old, brought “joy and excitement” to Friday’s ceremonial game between staff members from the Cabinet and the Defense Ministry.
The Defense Ministry team won the match 3-1 and then beat the Cabinet staff again in a tug-of-war event, according to the report.
The event was to celebrate the birthday of the late Kim Jong-il, the country’s previous leader and the father of the current ruler.
It is the latest in a series of public appearances his daughter has made, sparking debate on whether she’s being prepped for a future leadership role.
“The stadium was filled with joy and excitement of officials of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defense who had the great honour of holding significant sports and cultural events on the spring holiday of February in the presence of Kim Jong Un whom they wanted to see even in their dreams,” the KCNA report said.
It said all participants at the event made a “firm pledge to serve the people with devotion with renewed courage and in high spirits.”
Photos published by North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim and his daughter smiling and clapping from the VIP seats, where they sat in the centre between senior government and military officials. Kim Yo-jong, Kim’s sister and one of his top foreign policy officials, was seen sitting in a row behind them.
The North Korean leader’s daughter was first shown by state media in November when her father brought her to observe a flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
