Any change in the leadership pyramid in North Korea increases the possibility of a power vacuum or a collapse of the Kim dynasty, which has ruled the country since its founding in 1948.
Although the unexpected appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter has heightened speculation about the possibility of a potential successor, analysts say it is a tough battle without precedent in North Korea's male-dominated leadership dynasty.
Kim Jong Un's daughter, whose name was not released by the country's state media, appeared in a media coverage of a ballistic missile launch on Saturday, watching the firing and holding her father's hand as he inspected the missile.
The related television footage was the first official confirmation that Kim has children, furthering the message that his family is present to remain in power, according to analysts.
The regime paid attention to the message that it was too early to decide that Kim's daughter could lead or that her presence was simply symbolic, in order to reassure North Koreans that nuclear weapons would protect their children and become "monuments to be passed on to our descendants for generations to come," state media reported.
Chun Soo-jin, a South Korean author of a book on women leaders in North Korea, said the chances for the country's elites to accept Kim's daughter as a leader are almost nil.
"The power establishment is not ready to welcome a leader from another gender," she said. Kim is putting on a performance, that of a good father, not a bloody missile-firing dictator."
Others argue that despite North Korea's deeply patriarchal society, gender can exclude a daughter or another woman from assuming a position of power.
Beyond the possibility of a sudden health problem that could lead to an inability to exercise power or death, there is ample time in Kim's leadership trajectory. He is believed to be in his 40s, with time to think about his potential successor, according to Michael Maiden, director of North Korea Leadership Watch.
"This gives plenty of time for a potential change in North Korean political culture to create the conditions for a female successor," Maiden said.
Source: cnn.gr
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