Kim Jong Un Opens Samjiyon Resort Amid Increased Focus on Daughter Kim Ju-ae

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un formally inaugurated the expansive Samjiyon Tourist Resort near the symbolic Mount Paektu on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. State media framed the event to project national development and economic potential, highlighting the official opening of five new high-end hotels—Ikkal, Milyeong, Sobaeksu, Cheongbong, and Botnamu—on December 20 and 21. The ceremonies were attended by Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol-ju, and his daughter, Kim Ju-ae.

The newly opened resort complex includes thermal baths, barbecue restaurants, and other modern amenities. Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction that all elements achieved a high level in practicality, diversity, and artistic merit, while also stressing the need to improve staff qualifications to support the tourism venture. This high-profile unveiling serves the dual function of showcasing domestic achievement and elevating the public profile of Kim Ju-ae, who is estimated to be around 12 or 13 years old.

Coverage from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) dedicated significantly more photographs to the father-daughter pairing than to the First Lady, Ri Sol-ju, a deliberate media strategy noted by analysts. This increased visibility at civilian and economic functions, following her appearance at an industrial complex inauguration on December 15, 2025, fuels ongoing international speculation regarding her potential designation as the regime's successor. The focus on developing Samjiyon, which carries propaganda value as the supposed birthplace of Kim Jong Il, is intrinsically linked to North Korea's strategy to generate hard currency to circumvent international sanctions, following the earlier opening of the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in July 2025.

Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, indicated that the primary demographic targeted for these new facilities is likely foreigners, potentially large-scale groups from China, though the resorts could also serve as domestic rewards for productive workers. This development contrasts sharply with the economic context, as analysts estimate the average North Korean earns up to $3 a month in state-run factories. The consistent public presentation of Kim Ju-ae at non-military events, including her first overseas appearance at a military parade in Beijing in September 2025, suggests a calculated effort to prepare the public for a potential female leader, a scenario unprecedented in the Kim dynasty's history.

While North Korea's foundational principles emphasize the bloodline of Paektu Mountain, they do not explicitly forbid a female successor, though a female leader would face challenges consolidating authority within the deeply patriarchal system. The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) has suggested Kim Ju-ae is likely being groomed as the heir apparent, citing testimony that she is the eldest child. Conversely, some former officials argue her ascension is unlikely given historical precedent and political inexperience, suggesting other candidates, such as Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong, remain influential. The state media narrative reinforces the regime's projection of internal prosperity by claiming these new facilities demonstrate the North Korean people are the most dignified and have nothing to envy in the world.