SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 In their latest joint public appearance, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un<\/a> and his teenage daughter<\/a> rode a tank together, state media photos showed Friday, days after they watched rocket launches<\/a> and fired pistols<\/a>.<\/p>\n The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim oversaw firing and other drills involving tank units and infantry troops on Thursday and called for completing war preparations.<\/p>\n KCNA images showed Kim and his daughter, both wearing black leather jackets, riding in an olive-green tank with other soldiers during Thursday\u2019s training. The images showed the girl sticking her head out of the tank\u2019s hatch, with Kim sitting on top of the tank and smiling.<\/p>\n FOR<\/span>SUBSCRIBERS<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n 03:21<\/span><\/p>\n Is this the world\u2019s most dangerous 13-year-old?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 00:00<\/span>00:00<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, 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\u2019s likely heir. North Korean state media has called her Kim Jong Un\u2019s \u201cmost beloved\u201d or \u201crespected\u201d child and published footage and photos indicating the two\u2019s closeness.<\/p>\n Last week, they fired pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory and watched a live-fire test of multiple rocket launch systems. Last September, the girl went to Beijing with her father<\/a>, and during New Year\u2019s Day celebrations<\/a> she kissed her father on the cheek.<\/p>\n South Korea\u2019s spy agency assessed last month that Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as his heir. Some experts disagree with that assessment, citing Kim Jong Un\u2019s relatively young age and the extremely male-dominated nature of North Korea\u2019s power hierarchy.<\/p>\n The North Korean training, meanwhile, came as the U.S. and South Korea were engaged in their annual military exercises that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. The U.S. and South Korea wrapped up their 11-day computer-simulated command post exercise on Thursday, but they are still continuing field training. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/asterisk-43f04b.svg\")
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