North Korea’s Kim Jong Un attends New Year celebrations with daughter

SEOUL, Jan 1 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended New Year’s celebrations in Pyongyang that included fireworks, patriotic songs and dances and a taekwondo demonstration, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

Kim’s daughter Ju Ae, who some analysts view as the frontrunner to become his successor, accompanied Kim during the celebrations, hugging children along with her father, sitting next to him and holding hands with him, KCNA photos showed.

In a speech, Kim lauded the North Korean people’s efforts which led to “successes and phenomenal changes” in 2025, and called for their unity as a key party congress expected to be held in early 2026 will lay out the future direction for the country.

North Korea is expected to hold the 9th Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea soon, which will lay out the country’s plans for the next five years in various fields such as nuclear and weapons development, as well as the economy.

Kim also sent a New Year’s message to North Korean troops fighting on Russia’s side in the war in Ukraine, calling them the “greatest strength and pride and a strong pillar” of the country and saying he looks forward to their reunion back home.

“Be brave. Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow,” Kim said in the message, according to KCNA.

KCNA also said that Kim received New Year cards from many heads of state including the Chinese president and his wife, although it did not mention Xi Jinping by name nor disclose further details.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese and Raju Gopalakrishnan)