Authorities in North Korea are reportedly forcing girls and women who share the same name as Kim Jong Un's daughter, to change their identities to something else, Fox News reported. The Supreme leader's daughter's name is Ju Ae and she's believed to be around nine to 10 years old. This latest diktat is seen as part of the regime's effort to isolate the young girl from the rest and build an air of mystique around her.
Fox News is based on a Radio Free Asia report that cited two anonymous sources from North Korea - one living in North Pyongyang and the other living in South Pyongyang. The sources said that local governments have issued orders for women named Ju-ae to change their birth certificates.
One source said, "Yesterday, the Ministry of Security in Jeongju City summoned women registered with the resident registration department under the name 'Ju Ae' to the Ministry of Safety to change their names."
The source added that a 12-year-old girl in their neighbourhood was named Ju Ae, and her parents were told to report to the Ministry of Safety to change her birth certificate.
The second source stated that the authorities said that the name must be changed "within a week." Authorities said her name is now reserved for persons of "the highest dignity," the unnamed source added.
Ju-ae recently made public appearances with her father during North Korea's military parade, leading to speculation that she might be groomed to succeed him. A day before the parade, she was also spotted at a lavish banquet at a military barrack.
She was first introduced to the media, and to the world, last year in November. Pictures showed a beaming Kim holding hands with Ju-ae in a white puffer jacket and red shoes, walking in front of a giant black-and-white missile.
Interestingly, she is the only one of Kim's three children to be revealed to the public. South Korean media have speculated that Kim married his wife Ri Sol Ju in 2009 and that they have three children, two daughters, and a son.
According to the South China Morning Post, North Korea has historically prohibited people from using the same names as its leaders and their immediate families. The practice of forcing people to change their names is a part of the regime's effort to respect their leaders.
Even Kim Jong Un prohibited people from holding his name in 2014. During the rule of Kim Jong-un's father Kim Il-sung, people were banned from possessing Il-sung's name.
