North Korean Congress: Kim’s Nuclear Ambitions and Family Succession
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been re-elected as General Secretary at the Workers’ Party Congress, reaffirming his absolute grip on power. Yet the spotlight has also fallen on his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae, whose growing public appearances are fueling speculation that she is being groomed as the next leader of the Kim dynasty. At the same time, Kim has reiterated that North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state is “irreversible,” even while indicating conditional openness to dialogue with Washington. How should these signals be interpreted? In this episode, we examine North Korea’s succession politics, its evolving nuclear strategy, and how recent US strikes on Iran could shape Pyongyang’s relationships with the wider region. *Recorded on March 5, 2026 at 3:15pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Chinyeh Chiang Our guests: Liou To-hai - National Chengchi University College of International Affairs Adjunct Distinguished Professor Chiew-Ping Hoo - East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus Co-Founder
