Is North Korea banning women from having same name as Kim's daughter?

Parents in North Korea won't be able to name their girl child similar to Kim Jong Un's 10-year-old daughter, media reports claimed, further adding that those with similar names are being pressured to change.

Reports suggested the move can be seen as the North Korean leader's attempt to maintain the exclusivity of the name of his daughter, Ju-ae, who was recently seen with her father attending a military parade.

Media reports mentioned Radio Free Asia, which quoted two anonymous sources — one living in North Pyongyang and the other living in South Pyongyang — as saying that the local government authorities have issued orders for women named Ju-ae to change their birth certificates.As quoted, 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."

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North Korea has unveiled new postage stamps featuring leader Kim Jong Un's daughter. His daughter's appearance is seen as a sign of her rise as heir apparent of the nuclear-armed nation.

But South Korea on Wednesday said that it's too early to say whether the recently unveiled daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is being groomed as her father's successor.

Kwon Youngse, who is Unification Minister and South Korea's top official on North Korea, was asked about Kim's daughter during a parliamentary committee meeting in Seoul.

Kwon told lawmakers: "There are views that (her appearances) are aimed at talking about a hereditary power transition. But considering Kim Jong Un’s age and the fact that North Korea has a much more patriarchal nature than ours, there are also lots of questions about whether North Korea having a woman (prepared to) inherit power now is indeed right."

(With inputs from agencies)

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