SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un revealed his daughter to the world for the first time on Saturday in striking photos showing the pair hand in hand inspecting the launch of the nuclear-armed country’s largest ballistic missile the day before.

North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday, state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday.

The biggest surprise, however, was the presence of Mr Kim’s daughter, whose existence had never been publicly confirmed before.

KCNA did not name the girl, who is seen in photographs in a white puffy coat holding hands with her father as they look at the massive missile.

“This is the first observed occasion where we have seen Kim Jong Un’s daughter at a public event,” said Mr Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at the US-based Stimson Centre. “It is highly significant and represents a certain degree of comfort on Kim Jong Un’s part that he would bring her out in public in such fashion.”

Mr Kim is believed to have as many as three children, two girls and a boy, experts said. Some observers believed one of those children was seen in footage of celebrations for a national holiday in September.

In 2013, retired American basketball star Dennis Rodman said Mr Kim had a “baby” daughter named Ju Ae. After a trip to North Korea that year, Mr Rodman told The Guardian newspaper he had spent time with Kim and his family, and held the baby. Ju Ae is estimated to be about 12 to 13 years old, which means that in about four to five years, she will be preparing to attend university, or go into military service, Mr Madden said.

“This would indicate that she will be educated and trained to go into leadership – it could be preparing for her to assume the central leader’s position, or she could become an adviser and behind-the-scenes player like her aunt,” he said.

North Korea has never announced who would succeed Mr Kim in the event he is incapacitated, and with few details known about his young children, analysts had speculated that his sister and loyalists could form a regency until a successor is old enough to take over.

The appearance of the leader’s daughter at Friday’s event could suggest fourth-generation hereditary succession and that core North Korean elites need to prepare themselves for that eventuality, Mr Madden said. “Her presence is for an elite audience,” he added.

Mr Kim’s wife, Ms Ri Sol Ju, also made a rare appearance at the launch, according to KCNA.

“Whenever Ri Sol Ju appears, there is strategic messaging involved. Normally designed to tamp down tensions, counter other aggressive messaging (like tests), or show Kim family cohesion in times of internal troubles,” said Mr Ken Gause, a North Korea leadership expert with CNA, a US-based non-profit research organisation.

Her presence also fits a trend of Mr Kim “normalising” politics inside the regime and the dynamics around his position as supreme leader, Mr Gause added.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council will discuss North Korea in a meeting on Monday at the request of the United States, after Pyongyang tested an ICBM capable of reaching the US mainland.

A statement from the US mission to the UN said the 15-member Security Council has a responsibility to protect global peace and security and the non-proliferation regime, and to uphold its own resolutions.

“We urge all Security Council members to take this responsibility seriously and unite in condemning the DPRK’s dangerous and unlawful behaviour,” it said, referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name.

Friday’s ICBM launch was also strongly condemned by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

“This dangerous provocation, like the DPRK’s numerous missile tests this year, has further raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula and jeopardises peace and stability in the region. It also violates United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” the MFA said in a statement.

“Singapore reiterates our longstanding call on the DPRK to cease all provocations immediately and abide by its international obligations and commitments.” REUTERS