ISTANBUL

North Korea is in the process of designating leader Kim Jong Un's daughter as his successor, South Korea's top spy agency said Thursday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) shared the assessment during a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, Reps. Park Sun-won and Lee Seong-kweun told reporters, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

The NIS believes that North Korea has now entered the stage of designating Kim Ju-ae as Kim's successor, Lee said.

There was no immediate reaction from Pyongyang to the NIS claim.

Ju-ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies, the NIS said.

The spy agency also said it will keep close tabs on whether she attends the North's key party congress set for late this month.