With media reports of the deterioration in the health condition of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, the question arises as to who will inherit the role in the event of the ruler's death. 36-year-old Kim has worked hard since his father's death nine years ago, to centralize power in his hands and remove rivals and even close family members who he saw as a threat. Given that the leadership in North Korea passes only to male heirs, and it is estimated that Kim does not have adult sons - these are the potential heirs to state leadership: The only other member of Kim's family with an active role in the ruling Communist Workers Party is 31-year-old Kim Yu-Jong. She is Kim's younger sister who serves as the de facto faculty head. Her brother is increasingly relying on her to perform public tasks, she accompanied him at the recent summit meetings, and last month she even made a first official statement when she was returned to the ruling party's strongest committee. This scenario has one major obstacle - North Korea is also a rigid patriarchy, and Yu-Jong's gender is likely to rule her out as Kim's heir. Kim has a big brother, Kim Jong-Chul, over whom Father Kim Jong Il passed when deciding which of his children will be announced as North Korea's next leader. According to Tae Jung Ho, a former deputy ambassador in London to South Korea, Jong-Chul studied like his brother in Switzerland, but said he was more interested in music and guitar playing than politics, living a quiet life away from the spotlight. He was also seen in 2011 enjoying an Eric Clapton concert in Singapore. Kim Kyung Ho was a senior figure in the regime when her brother, Kim Jong-Il, ruled the country. She has not been seen since her husband, Zhang Song Thaik, who was previously considered the second most important person in North Korea, was executed in 2013 by Kim Jong-Un. She emerged from the shadows earlier this year during a show where she sat next to her nephew. However, her health is probably not at its peak and her status is unclear. The private life of the North Korean leader's family is shrouded in mystery, but it is known that since 2009 Kim has been married to former singer and cheerleader Ri Sol Ju. Intelligence services in South Korea estimate that the couple had three children - a child born in 2010, a child born around 2013 and another child born in 2017. Because of Kim's son's young age, if he is chosen to be his successor, a regent will be appointed until he is old enough to officially become the leader. However, officials in the United States believe that maintaining state control within the family is still the most likely outcome. US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told Fox News about Kim's successor that "the basic assumption is that it will be someone in the family." Those who hold senior leadership positions in North Korea keep their positions because of their loyalty to the leadership family, sometimes for generations. In case a new ruler is needed, some of the workers' party officials may be united in joint leadership. Katy Ho, an American author who has written three books on North Korea, told the Independent website that although party veterans can assist in the process, "no senior will win the leadership role." She added that "Kim has now imposed many missions on his younger sister, Yu-Jong. She is the only confidant he has in the government. But in the end - it is his son who will inherit the role."