Many speculations are being made about the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, 37, as he appears to have lost a significant amount of weight after more than a month of not appearing in public.
North Korean state media mentioned this issue last week, quoting a Pyongyang resident saying that everyone was worried when they saw the `emaciated` leader.
Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong-un’s grandfather, once had an inoperable tennis-ball-sized tumor on the back of his neck, causing state media to prohibit filming him from certain angles.
Kim Il Sung (center) in Beijing in May 1987.
The Korean press once reported wrongly about Kim Il Sung’s health, even spreading untrue news about his death.
Chosun does not normally publish newspapers on Mondays, but this newspaper broke the rule and published an additional issue on Monday, November 17, 1986 to publish this information.
This false rumor was later dispelled when Kim Il Sung appeared at an airport in Pyongyang to welcome a Mongolian delegation.
Chosun did not publish a correction but apologized for the incident in March 2020, when it celebrated the 100th anniversary of the newspaper’s founding.
Kim Jong-il at the military parade in Pyongyang in 2010. Photo: KCNA.
In October 2008, US and South Korean officials said Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un’s father, may have suffered a stroke several months earlier.
However, North Korean state media later said that rumors about Kim Jong-il’s health were false.
When Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011, the outside world had no clue until North Korean state media announced it two days later.
In 2014, Kim Jong-un was absent from public view for 40 days.
In a documentary previously recorded by state media, Kim Jong-un appeared to have difficulty walking.
Kim Jong-un at a meeting in Pyongyang on June 16.
In early 2020, speculation about Kim Jong-un’s health `exploded` after he did not appear on state media on the birthday anniversary of his grandfather Kim Il Sung on April 15.
North Korean media never mentioned or explained Kim Jong-un’s absence, despite many speculations in international media.
However, South Korea’s intelligence agency said Kim Jong-un is still performing normal duties, but has reduced his public activities due to concerns about Covid-19.
Regarding Kim Jong-un’s weight loss, Jenny Town, director of the 38 North project based in the US, said it is still unclear whether Mr. Kim’s weight loss is due to illness or because he actively lost weight.
If Mr. Kim’s health declines, the North Korean government apparatus could fall into chaos.
Hannah