South Korea and China have played down rumors surrounding North Korean despot Kim Jong-un’s health after several media reports suggested he has died or is in a coma following a supposed heart surgery.
Kang Min-seok, a spokesman at South Korea’s presidential Blue House, said there was “no special movement” in North Korea. Hence, “nothing to confirm rumours about chairman Kim Jong-un’s health”.
Meanwhile, an official at the Chinese Communist party’s international liaison department, told Reuters there is no clear indication that Kim is suffering from a critical condition. The official deals with China’s affairs in North Korea.
However, some South Korean officials have warned caution amidst the possible Kim’s possible demise.
Speculation about Kim’s health grew after he missed the anniversary commemoration of the birth of his grandfather on April 15, which is considered as one of the country’s biggest event.
Several correspondences reported the that 36-year-old Kim’s health had deteriorated due to heavy smoking, obesity and overwork.
The country continues to insist that it has not discovered a single case of Covid-19.
This is not the first time that Kim’s failure to appear in public has triggered an avalanche of rumors about his health.
A similar incident happened in 2014 when he dropped out of sight for nearly six weeks. In a rare step, North Korean state media admitted that he was suffering from an “uncomfortable physical condition”.
