North Korean leader absence from anniversary event fuels speculation over health

[rooster59]

North Korean leader absence from anniversary event fuels speculation over health

By Hyonhee Shin

 

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un takes part in a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 11, 2020. KCNA/via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's absence from an important anniversary event this week rekindled speculation over his potential health problems, analysts said on Friday.

 

North Korea on Wednesday marked the anniversary of the birthday of its national founder and Kim's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, as a national holiday known as the Day of the Sun.

 

Senior officials paid tribute to the embalmed body of Kim Il Sung enshrined in the Kumsusan Palace of Sun, state media KCNA said on Thursday. But did not mention Kim as part of the delegation, unlike the past. He was also absent from photos released by party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun.

 

His purported absence triggered speculation among experts that Kim, who is aged 36 and overweight, might be having health problems.

 

A spokeswoman at Seoul's Unification Ministry, which handles North Korea affairs, said on Thursday it was aware that state media has not reported on Kim's visit but declined to provide any analysis.

 

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at South Korea's Sejong Institute, said it was the first time in decades Kim's visit to the palace on that holiday was not reported state media since he took power in late December.

 

"He has been going there on the birthdays of his grandfather and father to flaunt his royalty to them and sacred bloodline," Cheong said.

 

"It is possible that there was a problem with his health or safety even if temporary, though it is difficult to assess how the situation might be."

 

Pyongyang fired multiple short-range missiles on Tuesday which Seoul officials said was part of the celebration. Such military events would usually be observed by Kim, but there was no KCNA report on the test at all.

 

Kim was last publicly seen presiding over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's politburo last Saturday.

 

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-18

 

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[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's absence from an important anniversary event this week rekindled speculation over his potential health problems, analysts said on Friday.

Going on previous previous news reports of his phenomenal prowess, he's probably developing a cure for Covid-19 in his spare time, but it's taking a day or two longer than the ten minutes he expected.

[cornishcarlos]

To be fair, he does epitomize the "at risk" category...

Little chunky chappy...

[Tug]

That would be great if he’s dead and better yet let the north come out and join the world would be even better!!

[unamazedloso]

No confirmed cases of covid19 in north korea surprisingly but there is some reports the virus is there already taken over the border from china which they rely heavily on for trade. He quite possibly has covid19 or is scarred to get it. 

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

No confirmed cases of covid19 in north korea surprisingly but there is some reports the virus is there already taken over the border from china which they rely heavily on for trade. He quite possibly has covid19 or is scarred to get it. 

With that chunky body, that's an awful lot of 'scarring' needed to cover it all.

(sorry!)

[Matzzon]

This is good news! Unfortunately the party have to wait, due to state of emergence.

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

This is good news! Unfortunately the party have to wait, due to state of emergence.

If the chunky chappy has died, then there is the faint possibility of a 'state of emergence' from the decades of repression.

[Relocated]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Good news - fingers crossed he's dead

It won't make any difference. South will hesitate to annex for economic burden and China will not let it go free. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Retarded

[rabas]

3 minutes ago, Retarded said:

It won't make any difference. South will hesitate to annex for economic burden and China will not let it go free. 

Russia will surely miss their let's threaten the US with nukes buddy. Only Iran left.

[marko kok prong]

No,just constipation from all the Burgers he's been chomping down,after all was it not his grandfather who invented the Burger.

[Puchaiyank]

He may have caught the virus by kissing Chinese butts!  ????

[Ireland32]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

Good news - fingers crossed he's dead

His Sister is Worse

[Isaan sailor]

So China’s best bud, Little Rocketman might have WooHoo Flu?  We believe NK numbers about as much as we believe CCP numbers.

[Thongkorn]

6 hours ago, Tug said:

That would be great if he’s dead and better yet let the north come out and join the world would be even better!!

China would not let them

[Tropposurfer]

If the world is lucky this nitwit and all the elite swine that surround him will ass the virus amongst themselves and they'll all die. Then maybe the poor brainwashed people of the North can live a life free of despotic mad dictatorship.

[Patanawet]

3 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

So China’s best bud, Little Rocketman might have WooHoo Flu?  We believe NK numbers about as much as we believe CCP numbers.

Or Thai.

[Brigand]

He really does have a bad hair day everyday. No-one will miss him if he fails to report back in after he fled to the mountains (according to news reports).

[ExpatOilWorker]

10 hours ago, rabas said:

Russia will surely miss their let's threaten the US with nukes buddy. Only Iran left.

That theory does not gel well with the last 4 visits Kim made to Beijing.

Uncle Putin might still be in the game, but he is playing from the sideline. 

[timendres]

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He was also absent from photos released by party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun.

Good grief! The country cannot even afford Photoshop.

[torturedsole]

Probably exploded à la Mr Creosote in an eruption of vomit and bile.  

[liddelljohn]

Only sad bit is that with Covid 19 he wont be able to die screaming  like all his victims ..

 

If he does die hopefully North Korea can become a free nation and join the world

[Sujo]

Hope his sister Kim Yo Jong is ok, shes hot.

[bendejo]

Maybe popped across the border to SK for the 2-for-1 special at KFC.

 

No cases of the virus reported: yep, all the fascist leaders are trying like hell to push that one, he could have been in a Zoom conference with their likes explaining how it's done.

No worries, there will be a miracle soon.

 

 

[Iron Tongue]

I figure Lil' Kim is just too scared of catching covid-19 from the masses.

 

If Lil' Kim had died, we'd see military mobilization and deployment of troops in the cities as party leaders fight to choose the next Dear Leader.

[Justgrazing]

Bit of a porker Chairman Kim may be but check out those beautifully radiused right angles joining the sides to the top of his Barnet .. close to coiffured flat-top perfection I'd say .. 

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[lkv]

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

Hope his sister Kim Yo Jong is ok, shes hot.

Most likely she is infected also. 

 

It's good for her that she is skinny, unlike her obese brother.

[rosst]

Nasty little POS let us hope he carks it. 

[daveAustin]

On 4/18/2020 at 4:00 AM, Tug said:

That would be great if he’s dead and better yet let the north come out and join the world would be even better!!

For sure, and can't understand why someone would 'sad smiley' this post - the sanctity of life blah blah no doubt! This rotund gross individual and his ilk are an utter menace to their people and region. So, yes, let's hope they all go down and we have a united Korea!

[CharlieH]

Reported post with Trump variant removed.