NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is fighting for his life and in “grave danger” after having secret emergency heart surgery, say reports.
It’s claimed the US is closely monitoring his health after he underwent a complex cardiovascular procedure earlier this month.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is in grave danger after a surgery, reports say
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is in grave danger after a surgery, reports sayCredit: AFP
Kim missed the April 15 celebration of his grandfather’s birthday, prompting speculation about his health
Kim missed the April 15 celebration of his grandfather’s birthday, prompting speculation about his healthCredit: Credit: Pen News
Some reports claim it is not known if Kim is “dead or alive” with one senior White House reporter for Bloomberg saying she’s been told Trump officials are already looking into who would be in line for succession.
NBC News claimed he was “brain dead” though the tweet making the claim was later deleted “out of an abundance of caution”.
However, both South Korea and China have said they believe the reports are unfounded.
North Korea’s supreme leader, 36, missed the celebration of his grandfather Kim Il Sung’s birthday on April 15, first raising speculation about his health.
He was last seen on April 11 at a government meeting, CNN, who broke the heart op story, reported.
Kim is currently recovering at a villa in the resort town of Hyangsan after undergoing a “cardiovascular surgical procedure” on April 12, South Korean news agency Daily NK reported
That’s the same day North Korean state media claimed he had visited an airbase and observed drills by fighter jets and attack aircraft.
Kim’s health had deteriorated in recent months because of heavy smoking, obesity, and overwork, according to the Daily NK report.
There was no indication Kim may have contracted COVID-19 – which has hit North Korea.
“My understanding is that he had been struggling (with cardiovascular problems) since last August but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu,” a source was quoted telling Daily NK, referring to Korea’s sacred mountain.
Kim left for the hospital after a meeting with the ruling Worker’s Party’s political bureau on April 11, when he was last seen in public.
The Unification Ministry – which deals with inter-Korean affairs – said it couldn’t confirm another report claiming Kim was recovering from heart surgery in the capital Pyongyang and that he was on the mend.
If Kim was to die it would spark a power struggle in the rogue state has he has not specifically named a successor.
However, among those who could step up is Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong.
Since representing North Korea at the 2018 Winter Olympics in neighbouring South Korea, she has acquired prestigious titles within the ruling Workers’ party.
She is also rumoured to be the brains behind Kim’s carefully constructed public image, at home and abroad.
Last month, she made her first public statement dubbing South Korea a “frightened dog barking” after it protested against a live-fire military exercise by the North.
And in March, she publicly praised Donald Trump for sending her brother a letter in which he offered help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
However, a top party leader is probably more likely to take the top job if something happens to Kim.
The Chairman of the Organization and Guidance Department Choe Ryong Hae, is seen as a likely candidate, reports NKNews.
Upon the sudden death of Kim, srict regulations are already in place to decide who will replace him.
If the leadership is split on a candidate, there may be a formal vote by the Central Committee.
A session of the Supreme People’s Assembly also could be convened to elect a head of state.
Accurate reports about the Kim family are virtually impossible to obtain due to strict reporting restrictions.
And the health of North Korea’s leader is one of the state’s most closely guarded secrets, typically only known to a chosen few in his inner circle.
He is reported to be so paranoid about leaks of his health information that he has travelled to international summits since 2018 with his own toilet, to prevent foreign agencies gleaning data from his urine and fecal matter.
However, his soaring weight has prompted frequent speculation about his health and in 2014 another public absence was attributed to gout – linked to his passion for red wine and cheese.
However, two South Korean government sources have said none of the reports are true and the presidential Blue House said there are no unusual signs coming from the North.
“We have no information to confirm regarding rumors about Chairman Kim Jong Un’s health issue that have been reported by some media outlets,” said Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok in a statement.
China’s communist party has also dismissed the reports and insist Kim is not critically ill.
Kim’s notable absence during North Korea’s most important holiday isn’t the first time he has been missing in action.
He vanished from the public eye for more than a month in September 2014, which also prompted rumors about his health.
Kim reappeared the following month sporting a cane – days later, South Korean intelligence said he had a cyst removed from his ankle, CNN reported.