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North Korea Publishes Photos of Kim Jong Un Amid Death Rumors
· Confirmed
In Short: Photographs published by North Korea's state newspaper Rodong Sinmun show Kim Jong Un touring a clothing and footwear exhibition with his daughter, countering recent rumors of his death.
According to unverified social media posts, Wanjun Xie alleged that Kim suffered a severe brain hemorrhage and was transferred to Beijing for treatment.
Xie's claims, which included the unsubstantiated assertion that Kim had died and that China had dispatched troops to Pyongyang, were widely circulated online.
However, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported on September 30 that Kim weighed around 140kg but showed no significant signs of ill health.
North Korean state media reported that Kim visited the exhibition on October 19, although the photographs have not been independently authenticated.
The latest images, showing Kim inspecting children’s footwear and women’s coats, were published by North Korean state media on Monday.
Benedict Rogers, a North Korea analyst, noted that previous leaders’ deaths had prompted an “orchestrated outpouring of public grief,” including emotional newsreaders and crying crowds.
Despite the rumors, there would probably be signs beyond North Korea's borders if there were a sudden collapse in Kim's health.
South Korea’s Ministry of Unification’s Kim Jong Un tracking database shows appearances in August and September, but has not verified the Pyongyang appearance.
The posts provided no independently verifiable evidence supporting the claims.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim toured the exhibition on Monday, although the photographs have not been independently authenticated.
The exhibition account provides a more recent reported appearance than the October 11 museum visit cited in earlier coverage of the rumors.
For those who watch North Korea closely, this kind of rumor has become almost routine.
What's confirmed
- He claimed Kim later died and that his body had been secretly returned to North Korea, with the regime concealing his death.
What's still developing
- Yonhap reported on October 13, citing KCNA, that Kim Jong Un had attended the opening of the National Defence Revolution Museum on October 11 with Ri Sol Ju and Kim Ju Ae.
- On Sept. 30, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that Kim weighed roughly 140 kilograms — about 309 pounds — and faced an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease because of his severe obesity.
- Get full access to The Daily Beast for $1 Donald Trump said he doesn’t know whether he’ll meet North Korea’s supreme leader next month.
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