Seoul: A top South Korean official said his country remains confident there have been no ‘unusual developments’ in North Korea. The official said that rumors about the possible ill health of leader Kim Jong Un are untrue.
South Korea’s assertions
Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul talked about Kim’s health here Sunday to a closed-door forum. He said South Korea has ‘enough intelligence to confidently say that there are no unusual developments’ regarding Kim’s health. The minister however, said he would not reveal what specific intelligence led to that conclusion.
Health rumours about Kim Jong Un
Rumors about Kim’s health began after he missed the April 15 commemoration. It was held on the occasion of the 108th birthday of his grandfather Kim Il Sung. Kim is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea. He hadn’t missed the event, one of the most important in the North, since assuming power in late 2011.
The unification minister’s comments are a reiteration of earlier South Korean statements. Those had said that Kim appeared to be handling state affairs normally. No unusual activities had been detected in North Korea also. Those comments however, failed to dispel the rumors about Kim. North Korea’s state media’s silence on their leader also fuelled speculation.
Nuclear weapons programme
Kim is the absolute leader of a country with a nuclear weapons programme. Si his health is matter of intense interest both regionally and globally. If something were to happen to Kim, some experts say it could lead to instability in North Korea.
South Korea’s presidential office earlier said it has information that Kim has been staying out of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital. There has been no emergency readiness order issued by the North’s military or the ruling Workers’ Party. Usually these two bodies would have come into limelight if Kim were truly in serious condition.
Satellite photos
Satellite photos released Saturday by ‘38 North’, a website specialising in North Korea studies also did not say anything on Kim. Some photos showed a train likely belonging to Kim has been parked at his compound.
“The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health. However, it does lend weight to reports that Kim is staying on the country’s eastern coast,” ‘38 North’ said.
AP
