Kim Jong Un appears in public after rumors of ill health

On May 1st, 2020, rumors spread concerning the health status of North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un after he failed to attend the country’s most important national holiday event. The speculations heightened when international sources started reporting that the leader was in a critical condition following his botched heart surgery. The rumors quickly catapulted into global headlines, prompting a flurry of media activity as people worldwide looked out for any new developments concerning the North Korean supreme leader’s condition. Finally, after more than twenty days of scorching speculations, Kim Jong Un appeared in public on May 2nd, signaling the end of weeks of talks over his ill-health status.

Speculations over Kim’s health began when he skipped the celebration of the birthday of his grandfather, who founded the ruling dynasty in North Korea. This was unusual, given the event is an important one on the country’s calendar and that Kim has never missed it before. The absence also came amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea. With the hermit country’s weak health infrastructure, the possibility of the virus reaching the leader was high, sparking debates on his health.

Immediately after Kim’s public reappearance, the state media dispelled the rumors, claiming that he had attended the opening of a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, south of Pyongyang, on May 1st. The report also acknowledged that the leader had carried out several public activities, including overseeing military drills and sending letters to foreign leaders during the period, in which the rumors heighted. This proved false information that led to global anxiety.

Confusion over the North Korean leader’s fitness escalated when Daily NK, an online publication that primarily covers news from North Korea, reported that Kim had undergone a botched heart surgery. The report indicated that Kim had missed an event at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where his father and grandfather’s bodies lie. Afterward, several international media outlets sought to verify the report with varying degrees of success due to the difficulty in accessing information from the reclusive North Korean regime.

The absence of concrete and reliable information from North Korea’s government intensified speculation. However, the few images released showed that Kim might not have faced any technical health issues that reflected his leadership skills. One such picture showed him standing and smiling with a group of officials on April 11th. The move was meant to show that the North Korean leader was healthy and in charge.

In conclusion, the rumor mill in North Korea has long been active, and the recent events were nothing new. However, Kim’s appearance in Sunchon brought some calm amidst an incredibly tense situation. Although the leader’s absence from the celebration had sparked debates about his health, the reports of his death or critical condition were never confirmed. The episode was a reminder of how little is known about the inner operations of the secretive North Korean regime.