North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ‘in grave danger after heart surgery’
South Korea said there were no signs of ‘unusual movements’ in North Korea
A US official was quoted by CNN citing intelligence that Kim’s health was critical
Kim unusually missed the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on April 15
An outlet run by North Korean defectors said he was recovering from surgery
South Korea said today that Kim Jong-un appeared to be handling state affairs as usual, dismissing reports that the North Korean dictator was in ‘grave danger’ after heart surgery.
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The South said there were no ‘unusual movements’ in North Korea and that Kim was thought to be with his aides near Pyongyang, not recovering at a villa as reports had claimed.
Fears had been raised after an unnamed US official was quoted by CNN saying Washington was monitoring intelligence that Kim was in a critical condition.
Daily NK, an outlet run mostly by North Korean defectors, said Kim had undergone a cardiovascular procedure and was recovering at a villa in North Phyongan province.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited a government official describing reports that Kim was seriously ill as ‘not true’.
Kim, 36, was last seen at a government meeting on April 11, and was mysteriously absent from the celebration of his late grandfather Kim Il-Sung’s birthday on April 15.
It is unclear what would happen next if fears that Kim is ‘incapacitated or worse’ were to prove correct, but his sister Kim Yo-jong is among the senior politicians who could be in line to take control.
The North has imposed even tighter restrictions than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic – although it claims to have no cases.
Senior party and government officials celebrate the 108th anniversary of founder Kim Il-Sung’s birth in Pyongyang on April 15 – a ceremony which Kim Jong-un inexplicably missed
South Korea’s presidential Blue House said: ‘We have no information to confirm regarding rumours about Chairman Kim Jong-un’s health issue that have been reported by some media outlets.
‘Also, no unusual developments have been detected inside North Korea.’
The Blue House later said Kim was believed to be staying at an unspecified location outside of Pyongyang with some of his close confidants.
It said Kim appeared to be normally engaged with state affairs and there weren’t any unusual movements or emergency reactions from the North’s ruling party, military or Cabinet.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing was aware of reports about the health of Kim, but said it does not know their source, without commenting on whether it has any information about the situation.
A different US official, speaking to the Associated Press, said the White House was already aware of fears about Kim’s health before the latest reports surfaced on Monday night.
The official said the US had information that Kim may have undergone surgery and that complications may have rendered him ‘incapacitated or worse’.
But they stressed that the US had nothing to confirm whether the surgery had taken place or that any complications had occurred.
‘We just don’t know,’ said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House and State Department had no comment.
Daily NK, citing unidentified sources inside the isolated state, said Kim was recovering at a villa in the Mount Kumgang resort county of Hyangsan on the east coast after getting the procedure on April 12 at a hospital there.
Kim’s health has deteriorated in recent months due to heavy smoking, obesity and overwork, the Daily NK report said.
‘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 as saying, referring to the country’s sacred mountain.
The dictator’s health fears come after reports that North Korean authorities had admitted in public lectures that coronavirus was spreading in the country, contradicting the regime’s claims that there are no cases.
There was no indication that Kim had contracted the deadly respiratory disease, also known as COVID-19.
The Unification Ministry, which deals with inter-Korean affairs, said it couldn’t confirm another report by Daily NK, which cited anonymous sources to report that Kim was recovering from heart surgery in the capital Pyongyang and that his condition was improving.
South Korea’s government-backed Institute for National Security Strategy says Kim has purged more than 300 people since taking power.
The dictator’s death or incapacitation would likely result in a power struggle because Kim has not specifically named a successor.
Among those who are seen as likely candidates who may try to take the top leadership position are Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong.
She was named as an alternate member of the politburo at the April 11 meeting where Kim was last seen in public, and has represented the North Korean government in dealings with the South.
Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said Kim Yo-jong is already exercising significant influence within the government.
However, it is thought more likely that a top party leader would take over from Kim.
Given that two of the three members of the Politburo Standing Committee are older, its third member, Chairman of the Organization and Guidance Department Choe Ryong Hae, is seen as a likely candidate, reports NKNews.
Upon the sudden death of Kim Jong-Un, formal rules and regulations in the system will likely play a role in deciding 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.
However, those votes would likely be formalities after the real decision was made elsewhere, possibly fuelling a power struggle.
Speculation about Kim’s health was first raised after he missed the celebration of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung’s birthday on April 15.
Kim failed to attend the annual Day of the Sun ceremony for the first time, sparking speculation about his health amid the coronavirus pandemic.The celebration and holiday to mark the birth of his grandfather is deeply significant and Kim Jong-Un has not missed it since taking power in 2011.
Neither Kim nor his sister attended the ceremony at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, despite many of his senior officials appearing at the wreath laying.
Kim was pictured presiding over the Workers’ Party politburo meeting on April 11. On April 12, the North’s official news state media KCNA reported that Kim had inspected drills by fighter jets at an air defence unit.
State media reported Kim sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad last week and a ‘birthday spread’ to a North Korean woman who turned 100 on Monday, although he was not seen in public.
In 2014, Kim dropped out of sight for nearly six weeks before reappearing with a cane. Days later, the South’s spy agency said he had undergone surgery to remove a cyst from his ankle.
‘No-one knows what’s going on inside North Korea,’ said Martyn Williams, who is affiliated with the 38 North research website.
‘Kim Jong Il had been dead several days before it was announced and it took everyone by surprise,’ he tweeted.
‘Kim Jong-un has been ‘missing’ before, and has always reappeared. That said, his absence this week was more notable.’
But political analysts believe his conspicuous absence on Wednesday could point towards a political message Kim wants to send, that he wants to step away from the ‘cult of personality’ surrounding the ruling dynasty.
It also comes after a massive reshuffle of his inner circle on Saturday, in which a third of his leadership council were given their marching orders.
His sister, believed to be in her thirties, was also reinstated in her role as propaganda chief after being booted out over last year’s bungled talks with Donald Trump.
‘Kim Jong-Un wants to break away from the past, as well as the North’s traditional cult of personality,’ said Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector and researcher in Seoul.
‘His message is that Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung’s times are now over,’ he told AFP.
‘He wants to come across and brand himself as a leader who is modern and competent, rather than a descendant of his predecessors.
‘And he wants to gradually tone down the idolisation of the two late leaders as it goes against his agenda to brand the North as a ‘normal state’.’
Alternatively, Kim may have been advised to stay away from public gatherings because of coronavirus, despite Pyongyang’s claims that it has zero cases of Covid-19. There have been major outbreaks in neighbouring South Korea and China.
Although his age does not put him in a high-risk category, it is feared that his heavy drinking, smoking and obesity would put the 36-year-old at grave risk if he were to catch coronavirus.
Kim has been highly active in recent weeks and has been pictured out inspecting his military, sometimes with officers wearing face masks, while he does not.
Kim was a relative unknown to the West when he ascended to power replacing his father, Kim Jong-il.
His older half-brother Kim Jong-nam had once been seen as the likely successor, but fell out of favour and was later assassinated in Malaysia in 2017.
The ruling party’s claim to legitimacy has its roots in Kim Il Sung’s fight against Korea’s Japanese colonisers and for years the North’s official propaganda has promoted Kim Jong-Un’s resemblance to his grandfather, in appearance, manner, and even handwriting.
Under Kim, experts say research shows that North Korea has not stopped developing nuclear weapons despite ‘denuclearization’ talks with the US.
North Korea could have built up to 40 nuclear weapons by the end of 2019 – a dozen more than Kim Jong-un had the same time the year before, researchers claim.
Donald Trump met Kim to discuss the possibility of giving up his nukes in Vietnam in February of last year, but talks stalled after North Korea demanded immediate relief from US sanctions in return for only partial steps toward disarmament.
By year’s end, Kim announced his country’s self-imposed moratorium on testing nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles was over.
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Tom Validakis
3 years ago
He’s actually brain dead.
santashandler
3 years ago
He should have been thinking about his health when he was doing all that drinking, smoking and no doubt eating crap. Did he really think just because he was the leader of that sh*thole, that he could somehow be “the one” who would never suffer any consequences of his lifestyle? He has only himself to blame.
Actually, we have no idea of Kim’s health. He could be dancing a jig as I type. Remember, reports of his illness were covered by CNN. The reputable news organizations have him conducting government duties.
Yes, he could very well be in great health. However, just take one look at that fat tub and he must be a candidate for diabetes at the very least. He ain’t going to be running any marathons anytime soon.
Careful, CNN screwed up again:
South Korea is still poo-pooing this story: “No unusual signs about N.K. leader’s health: government sources” https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200421003653325?section=nk/nk
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) — South Korea has seen no unusual signs suggesting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ill, government officials said Tuesday, after CNN reported that Kim is “in grave danger after a surgery.”
“There is nothing unusual going on in North Korea. It’s not true,” a government official told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, referring to the CNN report that cited an unidentified “U.S. official with direct knowledge” of the matter.
Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok also said that nothing unusual has been detected in the North.
“No unusual signs have been identified inside North Korea,” Kang said. “There is nothing we can confirm with regard to Chairman Kim’s alleged health problem.”
I read that, in both the Chosun Ilbo and Munhwa Ilbo. the Chosun Ilbo has really gone down hill in the past few decades. But, that’s a totally different conversation to be held at another time.
I start with Yonhap News, because they are a bit better for N. Korea news. They are center-left though. https://en.yna.co.kr/
So last night Trump said oil would bounce back, and it’s now at $9.
I believe the Munhwa Ilbo to do a far better job of covering the northern part of the peninsula.
The May is up to around nine, but the June contract is down close to 8 bucks, at the time of this comment, at 12.43.
I’ve never seen negative prices. The closest that I can recall was sugar trading at two tenths of a penny per pound. But, yesterday was margin call selling. You cannot wire in fast enough and they just blew every long out of the water.
Imagine getting long a cak of May at ten bucks. You say to yourself, “Well, even if she goes to zero, I’m only out ten large.” The next thing that you know, that option is trading negative 40 and your out fifty large a cak. TOO forkin’ funny.
Seriously, I covered all short WTI at 32 dollah-ho-hollah. I had an average of around 59 per bbl. I had eleven caks. That one trade made me more than I made for the past two years combined. I couldn’t believe it.
Well … the old maxim is “Let your profits run” …. but, I’ve never been one for old adages.
It’s good to know you’re happy. Here are a few notes about Covid-19 mortality in context, from STATnews, a medical website: https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/09/its-difficult-to-grasp-the-projected-deaths-from-covid-19-heres-how-they-compare-to-other-causes-of-death/
A mortality rate of “60,000, is a little more than the capacity of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. It is the number of passengers in 180 full jumbo jets. It is more than the number of U.S. combat deaths in the Vietnam War… About 8,000 Americans die every day from diseases and other natural causes… We do not try to calculate how many of the Covid-19 deaths “substitute” for other deaths; that is an important calculation that researchers will be eager to do once the crisis passes.”
How will researchers be able to perform “important calculations” when a goodly number of reported Covid-19 deaths weren’t even tested to see if the deceased was even infected?
Well they can do that from lab samples that are kept post-mortem. And not all deceased have to be tested. Just a representative random sample is needed. [I am not defending the lousy mortality estimates that are now going on.]
Here is another piece of context: “A mortality of 3,000 in 9/11 triggered a multi-trillion dollar ongoing war against terrorism.”
That’s about as accurate as spitting directly into a Super Typhoon (SUSTAINED winds of 155 mph, with gusts much higher).
If ANY accuracy is to be had EVERYONE, where Covid-19 was given as cause of death, NEEDS to be tested. There are NO accurate statistics without it. Whether it was the actual cause of death, or not, the deceased should, at the very least, have had it.
What is being done is akin to writing ever automobile accident, involving a fatality, cause of death as vehicular homicide. Perhaps, that’s not even as bad, as at least it would involve an automobile. How about every accident, even falling from a roof, as vehicular homicide … That’s about what they’re doing with Covid-19. Moreover, they’re making it more lucrative to do so.
OK. What did you think of the comparable mortality scenarios mentioned? I was especially struck by 9/11, where 3,000 mortalities launched a multiyear war. This is not the past, where epidemics were not much tracked, were not stopped, and people cared little unless their own city or region was hit. The bubonic plague that tormented China from 1885 to the 1950s was seldom noticed in the West, but 12 million were lost. Now 3,000 mortalities seem catastrophic.
If 3000 struck the leaders as “catastrophic”, ganny land would have been decimated. Full scale war. None of this silly little girl “rules of engagement”. Scorched earth with NO survivors. Not one man, woman, or child to escape. The way that it was treated … the rulers didn’t think that it was catastrophic.
You aren’t familiar with ganny land? They’ve even named long haired dogs after it.
This is how war has been fought for milenia: What you see before you is your enemy. You are to kill the enemy. ALL of the enemy. Do not let one survivor escape.
Then, there is no way that the “terrorists” can be scattered. As everyone, yes everyone, is dead. Kill them all. Take no prisoners. Hunt down every survivor and kill them. Let NO one escape. Today’s child is tomorrow’s enemy.
Yeah but I don’t want to bomb any dogs! But on a semi-serious note, now that you have some money , don’t forget to buy a house. Nobody is buying real estate right now, houses are cheap, and mortgages are also cheap.
I already own, what’s the saying(?) More than ten but fewer than fifty. As far as mortgages go. I haven’t had a mortgage since the early nineties. If you can’t write a check, don’t buy.
I haven’t borrowed money since … I think … 1992. After going from wealthy to absolutely broke, I changed my evil ways. I didn’t file for bankruptcy. I didn’t negotiate my debts down. Even paid off back taxes.
Since then, we don’t go out. We keep our thermostat at 58F, in the winter and don’t run AC at all. Buy one reasonably priced vehicle, every three years. That goes to my wife. I take her hand-me-downs. My truck is an ’04 Silverado six banger with more rust than body.
Try to be generous with charities and that’s about it. Kids make excellent money and their spouses do as well. I swore, close to thirty years ago … I would never be poor again. I don’t need to be rich, but I ain’t gonna be poor. I limit my gun habit. I don’t even go to auctions where a Boss, Purdey, or the like is listed.
Simple wants make for an easy life.
If anyone is looking to take your advice and buy a house … If they do, they should look into whether that state as “Transfer Upon Death”. One of the very few things that Nohio has going for it …. it is one of those states.
We’re not an LLC or C corp., or the like. Simple sole proprietors. We own all of our houses Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship. Yet, without even having our children’s name of the deed, they’re listed on the “Transfer upon Death”. Of course, the same laws of inheritance apply, whether federal estate tax or state inheritance tax … but the properties transfer, probate free … and immediately. No fancy trusts, that may or may not work, simply adding names.
Then, its’ up to them to fight it out. Sell and split the proceeds or continue to rent them and divide the monthly rent. Property managers, good ones, can still be had for 10% of the rent. So, it could be a nice income stream, even split three ways.
So, for those considering real estate …. which you, DemocracyRules, recommend …. look into whether your state has “Transfer on Death”.
I was shocked how many states have this. Then, I wondered why ALL states don’t have it. Could be a strong attorney-at-law lobby wanting to keep their probate fees.
Look at that little fat bastard. It is probably some new and exotic STD from all his whoredogging around with some random unwilling slut.
ed
3 years ago
With the heavy smoking and obesity issues, how was he ever able to beat Dennis Rodman in one-on-one basketball so many times, outscoring Rodman by at least 100 points EVERY game ???
No. It actually takes him eighteen strokes to finish the course. Only his grandfather, Eternal President Kim, Il Sung could do that. He was/is the only one to complete an eighteen hold course with only one stroke.
Makes one think that if he weren’t from one of the most secretive countries in the world, Li’l Kim could have been the greatest athlete in the history of Planet Earth…….
He is a bit young for heart surgery but considering he is quite obese and never seems to do anything beyond walking it is possible.
David Square
3 years ago
It can’t be heart surgery because King Fatty III does not have one. If it is Covid-19, then he will be required to shoot himself. He did say that anyone in North Korea with corona virus would be executed on sight.
Robert Kahlcke
3 years ago
We could call him and ask how he’s feeling, that would be a nice gesture.
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