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Rumors Fly Amid Scant Info About Kim Jong Un's Health

William Gallo

   SEOUL - International media havе been filled with reports that North
   Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seriously ill. In reality, though, nothing
   is known about his condition.
   This week, several unconfirmed reports indicated Kim, an overweight
   36-year-old cigarette smoker with a history of health problems, had
   undergone a serious operation--possibly heart surgery.
   The speculation came after Kim was mysteriously absent from a key North
   Korean political anniversary last week.
   North Korean state media have stayed quiet on Kim's whereabouts and
   health status, but also suggest he is conducting business as usual.
   Timeline showing the key events surrounding Kim Jong Un's absence:
   April 11: Kim last appears in public at a meeting of North Korea's
   ruling party, where he called for a tougher response to the
   coronavirus. North Korea has insisted it has no coronavirus infections.
   April 12: Kim skips a key session of North Korea's rubber-stamp
   parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly. A Seoul-based website would
   later report that Kim received heart surgery on this day. The report
   has not been confirmed.
   April 14: North Korea conducts its latest round of short-range missile
   tests, according to South Korea. It's not clear if Kim oversaw the
   tests, since North Korean state media never reported the launches--a
   departure from the norm.
   April 15: Kim skips two major public celebrations on the birth
   anniversary of his late grandfather, the country's founding leader, Kim
   Il Sung. Analysts say Kim would need a very good reason to skip what is
   essentially North Korea's most important political holiday. However,
   state media report that flowers bearing Kim's name were left at a
   memorial.

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