North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has yet to make a public appearance since he underwent heart surgery on April 12th and rumors are swirling. Kim reportedly had a stent put in his heart after he collapsed. Although North Korea has historically been private, even untruthful when it comes to the health of its leadership, new information continues to leak.
Japan’s magazine Shukan Gendai reported that Kim collapsed “during a visit to a rural area in April” and after a stent was placed, Kim was left in a “vegetative state.” The magazine painted the story of how the surgeon did not have experience with patients as obese as Kim and was incredibly nervous to perform the operation on the dictator.
Over the weekend Reuters announced that China had sent a team of medical experts to North Korea, reportedly to assist in the dictator’s care. Sources reported to be on the trip are keeping quiet regarding Kim’s health. Public awareness of Kim’s absence began earlier this month when he did not appear at North Korea’s “Day of the Sun” celebration. The holiday honors the birth of Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, an important event which caused suspicion when Kim was not in attendance.
Japan’s magazine reports and awareness of the Chinese sending a team to North Korea gives reason to believe it will become harder and harder for North Korea to control the narrative on Kim’s health. One simple video or public appearance from Kim could squash speculation, but he has not been seen since April 11th, the day before his surgery.
Just today, a state-run North Korean newspaper, The Rodong Sinmun, attempted to squash rumors by reporting on a letter Kim Jong Un reportedly wrote. “Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has sent his appreciation to the workers who devoted themselves to building the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone” revealed the Rodong Sinmun. Other rumors circulating were that Kim may have been injured during a missile test and that one of his bodyguards was suspected to have contracted COVID-19 forcing Kim to go into hiding. Nonetheless, it is virtually impossible to verify information that comes out of a country that claimed it had zero cases of COVID.
