Kim Jong Un’s thinner look prompts health speculation
SEOUL — The health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has long been a source of morbid fascination in rival South Korea, which sits in the shadow of Kim’s 1.2-million-strong army and his growing arsenal of nuclear-armed missiles.
Has he gained even more weight? Is he struggling for breath after relatively short walks? What about that cane? Why did he miss that important state anniversary?
Now, the 37-year-old faces fresh speculation in the South about his health. But this time, it’s because he’s noticeably slimmer.
Kim’s health matters in Seoul, Washington, Tokyo and other world capitals because he hasn’t publicly anointed a successor who, in the event of his incapacitation or death, would control an advancing nuclear program targeting the United States and its allies. North Korea, never open about the internal workings of its leadership, has over the last year shut itself up even tighter to protect against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent state media images, including those published Wednesday, Kim appeared to have lost a large amount of weight. The strap on his fancy watch is tighter, and his face thinner. Some observers say Kim — who is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and has previously weighed more than 300 pounds — may have lost about 20 to 40 pounds.
Kim’s apparent weight loss is more likely an attempt to improve his health rather than a sign of illness, according to Hong Min, a senior analyst at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says the economic difficulties now facing his country are akin to the 1990s famine that killed hundreds of thousands.
“If he was experiencing health problems, he wouldn’t have come out in public to convene the plenary meeting of the Workers’ Party’s Central Committee,” a major political conference this week that is expected to last two to three days, Hong said.
Kim, known for heavy drinking and smoking, comes from a family with a history of heart problems. His father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before him, both died of heart issues. Experts have said his weight could increase the possibility of cardiovascular disease.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it had no information to share about Kim’s health. His slimmer look has been the focus of keen interest in South Korea, with media outlets publishing photos of his previous and current appearances.
Seo Yu-Seok of the Seoul-based Institute of North Korean Studies said the North’s recent creation of a first secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party, the country’s No. 2 job, might have been related to Kim’s possible health issues. He said Kim may have allowed creation of the post at the urging of top officials but still hasn’t named anyone to the job because it could loosen his grip on power.
The summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in was President Biden’s second in-person meeting with a foreign ally as he tries to shift U.S. focus to Asia.
“If Kim faces a real health problem and is in a condition in which he can’t express his opinions, though he isn’t dead, who will make a decision to name the first secretary?” Seo said.
When global speculation flared about Kim’s health last year after he missed the commemoration of the birthday of his late grandfather, some analysts speculated that his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, was next in line to inherit her brother’s power. Others said a collective leadership was also possible.
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