[ad_1]
SEOUL – Amid mystery about North Korean dictator’s state of health Kim Jong-un, a representative of the South Korean government said the supreme leader is “alive and well.” In parallel, images of a train that possibly belongs to Kim were located at a resort in eastern North Korea, sparking speculation that the 36-year-old dictator could be there.
“The position of our government is firm,” said Moon Chung-in, chief foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. – Kim Jong-un is alive and well. He has been in the Wonsan region since April 13. To date, no suspicious movements have been detected.
Understand: What options are there for Kim Jong-un’s succession in North Korea?
On Saturday night, the American website 38North, which specializes in Korean affairs, posted satellite images likely showing Kim’s train at the Wonsan resort. The vehicle appears in photos captured April 21 and 23 at a station reserved for the Kim family. Although they prove nothing about the health or whereabouts of the North Korean leader, the images support the theory that Kim would be in the region, an area reserved for the elite on the country’s east coast.
Suspicions about Kim Jong-un’s state of health intensified on April 15, when he was not present at the anniversary ceremony of the country’s founder and grandfather’s birth, Kim Il-sung. The date is the most important on North Korea’s political calendar.
Analytical: Why is it difficult to know what is happening in North Korea?
According to the Daily NK website, run by North Korean defectors, Kim reportedly went to the hospital after chairing a summit meeting of the North Korean Workers’ Party on April 11, where he was last seen in public. Earlier this week, the portal reported, citing an unidentified source, that the North Korean leader was recovering after a cardiovascular procedure, which was said to have been carried out on April 12.
On Friday, the Reuters news agency reported that China had dispatched a team of medical experts to North Korea on Wednesday to provide advice on the North Korean leader. The agency, however, has so far been unable to determine what the Chinese team has said about Kim’s health. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond when asked.
North Korea’s reports are notoriously difficult to verify, especially on issues related to the country’s leadership, due to tight control over information. Kim has disappeared from the media this way on another occasion: In 2014, he was out of the spotlight for over a month, reappearing in video footage that showed him limping.
Unproven rumors are circulating online that the dictator was in serious condition after the surgery, as reported by the CNN television network, citing US intelligence reports. USA However, the information was contested not only by the South Korean government, but also by an official from the China Liaison Department.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump himself, whom Kim met twice, played down previous reports that Kim was seriously ill but wished the North Korean leader well. The next day, a source from South Korea told Reuters that Kim was alive and that he would likely appear soon, but did not comment on his current condition or any involvement of the Chinese government in the case.
The South Korean government was the main organizer of the resumption of peace negotiations between the south and north of the Korean peninsula in 2018, which led to the summits between Kim and Donald Trump. However, talks have stalled since 2019, due to differences between Washington and Pyongyang over easing sanctions against North Korea’s nuclear program.
