We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
NORTH KOREAN LEADER Kim Jong-Un has finally resurfaced with the help of a walking stick after a prolonged, unexplained absence that fuelled rampant speculation about his health and even rumours of a coup in the nuclear-armed state.
State media reports that Kim, who had not been seen in public for nearly six weeks, made an inspection tour of a newly-built housing complex in Pyongyang and a science institute.
The front page of the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun was mostly taken up with a large close-up portrait of a smiling Kim, photographed from the waist upwards.
The daily carried smaller, full-length photos showing Kim leaning on a black walking stick in his left hand as he toured the residential complex built for scientists working on North Korea’s satellite programme.
The visit was also reported by state TV, but using the same pictures and without any video footage, making it impossible to judge just how mobile Kim was. The official KCNA news agency said:
Looking over the exterior of the apartment houses and public buildings, decorated with diverse coloured tiles, (Kim) expressed great satisfaction, saying they looked very beautiful.
KCNA did not specify the date of the visit, but the agency usually reports such events the day after.
It also made no mention of Kim’s absence from the public eye and offered no insight into his physical wellbeing.
Kim, believed to be 30 or 31, dropped out of sight after attending a music concert with his wife in Pyongyang on September 3.
While there is precedent for a North Korean leader to “disappear” for a while, the absence was more noticeable with Kim, who has maintained a particularly pervasive media presence since coming to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in late 2011.
Multiple rumours
Competing theories on his disappearance ranged widely from an extended rest period to a leadership coup, via a long list of possible illnesses and ailments including broken ankles, gout and diabetes.
The rumours multiplied after Kim failed to attend a major political anniversary event on Friday, at which other top leaders were present.
The only North Korean mention of a possible health problem came in a state TV documentary several weeks ago which spoke of Kim’s “discomfort”.
Kim, a heavy smoker, has shown striking weight gain since coming to power and recent TV footage had shown him walking with a pronounced limp.
Kim Yeon-Chul, a North Korea expert at Inje University in the South, said:
It’s still not clear how much he has recovered from the apparent ‘discomfort’ or how serious it was.
“The important thing is that this really corroborates observations by South Korea, China and the United States that Kim is ruling normally.”
Given the supreme importance of the leadership of the Kim family dynasty in North Korea, there had been speculation that a further extended absence might lead to a period of instability.
His reappearance followed a rare exchange of heavy machine-gun fire over the inter-Korean border on Friday, after the North’s military tried to shoot down some leaflet-laden balloons launched by South Korean anti-Pyongyang activists.
‘We created the frenzy’
Some analysts suggested Pyongyang had not moved to silence the rumour mill earlier because it craves international attention, especially attention motivated by uncertainty.
“But then it’s not as if they had a plan to not show the leader for a month and let the world go into a frenzy. We created the frenzy ourselves,” said John Delury, a North Korea expert at Yonsei University in Seoul.
The North’s propaganda machine has always pushed an image of Kim Jong-Un as young and dynamic, but Delury said it would have little problem spinning the walking stick.
Assuming this is what it looks like — not a life-threatening or debilitating condition — they’ll probably push the line that he hurt himself working for the country and the people.
The narrator of the TV documentary in late September said Kim had kept up his field guidance trips “despite suffering discomfort”.
Kim was accompanied on his visit to the residential complex by several top officials including Hwang Pyong-So, the vice chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission who is widely seen as Kim’s number two.
Hwang led a top-ranking North Korean delegation that made a surprise visit to the South just over a week ago.
Thank god he’s alright, I was getting worried
Me too. The whole thing was a bit anticlimatic, mind, but at least he’s back, sexy as ever. He even looks like my husband, Mr Shalakalananaka with that walking stick, except Korean not Irish. Other than that, it’s eerie, their resemblance.
He was away at the Ryder Cup. Sure his father was a great golfer.
He just appeared driving a tricycle, waving a baton, saying “respect my authoritah “
He’s after becoming the same shape as Cartman, not far to go
He wasn’t missing but rather just using his power of invisibility
That’s not a walking stick, it’s a pointing stick. His recent absence was caused by pointing finger exhaustion – the man is a machine for work, he’s pointed at more things in his short career than his father did in his lifetime. Great to have you back Un, I’ve been lost this past month, not knowing where to look without your wise indication of direction.
Kim Jong Notgone.
I see he’s got “the step” had that myself in the early 90′s!
Walking with a limp,like an old school pimp
Ankle damage caused by jubilant jumping after playing 18 holes in 17 shots on ‘most difficut gof coirs evaah’ while wearing blindfold and using only Denis Rodmans putter.
I reckon kim (AKA Eric cartman) was at home eating cheesy puffs watching Little Britan for the past few weeks
He nearly ate himself into the ground. Ironic in such an awful country.
heard he was composing new national anthem,
“I’m a little Despot , short and stout…”
Kim Jong Unwell
He was “freelin rone ree “
WTF…..I met Kim in Ballinascloe horse fair the other day. He bought a jennet from a man from near me. The old jennet was only fit for burgers but Kim bought him all the same. Taking him back to North Korea for breeding purposes I was told. Good luck to him on that one, I say.
Ballinasloe horse fair mmmmmm!
Now Kim may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he knows good jennet flesh when he sees it.
Legend
He’s 31?! He should start taking berocca and sign up for a fun run.
A Gimp with a Limp
Men want to be him, ladies want to be with him. Oh, and some men want to be with him as well.
He’s probably got Gout from all that over indulgence!
Maybe he was fasting in the desert??????……
He was more likely feasting on the dessert
Farting like a despot!
Pity he didn’t do the willy wonka roll.
Evil thug why don’t us invade and set the long suffering brainwashed people of North Korean free
I’m delighted to hear that our comrade Kim Jung Un is well and back in in the limelight. The Western corporate slavish media have an obsession with him, but that is understandable, it is mostly because they fear him and are jealous. He is a stalwart of strength and independence against Western Imperialist and colonialist expansion.
The lies and misinformation written about Kim Jung Un and the DPRK is astoundingly ridiculous , all written of course by the usual slavish corporate hacks that sprout misinformation, drivel, and outright lies, RTÉ and “The Journal” being but two of them.
There’s always one…
Slavish corporate hacks like Amnesty International and former North Korean defectors? And what corporation do you suppose instructed them to highlight DPRK’s gross human rights abuses (which even North Korea themselves are slowly starting to come clean on?) Please, explain to us how things really are, because all those people who’ve actually been in North Korean prison are obviously brainwashed by western imperialists
If Seán McBride could see the entity he founded that currently calls itself “Amnesty International”, he would spin in his grave, Amnesty International was bought and sold by it’s directors to politicians and corporate interests a long time ago, I would trust Amnesty International as much as I would trust RTE… And that’s very little.
I’d happily chip into a crowd source fundraising campaign to buy you a one way ticket to North Korea on condition you were legally obliged to accept it and go…
And who did all the North Korean defectors sell out to?
Of course don’t mention the dozens of Western defectors that went to DPRK, They would have a more factual story to tell than so called defectors (spys) that left the DPRK and went to the US.
The DPRK has invaded no one, it has no puppet installed interests in the MiddleEast, it has not armed Israel or ISIS or other terrorist states/entities, it has not sent it’s soldiers to occupy other countries, and yet the Western journalists are obsessed with Kim Jung Un and his leadership of a sovereign nation, ask yourself why.
Yes, I’m sure the dozens of western defectors (or the several foreign citizens that Kim Jong-il admitted to kidnapping) would tell a much more factual story after they finish their requisite 7 years of studying Kim il-Sung propaganda and are paraded on TV over there. If all the 100-300,000 estimated North Korean defectors worldwide were spies as you claim it’d be a pretty incredible network for such a supposedly benign regime to maintain. So if North Korea are so innocent of all wrongdoing (the Korean War was all Western propaganda of course), why do you think the west cares about them? You’re obviously implying that there’s something worthwhile to be gained by overthrowing Kim (other than security), although I’d have thought if DPRK had any worthwhile resources their population wouldn’t be starving.
He’s been busy trying to delete U2 songs from his new iphone 6 plus (plus plus plus) Obama sent him…
Bonner maher pulled across him in the all ireland final as he went in to score his 103rd goal. Of that game.
He looks like a doppelganger
If you had 40 “girlfriends” you would need a walking stick too.
He has been spotted in Louth, Belfast and Donegal.
I seen him directing traffic in killarney last weekend!!
He was busy breaking his late father’s record of 13 hole in ones in a single round of Golf! Rory who?
The pudgy, lovable little tyrant will be able to use his stick to provide better ‘on the spot guidance’ to the ‘happiest people on earth’.
Nobody is in a rush over there Tristan, yourself included. That is all I need to know.
Looks a cardboard cut out been wheeled around hahaha
Langball … Fell off the box..and broke his knob..
have your say