NORTH KOREA - Over the last few years, dictator Kim Jong Un made sure that his presence will be visible and felt globally. But in the last week, he disappeared from the public view as rumors started to swirl that he may be under serious medical condition or even death.
While North Korea commemorated its country's most important holiday Kim did not appear on the 15th of April celebration which honors the country's founder.
Even the state-run media oddly has not released any photos from the latest weapons test wherein the leader usually watches for approval as official statements from the country have curiously missed any direct comments about Kim himself.
Speculations circulate in the media that the 36-year-old dictator is recovering from major surgery, dead, or gravely ill, and U.S. intelligence is currently figuring out what is really going on to secure what Kim is up to.
Moreover, media outlets from North Korea have kept mum about the circulating rumors and continue to act as if it is business as usual in their country.
They even published updated or old statements from Kim about the country's economy and other topics, the bottom line is that they want to share that everything is fine.
The speculations could be true as the North Korea dictator disappeared weeks before, only to show up in public as if nothing ever happened.
The COVID-19 outbreak has also impacted the country, and the dictator may be taking precautionary measures to avoid infection.
Believed suffering from severe gout, Kim is known for having poor health. Aside from the rumored gout, the North Korean leader is obese and a cigarette smoker which can be factors for complications.
By the time the South Korean media outlet insinuated Kim's absenteeism which might be because of post-surgery complications, the story became global.
Former State Department official who worked on North Korea, Mintaro Oba shared that the possibility that he is sick in some way is something we have to keep in mind.
As of the moment, no country has confirmed the status of Kim's health and it is important to avoid future conflict.
The beginning of the rumors
The 15th of April is one of the most important days in North Korea as it is the date when the founder and Kim Jong Un's grandfather Kim Il Sung was born.
North Korea stops on that specific date every year to honor its great founder for a celebration they call the "Day of the Sun", as the elder Kim is viewed by many in the country as a deity.
Kim's grandfather became an important figure in the younger Kim's reign, as he tried to emulate his grandfather up to the point of even dressing like the elder as a way of legitimizing his rule.
Kim's absence on the day his grandfather has been honored raised many eyebrows.
North Korea expert at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, Cheong Seong-chang shared that for Kim Jong Un not visiting the Kumsusan Palace on April 15 is all but unthinkable in North Korea. It is the closest thing to blasphemy in the North.
