Jang Jin-sung, former propaganda officer for Kim Jong-il, told CNN that Kim Jong-un has not been the leader of North Korea since 2013. Jin-sung defected from North Korea 10 years ago, but told CNN that his "highly placed sources" state that the real power has assumed control: the Organization and Guidance Department.
Reports indicate that the Organization and Guidance Department, or OGD, is responsible for the hiring and firing of heads of state. The OGD was close to Kim Jong-il, but Jin-sung told CNN that they do not favor his successor.
While The Inquistr reports that Kim Jong-un's sister is in charge while he is convalescing, Pongyang, the capital of North Korea, remains locked down.
North Lorean expert Toshimitsu Shigemura said, "This sort of action suggests there has either been an attempted coup or that the authorities there have uncovered some sort of plot against the leadership. If it is a military-backed coup, then the situation in Pyongyang will be very dangerous, and I have heard reports that Kim has been moved out of the capital."
The anniversary of the founding of the Korean Worker's party is on October 10.
Al Jazeera reported that Kim's top officials attended the closing of the Asian Games yesterday in South Korea, in a rare gesture.
Journalist Alex Jensen told Al Jazeera, "With these senior figures [visiting], you have to fill in the blanks. You see two people who have held number two in the country. It's as big as it gets without having Kim Jong-un here."
