North Korean state media has released new photographs of Kim Jong Un visiting an exhibition in Pyongyang, effectively countering widespread social media rumours that the leader had died from a brain haemorrhage. The unverified online claims had sparked intense international speculation about his health and a potential transfer of power to his sister, Kim Yo Jong. While independent journalists have not verified the recent public appearance, South Korean intelligence has previously highlighted that the supreme leader faces elevated cardiovascular risks linked to severe obesity.

North Korean state media has released new photographs of Kim Jong Un visiting an exhibition in Pyongyang, effectively countering widespread social media rumours that the leader had died from a brain haemorrhage. The unverified online claims had sparked intense international speculation about his health and a potential transfer of power to his sister, Kim Yo Jong. While independent journalists have not verified the recent public appearance, South Korean intelligence has previously highlighted that the supreme leader faces elevated cardiovascular risks linked to severe obesity.

North Korean state media has released new photographs of Kim Jong Un visiting an exhibition in Pyongyang, effectively countering widespread social media rumours that the leader had died from a brain haemorrhage. The unverified online claims had sparked intense international speculation about his health and a potential transfer of power to his sister, Kim Yo Jong. While independent journalists have not verified the recent public appearance, South Korean intelligence has previously highlighted that the supreme leader faces elevated cardiovascular risks linked to severe obesity.

North Korea has released new images of Kim Jong Un after there were widespread rumours of the country's leader dying due to a brain haemorrhage.

The country's state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), released the new photos on Tuesday, reporting that he visited a clothing and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19. He was accompanied by his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju.

The photographs show him looking at exhibits with his daughter. However, the event has not been verified by independent journalists and does not constitute an independent assessment of his medical condition.

He was last seen in public on October 11 when he toured a defense museum with his daughter at an undisclosed location in Pyongyang.

The social media posts alleging the medical emergency were traced to media posts made by Wanjun Xie, a US-based Chinese dissident associated with the China Democracy Party, by International Business Times UK. The posts provided no verifiable evidence to support the claims.

Xie had alleged that specialists from Peking Union Medical College Hospital travelled to North Korea after Kim suffered a severe brain haemorrhage and entered a coma.

He also claimed that Kim was subsequently transferred to the Beijing hospital, where he died before his body was secretly returned to North Korea.

He further alleged that China had deployed 9000 troops to Pyongyang amid the crisis.

There were also rumours of the supreme leader being transferred to a different hospital due to inadequate medical facilities in Pyongyang, which were reported by the Sun.

After the death rumours, there was widespread speculation that Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong had assumed control of the country.

However, this is unverified. Yo Jong recently warned of possible renewed loudspeaker broadcasts and an expansion of tactical strike capabilities amid tensions along the border, according to reports.

Experts say that Kim Yo Jong, who already holds a significant position in the nuclear-armed government, would step up and serve as the interim leader until Kim Ju Ae is old enough to take the reins. Ju Ae has not, however, been officially named as Kim's successor.

On September 30, South Korea's National Interline service told lawmakers that Kim weighed around 140 kilograms and faced an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease linked to severe obesity.

Rumours about Kim's health and death are not new. In 2020, social media posts claiming he died went viral after the NK leader disappeared from the public for several months. 

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