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KIM JONG UN has made his first public appearance in 20 days amid speculation about his health.
The North Korean leader cut the ribbon at the opening of a fertiliser factory in Sunchon at a ceremony with other senior officials.
These included his sister Kim Yo Jong, who many analysts predict would take over if her brother is suddenly unable to rule.
State media said workers at the factory broke into “thunderous cheers” for Kim, who it said is guiding the nation in a struggle to build a self-reliant economy in the face of “headwind” by “hostile forces”.
It was Kim’s first public appearance since 11 April, when he presided over a ruling Workers’ Party meeting to discuss the coronavirus and reappoint his sister as an alternate member of the powerful decision-making Political Bureau of the party’s Central Committee.
Speculation about his health ramped up after he missed the 15 April birthday celebration for his late grandfather Kim Il Sung, the country’s most important holiday, for the first time since taking power in 2011.
The possibility of high-level instability raised troubling questions about the future of the secretive, nuclear-armed state that has been steadily building an arsenal meant to threaten the US mainland while diplomacy between Kim and US President Donald Trump has stalled.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump declined to comment about Kim’s reappearance but said he would “have something to say about it at the appropriate time”.
State media reported Kim was carrying out routine activities outside public view, such as sending greetings to the leaders of Syria, Cuba and South Africa and expressing gratitude to workers building tourist facilities in the coastal town of Wonsan, where some speculated he was staying.
South Korea’s government, which has a mixed record of tracking Pyongyang’s ruling elite, repeatedly downplayed speculation that Kim, believed to be 36, was in poor health following surgery.
It was not immediately clear what caused Kim’s absence in recent weeks.
In 2014, Kim vanished from the public eye for nearly six weeks and then reappeared with a cane. South Korea’s spy agency said he had a cyst removed from his ankle.
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Feck it and I had a mass card sent and all.
Seems like a lovely guy. Always smiling
@Mattress Dick: North Koreans, great bunch of lads.
Kim Jong Undead
He looks in great form.
@David Corrigan: he has more condition on him than mary lou and michelle put together.
@John Mulligan: you always seem to bring Irish politics into it,is there a reason for that?
@John Mulligan: I would not like to be the meat in that sandwich
The new weekend at Bernie’s look great.
@: yea I’d hate to be the guy who has too kneel behind him keeping him up straight
Maybe that’s a body double and the sisters in charge now.
@John Quill: good luck finding someone else that well fed on NK.
@John Quill: in*
Maybe he had the virus..
Denis Rodman will be delighted!
Kim Jong Not ill
That’s a real shame…….
@David cotter: what’s a shame? That his sister Yo-Jong didn’t take control sooner and remove all the diplomacy work from Trump and Moon? When the alternative is worse, it’d not such a shame.
@Caoimhín O Neill: That diplomatic work between USA and NK was a complete joke, pure desperation out of trump that he had done nothing of note during his presidency. Trump is trying to tell us it is now acceptable to the world to enslave and murder your own people. We have to have some moral standards in this world, despite Trump.
@Shane Barry: interesting thought, although I don’t remember any previous administration in the Blue House. Is the DPRK the only one in this condition? the previous administrations were OK to carry their wars and drone bombing right? That was OK in your opinion cos it wasn’t Trump.
@Caoimhín O Neill: ahh caoimhin..no doubt your a Kim dynasty fan..mabye a10 year stretch in their many concentration camps for “dissent”would suit you..or to be a victim of famine caused by their mismanagement….cop on….
@David cotter: David are you a Yo-Jong supporter in disguise? Jong-Un is the better solution for now, but that’s already past you
@Caoimhín O Neill: I believe war can be moral in some circumstances, I think the US has been mostly amoral since the end of WW2. I think the Democrats are better than the republicans, but that doesn’t make them good either.
@Caoimhín O Neill: no I’m a supporter of every redneck politician that wants to wipe this toxic dynasty of the planet..the world has had enough of the kims ….Donald me old mate warm up thems b52s
@Shane Barry: sure, but why only mention Trump? Why not Bush, Obama and Co? Do you think they were more moral than Trump? Who’s yet to begin a war..
@Caoimhín O Neill: Of course not, but this article was about North Korea and you mentioned the deal Trump made, so that’s what I was talking about.
@Caoimhín O Neill: Caoimhin, the Donald isn’t going to sh*g you…..actually, maybe the randy fecker would!
@Caoimhín O Neill: blue house?
@Shane Barry: I mentioned the hard work both presidents did in this case, however you took an unprecedented attack on Trump and not Moon
@Aaron Jones: hey Aaron welcome to 2020
@Caoimhín O Neill: yeah am well aware it’s 2020 but (blue house)?
@Aaron Jones: please Google blue house Korea
@Caoimhín O Neill: yeah will do later sometime,of to get breakfast now in the blue breakfast cafe!
@Shane Barry: getting morality lessons from a Sinn Fein supporter is like getting running lessons from a paraplegic
I’d say he’s looking good but let’s be honest the man looks like a lump of playdough with a que-tip on the top of it.
@Jake Kelly:
Definitely a different lad. Will the real Kim please stand up.
Was there last year and made a little docuseries about visiting from the perspective of a tourist. If anyone’s interested:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF5GZvJIOeJ27ziiUAGcv4RmUjZAPTsWS
@Lee Murray لی: this series is brilliant. Highly recommend, gives a great insight into life in NK.
@Lee Murray لی: This series is brilliant. Highly recommend, gives a great insight into life in Nort Korea
@Lee Murray لی: This series is brilliant. Highly recommend, gives a great insight into life in North Korea
That is UNreal news.
Maybe he was on the phone to Leo all this time !
Great to see him up and about again.
Just goes to show you cannot trust the media.
Ah he just got a bit of lay in, I’m sure things are slow in the empire due to the Corona too, what do you expect :)
Ahh great news to wake up to NOT
After completely acknowledging that most of what we hear about DPRK is lies and propaganda, people are still speculating about other lies and propaganda they’ve heard from US sources like whether his sister would be “worse”. Maybe visit the country or talk to some of the North Koreans on exchange trips in Poland.
so kim jong isn’t ill?
@John Arsey: yeah went away to on a spa holiday by all accounts!
It’s an android version for sure…
@James Hayes: it’s most likely a clone nothing to see here!
@Aaron Jones: when he speaks his english is amazing and has a hint of American sound to it…lol..;-))
I bet his sister wasn’t allowed anywhere near the scissors!
Good to see you back brah
Ummm. Reverse image search this shows that the ribbon cutting photo is from the start of April?
They have said dying was just bad for his health
A slim Kim Jong Un.
It’s handy that there all called Kim, save’s time when dinners ready .
Are they practising social distancing in the picture or is that how they always stand?
In a completely unrelated story, PSY the guy who sang Gangnam Style hasn’t been seen for several days
A slim Kim Jong Un.
It’s handy that there all called Kim, save’s time when dinners ready .
Obese
I think the man had Covid-19.
Thanks be the god. Sure the world wouldn’t be the same with out him.
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