KIM REAPER

Kim Jong Un Resurfaces After Wild Death Rumors

Donald Trump said he doesn’t know whether he’ll meet North Korea’s supreme leader next month.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un appears to be back from the dead after the state-run media published photos of the supreme leader amid rumors of his passing.

Kim, 42, was photographed looking at clothing and footwear displays with his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and other officials in a Pyongyang exhibition on October 19. This development comes just one day after rumors had circulated online that he had died of a brain hemorrhage or had fallen into a coma.

The photos were released on October 20 after a U.S.-based Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie posted on Sunday that Kim had “suddenly suffered a brain hemorrhage and fallen into a coma.” Xie claimed Kim was transported to a Beijing emergency hospital because “North Korea’s surgical equipment was too outdated, and Kim Jong Un’s condition was too serious.” He continued, saying Kim died and that authorities secretly returned his body to North Korea, “temporarily keeping his death secret.”

He provided no evidence but identified himself as chairman of the Chinese Democratic Party—a political organization banned by Chinese authorities. Also with a lack of evidence, Xie previously posted similar claims that Chinese President Xi Jinping had died and been replaced by a body double.

Tabloids and other news outlets, including The Sun, the New York Post, and BBC, picked up the story.

Forbes Breaking News’ YouTube account posted a clip of a reporter asking President Donald Trump whether he’ll meet Kim in China next month.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Trump said, shrugging. “I get along with him very well. I’m not sure anyone’s asking for a meeting, but my relationship with Kim Jong Un is very good.”

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The state’s Korean Central News Agency and the ruling Workers’ Party publication Rodong Sinmun posted the Pyongyang images on Tuesday morning, seemingly putting the rumors to rest. South Korean officials also disputed the claims, Yonhap News Agency reported.

North Korean media have reported on a series of Kim’s alleged appearances recently, including a Workers’ Party concert on October 10 and the opening of a defense museum on October 11.

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification’s Kim Jong Un tracking database shows appearances in August and September, but has not verified the Pyongyang appearance.

This isn’t the first time the supreme leader has disappeared from the public eye. He was nowhere to be seen for several weeks in 2020, which also prompted rumors about illness and death.

Elusive North Korean state media makes reliable information about Kim’s health difficult to find. But South Korean officials have speculated on his cardiovascular health, describing him as an overweight, heavy smoker.

The ruler’s health has drawn international attention since he succeeded in 2011. A drastic change in the totalitarian state’s leadership could have larger ramifications for surrounding countries regarding nuclear weapons and refugee migrations.

These death rumors have pushed North Korea’s leadership into murky waters. Tensions between the two Koreas have ramped up after alleged intentional land mine explosions, which injured three South Korean soldiers.

Whispers suggested that Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, had taken her brother’s place amid his alleged death. Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, has also accompanied the dictator to political events since 2022. Despite her young age and the male-dominated Korean political system, South Korean assessments suggest Kim is grooming her as a possible heir.

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