Confusion Deepens As Official Says Kim Jong-Un 'Alive And Well'
A South Korean foreign policy adviser has swatted away rumours that Kim Jong-un is in 'grave danger' after a surgery went wrong, claiming the North Korean leader is 'alive and well'.
President Moon Jae-in’s foreign policy adviser told Fox News the leader is staying at his holiday palace on the North Korean coast.
“Our government position is firm.....Kim Jong-un is alive and well, “ Chung-in Moon said on Sunday.
“He has been staying in the Wonsan area since April 13. No suspicious movements have so far been detected.”
The South Korean official's comments come after satellite images released by North Korean monitoring project, 38 North, showed the leader's train parked at a resort town in Wonsan.
Daily NK had previously reported Kim was recovering in a villa on the country's east coast after undergoing cardiovascular surgery on April 12.
World
READ MORE
Speculation Mounts Over Kim Jong-Un's Whereabouts After His Train Possibly Spotted Via Satellite Images
As speculation swirls about the supposed 'ill health' of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, satellite images have emerged appearing to show his train stationed at a North Korean resort town.
"The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health, but it does lend weight to reports that Kim is staying at an elite area on the country’s eastern coast," 38 North wrote in their report.
Speculation over the leader's whereabouts has grown since CNN reported last week that the United States is monitoring intelligence that Kim is "in grave danger after a surgery", citing an unnamed US official.
Questions have been raised about Kim's well-being after he missed the celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15.
The leader has not been seen publicly since April 11.
On Thursday, China said it was sending a team from Beijing to North Korea to monitor Kim's health.
However, both South Korean and Chinese officials have repeatedly denied claims that Kim is ill.
US President Donald Trump also said on Thursday that he believes the report was "incorrect" and based off "old documents".
Meanwhile, North Korean media has since released reports quoting the dictator, giving off the image that it's 'business as usual' inside the world's most reclusive state.
The comments from Kim Jong-un expressed his "appreciation" for North Korean workers constructing a facility in a northern border town.
However, they did not address the rumours about the leader's health or include photographs of Kim, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
"Comrade Kim Jong-un sent appreciation to workers earnestly and wholeheartedly supporting in furnishing Samjiyon," the state radio said.
"Workers are in burning passion to earnestly contribute to the construction of a socialist powerhouse without forgetting about the party's trust and expectation for any moment."
The country has no press freedom, meaning reports from inside North Korea must be treated with intense scrutiny.
It's not uncommon for Kim to disappear from the public eye causing rumours spread about his health.
In 2014, Kim caused waves when he 'vanished' for almost six weeks only to re-emerge with a cane after having a cyst removed from his ankle.
Do you have a story tip to share? Contact Eden at egillespie@networkten.com.au
