NORTH KOREA | Rumours surface over Kim Jong Un's health

South Korean officials reported no unusual activity in North Korea yesterday following unconfirmed media reports that leader Kim Jong Un was in fragile health after surgery.

But the possibly of high-level instability raised troubling questions about the future of a nuclear-armed state that has been steadily building an arsenal meant to threaten the US mainland amid stalled talks between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

South Korea's presidential office said Kim appeared to be handling state affairs as usual, and that it had no information about rumours regarding his health. But many will be watching closely for any signs of trouble in North Korea, and whether it will address the reports — something it has not yet done.

Speculation often surfaces about North Korea's leadership based on attendance at important state events. Kim, who is in his mid-30s, missed the celebration of the birthday of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15, the country's most important holiday.

But he presided over a meeting on April 11, discussing coronavirus prevention and electing his sister as an alternate member of the political bureau of the ruling Workers' Party, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. And state media have since reported he sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, as well as arranging special birthday meals for two North Korean officials and a new centenarian.

A US official said the White House was aware before the reports appeared late Monday that Kim's health might be precarious. The official said the US had information that Kim may have undergone surgery and that complications may have rendered him "incapacitated or worse". But, the official stressed that the US had nothing to confirm the surgery had taken place or that any complications had occurred.

The US official, who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not elaborate on where the information came from or when it had been received.

– AP