The Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, has been spotted in public for the first time in three weeks, quashing rumours that he had died.
North Korea state media reported that Kim had attended the opening of a fertiliser factory north of the capital, Pyongyang, on Friday, and released photos of him. However, the photos could not be verified.
Rumours about Kim’s health began when he missed celebrations to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday on 15 April, one of the most important dates on the North Korean calendar. Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, was North Korea’s first leader. He was succeeded by his son (Kim’s father), who was in turn succeeded by Kim Jong-Un.
Kim’s unexpected death would have plunged North Korea into crisis, as he has no designated successor. There had been speculation that if he had died he would have been succeeded by his sister, Kim Yo-Jong.
North Korea has claimed that it has no cases of Covid-19, a claim regarded as suspicious by most observers.