Kim Jong-un's Health Scare

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Part of a series on Kim Jong-un. [View Related Entries]

Overview

Kim Jong-un's Health Scare refers to a rumor that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is in grave health after cardiovascular surgery. Rumors began circulating after Kim did not appear at the birthday celebration of his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the founder of the DPRK. CNN reported that the United States was closely monitoring information about Kim's health and cited a US official who said they were monitoring a story saying the leader was in grave danger. However, while CNN was able to confirm that the US was monitoring Kim's health, they could not confirm the severity of Kim's situation. The report led to jokes on Twitter making light of Kim's health and possible death.

Background

On April 20th, 2020, CNN^[1] reported that a US official told the news organization it was "monitoring intelligence" that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was in "grave danger" after a cardiovascular surgery he'd received April 12th. The surgery was caused in part by obesity and smoking. Kim notably missed the April 15th celebration of his grandfather's birthday, a major event in North Korea, sparking concerns about his health. Another US official told CNN that while the US was monitoring the health of Kim, it could not confirm the severity of his condition due to the reclusiveness of the country.

Developments

On April 21st, 2020, a South Korean government source said the country had seen no unusual activity regarding Kim's health.^[2] A Chinese government official also stated the country did not believe Kim was critically ill.^[3] Twitter user @jeongminkim^[4] outlined why the rumor started in a thread, noting Kim's absence at the April 15th birthday event and his absence from an April 14th missile test. She also noted headlines may have amplified the rumor, noting that CNN initially ran a sensationalized headline saying that the US believed Kim was in grave danger rather than "monitoring intelligence" that he was in danger (shown below).

The rumor of Kim's failing health led Twitter users to post jokes about his possible death. User @1stdayoutthefed^[5] posted a GIF joking about Kim in hell, gaining over 1,700 retweets and 10,000 likes (shown below, left). User @hoodieboomstick^[6] posted a Let Me In meme about the potentially botched surgery, gaining over 1,600 retweets and 8,100 likes (shown below, right).

Continued Speculation

Over the following week, conflicting reports continued to spread about Kim's health. On April 24th, Reuters reported that China sent a medical team to North Korea to monitor the health of Kim.^[7] Furthermore, Kim's personal train had been seen via satellite imagery parked at the Leadership Railway Station servicing his Wonsan compound since April 21st, leading to speculation he had not moved locations in days.^[8] Journalist Roy Calley, a North Korea expert, believed the stationary train lent credence to the rumors that Kim had died and that North Korean officials were prepping an announcement.

Japanese media outlet Shukan Gendai^[9] reported that Kim was in a "vegetative state" with no hope of resuscitation on April 24th. Meanwhile, the South Korean government said it held its position that Kim was "alive and well."^[10] Moon Chung-in, the top foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told CNN, "(Kim) He has been staying in the Wonsan area since April 13. No suspicious movements have so far been detected."

Meanwhile, the suspicions about Kim Jong Un's health drew attention to his younger sister and presumptive successor, Kim Yo-jung, who quickly became subject to fan art and memes online.

Return To Public Eye

On May 1st, 2020, the North Korean state news media released photos of Kim Jong-un at a ceremony at a factory in the city of Sunchon, evidently proving that he was alive, though the reports could not be independently confirmed.^[11]

The pictures did not dissuade some skeptics about Kim's health. RMIT Professor Joe Siracusa said that the photos did not constitute "proof of life," and that "the game of Where's Wally continues."^[12] Notably, Sky News Australia host James Morrow^[13] questioned if Kim was purposefully faking his own death to monitor the ensuing power struggle. "He decided to do this, lay low, and see how things broke power-wise, and see who tried to take power in the event of his actual demise," said Morrow. "I suspect we will see some purges in North Korea pretty soon."

Kim Yo-jung

Kim Yo-jong is a North Korean politician and the younger sister of the current supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. Following the reports of Jong-un's potentially failing health in April 2020, it was speculated that if he were to pass away, Yo-jong could become his potential successor as the supreme leader. In late April 2020, Kim Yo-jong became a popular subject of fan arts, memes and hornyposting online.