NIRMAL YESODA
It was quite recently that rumours surrounding the health of Kim Jong-un started surfacing online. Citing a US official, CNN reported in April that the North Korean supreme leader is battling for life after undergoing a failed cardiac procedure. Adding up to the heat to these rumours, Shijian Xingzou, the vice-director Hong Kong satellite channel (HKSTV) revealed that Kim Jong-un is dead.
Soon, several western media outlets claimed that Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong will be selected as his successor to rule the rogue nation. Some political experts suggested that Kim Yo Jong’s rise to power will escalate the tensions in the Korean peninsula as she once called South Korea, a ‘frightened barking dog’.
However, rumours were laid to rest after Kim Jong-un made his public appearance multiple times, and recently, he visited the coastal areas hit by Typhoon Mayask. After visiting the area, Kim also fired a top official over his response to the natural disaster.
As Kim started ruling the headlines again, United States President Donald Trump has revealed that people should never underestimate the North Korean leader. Trump also made it clear that Kim Jong-un is in perfect health condition. A few weeks back, South Korean officials had also admitted that there was no indication of a medical procedure conducted on Kim’s body.
However, it is still unclear whether Trump has made these comments sarcastically to indicate Kim’s worsening health due to increased smoking habit and unhealthy lifestyle.
