President Donald Trump responded to reports about North Korean despot Kim Jong Un, reposting state media photos that purport to show Kim attending a ceremony at a fertilizer factory.
Kim’s attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was the first public appearance he’s made in about three weeks, and it comes amid speculation about his health. Several news outlets in Asia had reported that Kim, 36, was brain dead or had died, although South Korean officials said he was alive and still in control of the regime.
An adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in told news outlets that Kim had been staying in the Wonsan area since mid-April and noted that “no suspicious movements have so far been detected.”
Questions arose about Kim’s health after he missed the celebration of his grandfather, the regime’s founder, Kim Il Sung—an event that he’s attended every year since he took power in 2011.
At the same time, during the speculation about his death, North Korean state media didn’t respond. The impoverished communist country still hasn’t publicly responded to reports about his health, which is considered a matter of state security.
South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said Kim’s absence from the ceremony wasn’t unusual.
“I don’t think that’s particularly unusual given the current [CCP virus] situation.”