Yahoo News Rumours that Kim Jong-un is 'gravely ill' following heart surgery are denied by South Korea
Rumours that Kim Jong-Un is in a "fragile condition" after apparent heart surgery have been denied by South Korean officials.
Claims about the North Korean leader's ill health surfaced after CNN cited an anonymous US official who said Kim was in “grave danger” after an unspecified surgery.
Daily NK, citing anonymous sources, also reported that Kim was recovering from heart surgery in the capital Pyongyang and that his condition was improving.
But the South Korean government said no unusual activity has been detected in North Korea on Tuesday and had no information about the rumours on Kim's health.
Kim missed the celebration of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15, the country’s most important holiday.
At his last public appearance on April 11, he presided over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, discussing preventive measures against the coronavirus and electing his sister as an alternate member of the bureau.
However, state media reported Kim sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad last week and a “birthday spread” to a North Korean woman who turned 100 on Monday.
“We have no information to confirm regarding rumours about Chairman Kim Jong Un’s health issue that have been reported by some media outlets," Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok said in the statement after the reports surfaced.
"Also, no unusual developments have been detected inside North Korea."
A US official said the White House was aware before the reports appeared late on Monday that Kim's health might be precarious.
The official said the US had information that he 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 White House and State Department had no comment.
