The North Korean leader has recently made a public appearance, after a whole month of mysterious isolation from the spotlight. The speculations which arose worldwide about the whereabouts of Kim Jong Un forced the North Korean media to put an end to the rumors. A recent photo of Kim Jong Un shows the leader walking with a cane, surrounded by some of his staff. He seems to be showing a brand new residential district. Also, other photos depict him during his visit at the Natural Energy Institute of the State Academy of Sciences.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has not been seen in public since September 3, right after he had attended a concert with his wife, Ri Sol Ju. This was his longest absence from the public spotlight since his first public appearance in 2010. In his most recent photo, Kim Jong Un is surrounded by his official staff. Also, he can be seen walking with a cane. The presence of this cane has brought up another set of questions, regarding the leader’s health. Before his absence, Kim Jong Un had been seen walking with a limp. These details made the international media believe the leader was suffering from a severe disease, which went from diabetes to gout.
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His absence from the 65th anniversary of the Worker’s Party in North Korea last Friday fueled international speculations about his health. A year before, Kim Jong Un had attended the Kamsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, in order to pay his respects to his father and grandfather. This year, however, his name did not appear on the attendees list. However, he had sent flowers to the shrine, in order to show his appreciation. The problem of his absence has brought into question his influence and power in North Korea. It was speculated that he was growing weak and was becoming unable to lead North Korea. Dr. Kim So-Yeon, the former personal doctor of Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, had said that a series of serious illnesses were present in their family. Some of these were diabetes, psychological problems, heart problems and obesity. The doctor went on saying that Kim’s face seemed to be swollen up, possibly because of painkillers. There had been rumors in the past, saying Kim Jong Un had been taking hormone shots in order to look more like his grandfather, Kim Il Sung. However, none of these rumors were ever confirmed. A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council stated the following: “We have seen these breaking reports but have nothing for you on their authenticity at this time”.