Kim Jong Un: Why do rumours about his death keep surfacing?
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A Chinese dissident falsely claims Kim Jong Un is dead - why is this rumour back?
Image source: KCNA
Image caption: North Korean state media released photos of Kim Jong Un shortly after rumours of his death started spreading online
By Laura Bicker, China correspondent
Published 19 minutes ago
Kim Jong Un has appeared in North Korean state media looking remarkably healthy for a man rumoured to have died from a brain haemorrhage.
Photographs published by state newspaper Rodong Sinmun show the 42-year-old dictator touring what the paper said was a clothing and footwear exhibition with his daughter.
The images emerged hours after a Chinese dissident who lives in the US claimed, without evidence, that Kim had been taken to a hospital in Beijing in a coma and had died.
For those who watch North Korea closely, this kind of rumour has become almost routine. In one of the world's most secretive states, facts are often difficult to verify, creating fertile ground for speculation.
This latest claim originated with Wanjun Xie, who identifies himself as chairman of the Chinese Democratic Party, a group banned by Chinese authorities. He has previously circulated unverified claims, including speculation about the death of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Xie alleged that Kim suffered a severe brain haemorrhage and was transferred to Beijing because North Korea lacked the medical facilities to treat him. He claimed Kim later died and that his body had been secretly returned to North Korea, with the regime concealing his death.
Yet the photographs tell a different story. Kim is seen examining displays, accompanied by Kim Ju Ae and his usual entourage of officials. While there is no way to know exactly when the images were taken, there are other reasons to doubt the claim.
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Figure caption:
Watch: What do a teenager's clothes tell us about North Korea's future?
There would probably be signs beyond North Korea's borders if there were a sudden collapse in Kim's health. China could tighten security along its frontier to prepare for potential instability or refugee flows. Activity around North Korean diplomatic missions might also increase. Defectors in South Korea often receive information through informal networks along the Chinese border. None of this has happened.
South Korean intelligence officials, meanwhile, told Yonhap they had heard nothing to support the reports.
The rumour also echoes previous false alarms. In 2020, a high-profile North Korean defector claimed he was "99% certain" Kim had died following cardiovascular surgery. Not long afterwards, Kim appeared in public and the claim unravelled.
So why do these rumours keep resurfacing? The first reason is succession.
North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family for three generations, but what happens after Kim Jong Un remains less certain than it was for his predecessors.
Kim Il Sung spent decades preparing his son, Kim Jong Il, for power. By the time Kim Il Sung died in 1994, the succession plan was firmly established. Kim Jong Il's transition was relatively smooth.
Kim Jong Un's rise was faster and more precarious. After Kim Jong Il suffered a stroke in 2008, his youngest son was rapidly promoted through the ranks. By the time his father died in 2011, he had been publicly identified as the future leader.
Even so, Kim Jong Un spent years consolidating power, purging rivals and eliminating perceived threats.
Today, South Korea's intelligence services believe Kim remains in firm control.