NKorean media quiet on Kim Jong-un's whereabouts

Kim Jong-un's absence from a key ceremony commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung on April 15 sparked speculation over his health. He has never skipped his trip to the mausoleum since taking office in late 2011. Kim was last seen in state media on April 11 presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, calling for strict measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

Seoul: North Korean media outlets have remained quiet on leader Kim Jong-un's whereabouts without putting out any reports on his public activity amid persisting speculation over his health.

Speculation about Kim's health problems spiked after a CNN report earlier this week, citing a US official, said that Washington was looking into intelligence that Kim was in 'grave danger' after a surgery. But South Korea downplayed the report, saying that it had seen no unusual signs concerning Kim's health.

North Korea's state media have recently put out reports on Kim sending diplomatic letters and conveying gifts to honoured citizens but stopped short of providing reports or photos featuring his public activity.

On Wednesday, state media said Kim had sent another message to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, expressing gratitude for congratulating him on the anniversary of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung's birthday.

No reports, however, on the leader's 'field guidance' trips or photos on his public activities have been released by state media for nearly two weeks, said the Yonhap News Agency report.

Kim was last seen in state media on April 11 presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, calling for strict measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

But his absence from a key ceremony commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung on April 15 sparked speculation over his health.

He has never skipped his trip to the mausoleum since taking office in late 2011.

Kim seems to be staying in a 'local region' outside of Pyongyang, and business is going on as usual in the North, according to South Korean government officials.

Some media reports speculated that Kim might be in the eastern coastal town of Wonsan to avoid the pandemic.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he believes the CNN report on Kim's failing health was 'incorrect'.

It is not rare for Kim to disappear from public view for some time. The ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said that he re-emerged after as long as 21 days of absence earlier this year.

In 2014, he disappeared from the public eye for about a month but reappeared limping. He was later confirmed to have had a cyst removed from his ankle.

(With inputs from IANS)