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North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un Visits Vietnam
DONG DANG, VIETNAM - MARCH 02: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves as he prepares to leave Vietnam by train after a two day official visit preceded by the DPRK-USA Hanoi summit, on March 2, 2019 in Dong Dang, Vietnam. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his two-day official visit following a failed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi which ended without agreement.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's latest photos circulating online show that he has dropped a significant weight. Peole around the world grew curious and concerned about Kim's health condition, knowing that he has not named a successor that would take over his duties if he becomes incapacitated.
Hong Min, a senior analyst at Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification, concluded that Kim Jong Un's weight loss is more likely a positive sign, signifying he is improving his health, rather than an indication of serious disease. Hong said, "If he was experiencing health problems, he wouldn't have come out in public to convene the plenary meeting of the Workers' Party's Central Committee," as per Newsweek via MSN.
The North Korean leader comes from a family with history of cardiac issues and is known for binge drinking and smoking. His grandfather and father, who both governed North Korea before him, died of heart problems. His weight may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, experts said.
The Unification Ministry of South Korea stated it has no information on Kim's health to disclose. In South Korea, his thinner appearance has sparked public curiosity, with media outlets releasing pictures of his old and present appearances.
According to Seo Yu-Seok of the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul, the North's recent formation of a first secretary of the governing Workers' Party, the country's No. 2 role, might be linked to Kim's probable health problems. Kim Jong Un may have agreed to the post's formation at the request of top officials; but he has yet to designate someone to the position since it may weaken his hold on power.
When worldwide concern over Kim's health arose last year after he skipped the observance of his late grandfather's birthday, several experts thought that Kim Yo Jong, Kim's younger sister, was next in line to assume her brother's leadership. Others have suggested that collective leadership is also an option.
Why does Kim Jong Un's weight loss matter to the world?
In rival South Korea, the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has long been a source of morbid curiosity, as it lies in the shadow of Kim's 1.2-million-strong army and expanding arsenal of nuclear-armed missiles. Kim's health has become a growing concern in Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, and many other international cities since he has yet to appoint a successor who, in the case of his incapacitation or death, would be in charge of nuclear weapons program aimed against the US and its allies.
North Korea, which has never been open about its leadership's inner workings, has closed itself up even more in the last year to shield itself from the COVID-19 pandemic, as per the LATimes. Kim Jong Un looked to have dropped a significant amount of weight in recent official media photos, including those published Wednesday.
His expensive watch strap is tighter, and his face is slimmer. Kim, who is around 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighed more than 300 pounds before, may have shred 20 to 40 pounds, according to some observers.
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North Korean leader's weight loss may indicate grip on his position
Analysts watching Kim Jong Un's every step for hints about what's going on in North Korea noted a major shift last week when he walked by news cameras on his way to a politburo meeting. The leader, who was known for his luxurious life of imported French cheeses, cognac, and cigarettes, appeared to have lost weight.
Per ABC News, it was Kim Jong Un's first public appearance in almost a month. North Korea observers rushed to the internet to evaluate his new look and speculate on what it signified. Even his $15,500 Swiss watch's tighter strap was observed.
Kim Jong Un, who is only 37 years old, has the potential to dominate North Korea for decades, just like his father and grandfather did. However, the chain-smoking, hard-drinking leader is said to have several health issues, including gout.
In 2014, Kim Jong Un went absent for 40 days, skipping a key legislative session, and reappeared with a walking stick. The assembled international media observed his breathing was strained at a historic border summit with South Korea's president in 2018.
According to Dr. Bong Young-shik, a research fellow at the Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies, the Hanoi Summit with then-US President Donald Trump in 2019 allowed South Korean medical experts to get a closer look at Kim. They assessed that his days were numbered up to age 52. While some reports said he was severely ill, others believe he was hiding to prevent contracting the coronavirus.
When he eventually reappeared, a little mark on his wrist indicated that he had undergone cardiovascular surgery, according to some. Experts in North Korea are now discussing whether Kim Jong Un's slimmer waistline is an indication he's losing weight to retain his position or whether he's suffering from another health problem.
Related Article: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Appears to Have Lost Some Weight. Why is the World Watching His Waistline?
