Word from North Korea is that leader Kim Jong Un didn’t miss the celebration of his grandfather on April 15 because he is sick or dead, it is simply because he is trying to avoid the coronavirus.
During a preliminary hearing, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said, “It is true that he had never missed the anniversary for [state founder] Kim II Sung’s birthday since he took power, but many anniversary events, including celebrations and a banquet, had been canceled because of coronavirus concerns,” according to Reuters.
Amid the pandemic, North Korea has canceled some large events, increased quarantine measures, and imposed a border lockdown in an effort to prevent an outbreak of the coronavirus. According to officials in North Korea, no unusual movements have been detected in the country while cautioning against reports that Kim might be ill.
Rumors about Kim being deathly ill or dead are being fed by the silence of North Korea’s state media about their leader’s situation.
Satellite images of a train allegedly belonging to Kim show it parked at his compound since last week.
38 North, a website specializing in North Korean studies said, “The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health, but it does lend weight to reports that Kim is staying at an elite area on the country’s eastern coast,” and even released photos.
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North Korea claims to have had no cases of the coronavirus. Why then is their leader hiding from a crisis that has been perfectly managed? This puts a lot of holes in the state’s media narrative.
President Trump had this to say about Kim Jong Un’s absence, “I hope he’s fine, I do know how he’s doing, you’ll probably be hearing in the not too distant future.”
