Kim has not been seen in public since April 11, prompting speculation that he may be dead or otherwise incapacitated, or that he is trying to avoid the coronavirus pandemic.
North Korea’s state newspaper has reported that leader Kim Jong Un—not seen in public since April 11—has been writing letters of praise to other leaders and government departments, even as speculation continues that the 36-year-old is dead or otherwise incapacitated.
The Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported Friday that Kim had written to the North Korean propaganda department, praising its « powerful » work and its influence on the country’s citizens.
Kim missed the April 15 Day of the Sun celebrations, a key public holiday celebrating the life of national founder and Kim’s grandfather Kim Il Sung. Soon after, reports emerged suggesting that Kim had undergone heart surgery and perhaps even that there had been complications, leaving him dead or in a vegetative state.
North Korea is an intelligence black hole, and even for well-resourced and experienced agencies in South Korea and the U.
