NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un has appeared in photographs released by state media inspecting footwear and women’s clothing, following unverified online claims that he had died after suffering a severe brain haemorrhage.
The photographs, published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday, showed Kim touring a garment and footwear exhibition, examining children’s shoes and inspecting coats displayed on mannequins.
However, the images have not been independently authenticated, and it remains unclear precisely when they were taken.
The New York Post reported that the photographs emerged hours after claims circulated on social media alleging that the 42-year-old leader had fallen into a coma and died after being transferred to Beijing for emergency treatment.
The allegations were promoted by Wanjun Xie, a United States-based Chinese dissident associated with the China Democracy Party, who claimed on X that Kim had died and that his sister, Kim Yo Jong, had taken control of the country.
Xie also alleged that China had dispatched 9,000 troops to Pyongyang amid concerns about a potential succession crisis. He further claimed that medical specialists from Beijing’s Peking Union Medical College Hospital had travelled to North Korea to treat Kim following a cerebral haemorrhage.
The claims were not accompanied by medical records, identifiable witnesses or other independently verifiable evidence, according to the New York Post.
North Korean authorities have not explicitly addressed the death rumours, while the reported military deployment and alleged transfer of power remain unverified.
Kim’s health has long been the subject of international speculation. The New York Post reported that South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers on Sept 30 that Kim weighed about 140kg and faced an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease because of severe obesity.
However, the agency reportedly detected no significant signs of ill health, citing his ability to climb stairs during an inspection of a naval destroyer.
The latest claims echo a false alarm in 2020, when North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho, who later became a South Korean lawmaker, said he was “99%” certain Kim had died following cardiovascular surgery. Kim subsequently appeared in public, and Ji apologised for making the erroneous claim.
The New York Post said it had sought comment from the governments of North Korea and China, as well as Peking Union Medical College Hospital. - October 20, 2026