Reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seriously ill after heart surgery are not true, officials in South Korea have said.
Headlines that Kim Jong-un was “gravely ill”, “brain-dead” or “recovering from an operation” were always going to be impossible to verify.
But the presidential office in Seoul has said there have been no particular signs from the North to indicate the 36-year-old is “gravely ill”.
It is also not the first time rumours about his health have fired up intense flurries of speculation – only to be later dismissed.
When did speculation start?
Kim Jong-un recently missed the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on 15 April. This is one of the biggest events of the year, marking the birth of the nation’s founder.
Kim Jong-un has never missed it – and it seemed very unlikely that he would simply choose not to turn up.
Inevitably, his absence prompted speculation and rumour, none of which is easy to substantiate.
Kim Jong-un last appeared in state media on 12 April “inspecting a pursuit assault plane group” in a handout that is undated. As ever, the images portrayed him as relaxed and at ease.
We know he chaired a key political meeting the day before, from state media despatches. But he has not been seen since.
Image copyright EPAImage caption The speculation began when Kim Jong-un missed celebrations for the birthday of his grandfather
State media also made no mention of his presence at a reported missile test last week. He is usually pictured at these launches.
Reporting on North Korea is incredibly difficult at the best of times, so most speculation is drawn from departure from precedent.
