Free Republic

SEOUL, South Korea – After vanishing from the public eye for nearly six weeks, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is back, ending rumors that he was gravely ill, deposed or worse. Now, a new, albeit smaller, mystery has emerged: Why the cane? Kim, who was last seen publicly at a Sept. 3 concert, appeared in images released by state media Tuesday smiling broadly and supporting himself with a walking stick while touring the newly built Wisong Scientists Residential District and another new institute in Pyongyang, part of his regular "field guidance" tours. The North didn't say when the visit...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, shown using a cane for support, re-appeared in state media on Tuesday after a lengthy public absence that had fueled speculation over his health and grip on power in the secretive, nuclear-capable country. Several pictures on the front page of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim smiling and gesturing on a visit to a housing development, although there was no indication which day the event took place. He was surrounded by aides and wearing his signature dark buttoned suit, and appeared to be supporting himself with a black walking stick.

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea's official news agency said Tuesday that leader Kim Jong-un has made his first public appearance in 40 days.

Just where did the Supreme Leader go? An undisclosed location? Or that great Sun Palace in the sky? Is it gout, or is he out? If we’re grasping at explanations for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s un-expected and un-explained absence over the past month, there can be only two: either he’s indisposed, or he’s deposed. Actually, that’s not true. Considering the grand tradition of un-predictability in the Hermit Kingdom, there are countless other possibilities. The Supreme Leader may have been in a mountainside retreat, composing new condemnations against America’s comedians. Or in an underground bunker, yelling at his nation’s...

North Korea's mysterious leader Kim Jong-un has not been seen in public for 35 days and was not on a list of dignitaries at a celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party on Friday, sparking speculation that the head of one of the world's most secretive countries is ailing or has been removed in a secret coup. There has been rampant speculation that the leader is ill or is no longer in power. Unidentified sources tell South Korean reporters it may be gout, diabetes, or high blood pressure. A source Friday told Sky News that...

<p>Kim Jong Un didn't show up to the anniversary marking his father's election to the Workers' Party on Wednesday. He wasn't at the parliamentary assembly late last month either.</p> <p>On Friday, observers will scrutinize the 69th anniversary celebration of North Korea's Workers' Party for signs of the young leader.</p>

SEOUL: There is nothing wrong with the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a senior North Korean official said during an extremely rare visit to the South, after rumours of a debilitating illness or even a coup in Pyongyang. South Korea's unification minister Ryoo Kihl-Jae, speaking on a television talk show Sunday, quoted Kim Yang-Gon as saying: "There is nothing wrong with the health of Secretary Kim". Kim Yang-Gon, who heads a ruling party department in charge of South Korea-related affairs, visited the South's western port of Incheon Saturday to attend the closing ceremony of the Asian Games, along...

High-level North Korean delegation to attend AG closing ceremony North Korea plans to send a high-ranking delegation to the Incheon Asian Games closing ceremony Saturday, Seoul's Ministry of Unification said. According to official sources, the North informed the South on Friday that it wants to send Hwang Pyong-so, Choe Ryong-hae and Kim Yang-gon to the ceremony slated for 6 p.m. Saturday. The three officials plan to arrive via a direct air route from North Korea to Incheon at 10 a.m. Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae is expected to hold talks with the North Korean officials after their arrival. Hwang was recently...

It is impossible to know exactly what is going on in North Korea, but something big has happened. The third generation Kim dynasty heir, Kim Jong-un, has been missing from public sight for a month, and may be ill, dead, or overthrown. There is much speculation, and contradictory reports are circulating, including the assertion that Pyongyang is sealed off, and no one is being permitted to enter or leave.