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U.S. doctor visits N. Korea to treat leader Kim's aunt: source SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- A Korean-American cardiologist arrived in North Korea last month to treat the aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a source familiar with affairs inside the communist state said Thursday, prompting speculation about the state of her health. Kim Kyong-hui, the current leader's aunt and younger sister of late former leader Kim Jong-il, has been known to have a heart disease, but the doctor's alleged visit could be an indication that she has fallen into critical condition. "An American cardiologist arrived in Pyongyang around...

Kim Jong-un's Aunt 'Loses Seat in Rubber-Stamp Parliament' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's aunt and widow of executed eminence grise Jang Song-taek was probably not returned to North's rubber-stamp parliament, an intelligence official here said Thursday. "It appears that Kim Kyong-hui either quarreled with Kim Jong-un or voluntarily stepped down," the official said. The name Kim Kyong-hui was on a list of the 687 Supreme People's Assembly members who were picked at the weekend, but intelligence officials here believe that is another individual of the same name. The representative was elected in the Taepyong district of North Pyongan Province, and...

N. Korean leader's aunt in Europe: report 2014/01/30 14:27 TOKYO, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's aunt is staying in Europe following the execution of her husband, Jang Song-thaek, a news report said Thursday. Kim Kyong-hui, a senior party secretary and sister of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, stayed in Switzerland after the North executed Jang in December on charges of treason, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing unidentified sources. The newspaper also said it obtained information that she later moved to Poland where Kim Pyong-il, the half-brother of late leader Kim Jong-il, has been serving as...

Kim Kyong-hui in coma, says intelligence source Jan 09,2014 WASHINGTON - Kim Kyong-hui, aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and wife of the purged and executed Jang Song-thaek, is in a vegetative state after undergoing brain surgery, a source told the JoongAng Ilbo. An intelligence official in the United States said on condition of anonymity yesterday that Kim Kyong-hui had surgery for a brain tumor in 2013 in Paris. After the surgery, she lost a lot of weight, dropping to 35 kilograms (77 pounds), the official said. The official denied some Korean reports alleging she committed suicide and maintained...

S. Korea says N. Korean leader's aunt likely in critical condition 2014/01/08 16:48 SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's aunt appears to be in a critical condition due to a heart problem, a senior South Korean official said Wednesday. Kim Kyong-hui, 67, a senior party secretary and wife of the recently executed Jang Song-thaek, visited Russia between September and October last year for medical treatment, the official said. "We believe (she) is in a critical condition," the official said, noting that her heart problems appeared to have worsened due to alcoholism. She also visited Singapore in...

Is Kim Jong-un's Aunt Dead? North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's aunt and widow of executed eminence grise Jang Song-taek is believed to have died, possibly by her own hand. A government source here on Sunday said Kim Kyong-hui, who has been out of the public eye either committed suicide or died from a heart attack. The source said intelligence services here believe Kim is dead but have not been able to confirm this, though they are also trying to find out whether she went abroad for medical treatment. Another government official said, "There are many rumors going around about Kim...

Kim Jong-un's Aunt 'Seriously Ill' Kim Kyong-hui, the wife of executed North Korean eminence grise Jang Song-taek, and aunt of leader Kim Jong-un, has had long-term treatment in Russia for heart problems but her health apparently continues to deteriorate, sources claim. A source in Beijing said Kim was in Russia for some 40 days due to heart problems and returned to Pyongyang last month. The source added Kim's condition is "serious." Her brother, former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, and father, nation founder Kim Il-sung, both died of heart attacks, making it likely that the disease is genetic. Kim is...

North Korea's military and political elite lined up in formation to swear fealty to its leader Kim Jong-un today as observers studied the position of top aides to see who survived the recent purge of Kim's uncle. Kim's paternal aunt Kim Kyong-hui was not present at any of the events after her husband Jang Song-thaek, known to have been North Korea's second most powerful man, was suddenly purged and executed last week. The aunt was reportedly in favor of her husband's ouster from the government. Jang has been charged of alleged drug abuse, womanizing, and treason by attempting to create...

Kim Jong-un's Aunt 'Seriously Ill' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's aunt Kim Kyong-hui, one of the young leader's main pillars of support, is said to be seriously ill. Kim Kyong-hui did not show up at the session of the Supreme People's Assembly on Tuesday, a senior South Korean government source said Thursday. "It's likely that her health has deteriorated." There are rumors in the diplomatic community that she is in Singapore for emergency surgery. But the source denied this, saying the North Korean elite often visit Singapore for fun. Another source said Kim Kyong-hui looked healthy at the opening of...

Abruptly, Jong-il’s sister disappears from public August 05, 2011 Kim Jong-il’s younger sister, Kyong-hui, has not been seen for two months in the North Korean media, and a spotting in June may explain her disappearance. A South Korean government source familiar with the inner workings of North Korea said yesterday that the 65-year-old Kim Kyong-hui had been seen by South Korean tourists at an airport in Moscow. “Kim has been suffering from back complications from the past, and it seems she received treatment [in Russia],” the source said. “She was surrounded by North Korean bodyguards at the time. Her back...

Kim Jong-il’s youngest son named general September 28, 2010 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s youngest son, Jong-un has been promoted to military general ahead of the long-awaited Workers’ Party convention to be held today. The report made by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency has shown this to be a clear sign that Kim Jong-il is pushing his son in line to become his successor. In KCNA’s brief dispatch, which was released around 1 a.m. last night, it stated the son as well as five others had been named four-star generals in the Korea People’s Army, including Kim Jong-il’s...

North Korea’s communist regime is, by most accounts, set to complete its second dynastic transfer of power, this time from Kim Jong-il, who has ruled since 1994, to his youngest son, Kim Jong-eun. The general assembly of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, now under way for the first time in 44 years, is the clearest sign yet that “Dear Leader” Kim, who is seriously ill, is passing the crown in the hermit kingdom founded by his father, Kim Il-sung. [....] Moreover, Kim Jong-il, like his father, has consistently appointed members of his family to positions of power. Indeed, Kim Jong-eun, the...

SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- The younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who is reported to have committed suicide, is "alive and well," an informed government source said Monday. There have been reports in Japan that Kim Kyong-hui, 59, a senior member of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, recently took her own life. "Such reports are groundless," said the source, asking not to be named. "Kim remains alive." The source, however, did not elaborate. He also brushed aside reports that she had been injured in a traffic accident last year. In late October, Japan's daily Nihon Keizai...