North Korea's Kim reappears after weeks of speculation

SEOUL, South Korea, May 4 ------ North Korea's Kim Jong Un has made his first public appearance in nearly three weeks, state media reported Saturday, following intense speculation that the leader of the nuclear-armed nation was seriously ill or possibly dead. The North said Kim had attended the opening of a fertilizer factory and released pictures purportedly showing the leader cutting a ribbon at the ceremony on Friday in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, although the appearance could not be verified. Rumors about Kim's health have been swirling since his conspicuous no-show at April 15 celebrations for the birthday of his grandfather, the North's founder -- the most important day in the country's political calendar. His absence triggered a series of fevered rumors and unconfirmed reports over his condition, while the United States and South Korea insisted they had no information to believe any of the conjecture was credible. His sudden death would have left Pyongyang facing an unplanned succession for the first time in its history and raised unanswered questions over who would succeed him and take over the North's nuclear arsenal. The pictures released by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim in his trademark black suit alongside other senior officials, including his sister and close adviser Kim Yo Jong. The Korean Central news agency said that onlookers "broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!'" when Kim appeared. The North Korean leader had not made a public appearance since presiding over a Workers' Party politburo meeting on April 11, and the following day state media reported that he had inspected fighter jets. Reporting from inside the isolated North is notoriously difficult, especially in connection with its leadership, which is among its most closely guarded secrets. Officials in Seoul had consistently downplayed the reports, saying "no unusual activities" had been detected in the North. A top security advisor to South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said less than a week ago that Kim was "alive and well" and staying in Wonsan -- a resort town in the east of North Korea. Source: philstar.com