Kim Jong-Un has no 'serious' health issues despite weight loss, assures S Korea spy agency

North Korea’s iron fist ruler Kim Jong-Un has lost 44 pounds (approximately 20kgs ) in the past two years, the South Korean Intelligence Agency said days after photos of ‘Slim Kim’ left the world stunned. Late last month, the 37-year-old leader appeared at a parade in a seemingly thinner frame and higher energy, sparking rumours that he was using a body double for public appearances or was battling illness. However, on Thursday, officials from the South denied all the rumours.

ABC reported thaat while addressing media reporters in Seoul, Rep Kim Byung-Kee from South Korea’s National Intelligence Services said that the weight loss was natural and Jong-Un’s often-reported health problems do not pose any serious problem. Buttressing his stance, the official reckoned that their conclusion was based on “various scientific methods including artificial intelligence” using super-resolution video analysis. As per ABC News, the team also deployed a stereometric model to gauge the fat and weight of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) leader.

Interestingly, Byung-Kee also highlighted that the authoritative leader was trying to increase his public appeal-a stance which comes in contrast to that of his predecessors. “Kim seems to have been working on building a people-friendly image by releasing photos of him drinking beer and smoking together with high-level officials,” Byung-Kee said. According to North Korean State Media, the 38-year-old has almost doubled the frequency of his public appearances; while he appeared 49 times in 2020, he made an appearance 70 times this year. 

Kim Jong-Un asks people to consume less food

Meanwhile, Jong-Un recently asked North Korean citizens to consume less food until 2025, Radio Free Asia reported. The bizarre order comes as the communist nation struggles with inflation in food prices due to the supply chain disruptions, unable to meet the demand of its citizens. DPRK’s leader Kim Jong-un has told North Koreans that they will have to put up with the intense food shortage until 2025, and therefore must eat less for the next few years. 

North Korea’s food shortage has hit an “emergency” and officials believe that the situation is expected to improve once the country reopens its borders with China in 2025. The food prices have reportedly skyrocketed without imports from China and prolonged gaps in the domestic food production within the country struggling to achieve food self-sufficiency for over decades. 

(Image: AP)