Kim Jong-un reappears after allegedly going ‘missing’ for over a month

Yesterday, Monday 6 February, it was reported that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, had gone ‘missing’. However, he has since reappeared.

Kim Jong-un declared 'missing'

According to The Telegraph, Kim Jong-unhad not been seen in public for 35 days. He did not attend a Politburo meeting on North Korea’s chronic agricultural issues on Sunday 5 February, NK News reported, pointing out that it was only the third time he had ever missed it.

Kim Jong-un is no stranger to prolonged periods of absence. And every time he goes 'missing', it sparks rumours about the North Korean leader's alleged worsening health and his potential successor.

The length of this most recent absence matches another in 2021, according to NK News. However, his longest period of absence was for 40 days back in 2014 when he disappeared before reappearing with a cane. At the time, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated he had surgery to remove a cyst from his ankle.

Despite his most recent absence, it was still expected that Kim Jong-un would attend this week’s mass parade in Pyongyang to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, which could begin on Tuesday evening 7 February or Wednesday 8 February.

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Kim Jong-un reappears

In fact, Kim Jong-un reappeared before then, presiding over his ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission meeting on Monday 6 February.

During the meeting, which was attended by Kim Jong-un’s top military figures, the members discussed this year's (2023) major military and political tasks, according to the country’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.

They also talked about organisational changes to 'fundamentally improve and strengthen' military affairs, without going into detail about what these changes actually were.

Sources used:

- The Telegraph: 'North Korean leader Kim Jong-un goes missing ahead of military parade'

-The Independent: 'Kim Jong-un reappears in public on eve of military parade, ordering North Korea to ‘prepare for war’'