Kim Jong-un 'seriously ill' during Covid-19 outbreak according to his sister

Kim Jong-un’s sister has revealed that the North Korean leader suffered from a 'fever' during the country’s outbreak of Covid-19, leading to speculation that Jong-un had the virus.

North Korea declares victory against Covid-19

Kim Jong-un declared a 'shining victory' against Covid-19 at a meeting of health workers and scientists in Pyongyang on Wednesday. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Jong-un described the official death toll of 74 as an 'unprecedented miracle in the history of the world health community,' as reported by the BBC. He added:

The victory gained by our people is a historic event that once again showed the world the greatness of our state, the indomitable tenacity of our people and the beautiful national customs we are proud of.

Kim Jong-un's sister suggests he had Covid-19

Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, blamed South Korea for the outbreak in North Korea - repeating claims it floated anti-Pyongyang leafletscontaminated with Covid-19 via balloons across the border.

Yo-jong described the sending of leaflets as a 'crime against humanity' due to 'the danger of spreading an infectious disease through contacting contaminated objects.' In a speech allegedly full of profanities, she warned:

We must counter it toughly. We have already considered various counteraction plans, but our countermeasure must be a deadly retaliatory one.

South Korea rejected her statements as 'groundless claims,' calling them 'rude and threatening remarks,' as reported by Al Jazeera.

Yo-jong also referred to her brother's health, saying:

Even though he was seriously ill with a high fever, he could not lie down for a moment thinking about the people he had to take care of until the end in the face of the anti-epidemic war.

North Korea refers to 'fever' rather than Covid-19 due to an apparent lack of testing kits, but it has also been claimed that the country is trying to avoid creating public alarm, as reported by The Guardian.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said that Yo-jong is 'looking to justify North Korea’s next military provocation.'

Read more:

⋙ North Korea reports outbreak of unidentified new illness

⋙ Kim Jong-un allegedly grief-stricken as he buries mentor amidst Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea