Kim Jong-un death rumors: How and when will North Korea announce whether their leader has died
Rumors surrounding North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's ill health has intensified after media reports suggest that he has died or is in a coma following a sudden heart surgery.
The Hong Kong TV news channel, HKSTV's vice director Qing Feng has claimed that as per a "very solid source", the ruler has died. A Japanese magazine, Shukan Gendai, shared that he is in a "vegetative state" post a heart surgery which supposedly went wrong earlier this month.
It has also been reported last night, the country's closest ally, China had sent medics to North Korea to "advise on" the ruler. Given that North Korea is one of the world's most secretive states, the 36-year-old leader's condition remains a mystery.
On April 15, Kim didn’t appear at a celebration commemorating North Korea’s most important holiday, which honors the founder of the country, Kim’s late grandfather Kim Il Sung and that led to rumors of him being severely ill or even dead. North Korean media, however, has been strangely mum about the rumors and continue to publish old (or undated) statements from Kim about the economy and other topics showing as if everything is fine in the country.
Other confirmed reports believed to be from senior community party sources in Beijing claimed that the ruler succumbed when his surgeon messed up a minor operation as his hands were shaking very badly.
If he died, it is believed that an official statement will likely be issued on Monday, April 27. The last time that the North Korea media had announced the death of their leader, Kim Jong-il, the news came more than 48 hours after the occurrence.
Jong-il passed away in 2011 after suffering a heart attack and the way the North Korea media handled his death on December 17, 2011 could provide some clues as to how they will announce the death of another leader, Mirror reports.
The presenter Ri Chun-hee had announced that the ruler had died at 8.30 am on December 19 after a heart attack as he was traveling by train to a place outside the country's capital, Pyongyang. North Korea watchers will be eager to see whether Chun-hee will be presenting tomorrow (April 27) morning's bulletin dressed in black which would be a giveaway sign.
Jong-il's funeral had been held nine days after his death on December 28, which was followed a period of mourning until the next day. This could mean that Kim's funeral could be held on May 5, if he has passed away.
It is also believed that Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong has been lined up to take over her brother's role should he die from the mystery illness. If she should do so, then she would be continuing the family's unbroken rule in the country since 1948 thanks to Kim ll-Sung.
Experts believe that Yo-jong will be even more fierce and ruthless than her brother has been over his 8-year rule. The leader has shown no mercy to rule-breakers including some members of his own family. However, there are other names also in contention. Here's a full list.
An expert on totalitarian regimes, Prof Natasha Lindstaed told the Mirror said, "I don’t believe that her being a woman will weaken her position if she takes over as leader. These people are not viewed or portrayed as even being human-like to the people of North Korea – as we have seen with Kim Jong-un."
"They are presented as gods who can make everything better. If she became supreme leader the same would apply to her and she would become god-like and every portrayal of her would do the same thing. It is possible she will adopt an even harder line than her brother in dealing with the rest of the world because of the level of poverty."
"Often new leaders feel they must be tougher than the previous one," she continued.