Kim Jong-un feared dead as North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong says another Trump-Kim summit is unlikely
Kim Jong-un's long periods of absence from the public eye have once again fueled speculation that he's seriously ill or that he may have died. His sister, Kim Yo-jong, has now cast doubts on whether the US-North Korea summit will take place this year, saying even if it happens, the event will only benefit the United States.
Kim's powerful sister said on Friday that she doesn't expect the North Korean supremo to meet with President Donald Trump this year because there was no reason for them to grant high-profile meetings to the US when it was not being substantially rewarded in exchange.
“But also, you never know,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement, calling for major concessions from Washington to keep the bilateral nuclear diplomacy alive.
“That’s because a surprise thing may still happen, depending upon the judgment and decision between the two top leaders,” she continued, adding that the summit is mostly in the interest of the United States, but for North Korea, it is “unpractical and does not serve us at all.”
Fresh fears were about Kim Jong-un's health were sparked after North Korea's rather abrupt prospect of not attending the popular summit, especially after Kim was feared dead earlier this year. “Is Kim Jong-un dead or not???” one user asked on Twitter. “Wait is Kim Jong-un dead yes or no?” another added.
The first wave of reports claiming the North Korean supremo's physical decline or death came after Kim failed to attend celebrations marking the birth of his grandfather Kim Il-sung on April 15. Some reports claimed he died after a botched heart operation after suffering a heart attack while on a walk.
But Kim Jong-un finally showed up on May 1, after an absence of 20 days, to inaugurate a newly commissioned fertilizer plant before going missing once again. He was next seen in pictures from a June 7 meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Kim then receded from public view for almost a month after eventually making an appearance at a government coronavirus meeting on July 2.
That said, the North Korean leader has since been spotted alive and well. Kim reappeared on July 8 to visit his grandfather's memorial site amid fresh speculation about his health. Visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the dictator paid his respects to Kim Il-sung, his grandfather and founding ruler of the Hermit Kingdom, on the anniversary of his death.
Kim Il-sung, who passed away in 1994, is reportedly regarded as North Korea's "eternal president." His memorial has not been missed by a single North Korean leader thus far.
Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong poured cold water on potential bilateral talks in the near future after the United States recently announced that it is ready to resume nuclear negotiations with North Korea.
The denuclearization talks have been held off for over a year. Observers are still looking forward to Trump and Kim joining hands and taking major steps to bring the two countries closer and repair the fractured relationship they have shared before Trump came into the picture.