North Korea officials ‘fear for Kim Jong Un’s health after leader regains weight’

Recent state media footage shows Kim Jong Un has regained the weight

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a flood-hit area in North Phyongan Province, North Korea, 28 July 2024 (EPA)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has regained weight and is suffering from obesity-related health problems, and his officials are looking for new medicines abroad to treat them, South Korea’s spy agency said on Monday.

The 40-year-old Kim, known for heavy drinking and smoking, comes from a family with a history of heart problems. Both his father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before his 2011 inheritance of power, died of heart issues.

Some observers said Kim, who is about 170 centimeters (5 feet, 8 inches) tall and previously weighed 140 kilograms (308 pounds), appeared to have lost a large amount of weight in 2021, likely from changing his diet. But recent state media footage show he has regained the weight.

North Korea is one of the most secretive countries in the world, and there are virtually no ways for outsiders to know Kim’s exact health conditions.

On Monday, the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s main spy agency, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that Kim weighs about 140 kilograms (308 pounds) again and belongs to a high-risk group for certain diseases, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.

In this photo provided on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting of Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held from June 28 until July 1, in Pyongyang, North Korea (KCNA via KNS)

Lee said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers that Kim has shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes since his early 30s and that he will likely eventually suffer from heart disease if he fails to improve his health.

Another lawmaker, Park Sunwon, said the NIS believes Kim’s obesity is linked to his drinking, smoking and stress.

Park and Lee quoted the NIS as saying it obtained intelligence that North Korean officials have been trying to get new medicines abroad for high blood pressure and diabetes for Kim.

Kim's health is the focus of keen attention outside North Korea since he hasn't formally anointed a successor who would take charge of the country's advancing nuclear arsenal targeting the United States and its allies if he was incapacitated.

The NIS, in its Monday briefing, maintained its assessment that Kim's preteen daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, appears to be bolstering her status as her father's likely heir apparent. But the NIS said it still cannot rule out the possibility that she could be replaced by one of her siblings because she hasn't been officially designated as her father's successor.

This picture taken on May 14, 2024 and released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 15, 2024 shows North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

Intense speculation about Kim Ju Ae, who is about 10 years old, flared as she has accompanied her father on a slew of high-profile public events starting in late 2022. State media called her Kim Jong Un's “most beloved” or “respected” child and churned out footage and photos proving her rising political standing and closeness with her father.

The NIS told lawmakers that at least 60% of Kim Ju Ae's public activities have involved attending military events with her father.