A train likely belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been parked at his compound on the country’s east coast since last week, satellite imagery showed, amid speculation about his health that has been caused, in part, by a long period out of the public eye.
The satellite photographs released by 38 North, a US-based project that studies North Korea, do not say anything about Kim’s potential health problems, and they echo South Korean government intelligence that Kim is staying outside of the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
Seoul has also repeatedly indicated that there have been no unusual signs that could indicate health problems for Kim.
Photo: AP
That has not stopped growing unconfirmed rumors and media reports about Kim’s health that have emerged since he missed an April 15 commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il-sung.
Kim Jong-un’s health is of crucial importance because of worries that the serious illness or death of a leader venerated with near-godlike passion by millions of North Koreans could cause instability in the impoverished, nuclear-armed country.
Many experts in South Korea downplayed speculation that Kim is seriously ill.
They also said North Korea would not likely face serious immediate turmoil even if Kim is incapacitated or dies, because someone else like his influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, would quickly step in, although the prospect for the North’s long-term political future would be unclear.
Kim Jong-un’s train has been parked at the Leadership Railway Station servicing his Wonsan compound since at least Tuesday, 38 North said on Saturday, citing an analysis of recent satellite photographs of the area.
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