[Anchor]
Let's discuss North Korea further with reporter Kim Ayeong.
Reporter Kim, I understand rumors that North Korean General Secretary Kim Jong Un has died are spreading quickly online?
[Reporter]
This rumor first spread abroad rather than through domestic media.
The starting point appears to be a social media post by Xie Wanjun, known as a U.S.-based Chinese dissident.
The claim is that rumors are circulating that General Secretary Kim collapsed and lost consciousness from a cerebral hemorrhage, and although he was taken to a Beijing hospital, he passed away.
Even this individual described it as a rumor.
There is currently no concrete evidence.
According to North Korean media, General Secretary Kim toured the "National Clothing and Footwear Exhibition" on October 19 together with his daughter, Kim Ju-ae.
A report in the Rodong Sinmun yesterday (October 22) stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a reply message dated October 20 in response to the congratulatory message General Secretary Kim had sent on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of China's National Day.
If the rumors of General Secretary Kim's death were true, it seems unlikely that President Xi would have sent a reply message and that North Korea would have published it.
[Anchor]
Rumors of General Secretary Kim Jong Un's death are not new, are they?
[Reporter]
As you may remember, they have surfaced several times before.
This is not the first time.
In the past, whenever his absence from public view became prolonged, speculation often arose that something was wrong with his health.
This stemmed from the precedent set in August 2008, when Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, suddenly collapsed from a stroke and his public appearances were temporarily halted.
Because General Secretary Kim is severely obese at around 140 kg and has a family history of cardiovascular disease, not only South Korea's National Intelligence Service but also foreign intelligence agencies closely monitor his activities.
However, this time, the rumor was raised on social media while his public appearances were ongoing.
Because North Korea is a society where information is heavily controlled and internal developments are shrouded in opacity, rumors about his well-being have often recurred.
The way information circulates through social media—where anyone can raise suspicions and people quickly consume them—can also be seen as one reason why such rumors keep resurfacing.
Looking back at how North Korea actually reacted when its top leader died, when Kim Jong Il passed away in December 2011, newscaster Ri Chun-hee appeared on Korean Central Television dressed in black mourning attire just two days later to announce the news.
Video by Jeong Seong-hoon
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