Where is Kim Jong Un?: North Korea is scheduled to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on Wednesday, February 8. However, its leader Kim Jong Un went missing for nearly 36 days, thus fuelling the buzz over his ill health issues. Neither of the state media which usually covers his crucial meetings and other public events has shown inquisitiveness to locate its 39-year-old supreme leader.
Several international media speculated that the leader might be suffering from some serious ailment, especially a fatal one. Notably, this was not the first time when multiple media reported concerns about his health issues. In a similar situation, he went unreported for more than 40 days-- his longest-ever break from making any public appearance.
In 2020, when the Coronavirus engulfed the almost whole world, his absence at a key state anniversary event on 15 April fuelled serious questions about his health. Some media even reported that the leader was possibly dead. Subsequently, in 2021, he was not seen at any military meetings or public rallies for more than 35 days. And now, he went AWOL for 36 days.
Kim Jong-un reappeared after 36 days
Although Kim Jong Un had missed a military meeting on Sunday, February 5, NK News reported that the leader reappeared at an enlarged Central Military Commission (CMC) meeting on Monday. According to media reports, he ordered “intensified” operational training and talk issues related to war readiness.
Several media outlets also reported that the supreme leader directed its military to increase its war tanks, artilleries, and other crucial equipment in order to counter its neighbouring nation. Also, there were reports that the leader has told its military to prepare more lethal missiles which have the potential to reach American land. However, neither of the media outlets reported whether he was enjoying holidays with his 9-year-old daughter Kim Ju-ae or was undergoing any medical treatment.
South Korea detects a significant increase in patrolling near the North border
Meanwhile, spokesperson of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lee Sung-jun, during a briefing on Tuesday said that the South Korean military has detected a “significant increase in personnel and vehicles” in areas related to parade rehearsals, but declined to share a specific assessment on when the event would take place. Further, he noted that the South Korean military was closely monitoring developments related to North Korea’s possible creation of a new military bureau related to missiles, but didn’t provide further details.
It is worth mentioning Kim Jong-un fired more than 70 ballistic missiles last year, including potential nuclear-capable weapons designed to strike targets in South Korea or reach the US mainland.
