Seoul, South Korea — Kim Jong-un They are more obese than ever, and deputies are seeking foreign drugs to treat their high blood pressure and diabetes. South Korea officials said Tuesday.
“He may have been suffering from a medical condition that is difficult to treat with currently available medication,” South Korean lawmakers Lee Seong-young and Park Sun-won said at a joint press conference, citing Seoul’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
of The 40-year-old dictator He weighed about 308 pounds, which the department believes is the heaviest he’s ever been, according to the department, which added that his weight put him at “high risk” for heart disease and that he had been showing signs of high blood pressure and diabetes since his early 30s.
“It was concluded that the health problems appear to be caused by stress, smoking and alcohol,” the National Intelligence Service said, citing Lee of the ruling People’s Power Party and Park of the opposition Democratic Party.
Without treatment, Kim Jong Un could suffer from a hereditary cardiovascular condition, the researchers added. Both his grandfather and his father, who ruled an isolated communist regime before Kim Jong Un, died of heart problems.
The lawmakers said Kim was looking for “alternative medical substances”, raising speculation he may be suffering from a condition that cannot be immediately treated.
The dictator, who NIS previously estimated to be about 5ft 7ins tall, appears to have lost just 44lbs. 3 years ago.
State media footage at the time showed a thin Kim Jong Un raising concerns about his health, but observers suggested he may have changed his eating habits in a bid to improve his physique and garner loyalty from the people.
However, recent footage has shown that Kim has likely gained the weight back on.
While there is no way for outsiders to know exactly what Kim’s health is, Seoul’s intelligence agencies are relying on artificial intelligence technology and forensic video analysis of Kim Jong Un to investigate his condition.
Kim Jong Un has not formally named a successor to lead the nuclear-armed nation, and his health remains a top concern abroad. Intensifying conflict He is strengthening cooperation between the United States and its treaty ally, South Korea. Personality cultIn the midst of an economic crisis, he is trying to consolidate his position as the government’s leader and gain public support.
Although there has been no official announcement, the National Intelligence Service believes Kim Jong Un’s early teenage daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is a likely successor as she often appears in public, including participating in military activities with her father.
She is thought to be 10 or 11 years old and was first seen with Kim in 2022 while they were watching a movie together. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Test Afterwards, they took part in a large military parade.
Still, the NIS said it was possible another sibling could be swapped in her place.
Stella Kim reported from Seoul and Michiru Agarwal from Hong Kong.
