North Korea is a nation whose bad news is not broadcast to the world on a regular basis. They are a hermit kingdom, led by a dictatorial dynasty who’ve cut the population off from the rest of the world in order to exploit them.
If North Koreans knew how bad they truly had it, they would have revolted long ago, but the Kim family has continued to obfuscate reality in order to keep their citizens in line.
This also means that very little real news from the DPRK makes it onto the world’s stage. When it does, it is often shocking and worrisome.
Today was no exception.
The US is monitoring intelligence that suggests North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, is in grave danger after undergoing a previous surgery, according to a US official with direct knowledge.
A second source familiar with the intelligence told CNN that the US has been closely monitoring reports on Kim’s health.
Kim recently missed the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being. He had been seen four days before that at a government meeting.
Another US official told CNN Monday that the concerns about Kim’s health are credible but the severity is hard to assess.
National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said the US is “keeping a close eye” on reports about Kim’s health.
North Korea had previously claimed that they had identified zero cases of COVID-19 within their borders, which is almost assuredly a baldfaced lie. Now, with Kim reportedly falling ill while under medical care, one can only imagine if there is a connection between his condition and the current global pandemic.
