The North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un is the Supreme leader of North Korea after he took over in 2011 when his father and late leader Kim Jong-il died.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made his first public appearance since speculation about his health began last month, cutting the ribbon at the opening of a fertilizer factory, according to the state media on Saturday.
On Friday, Kim attended the event in Sunchon, near the capital Pyongyang, after nearly three weeks of swirling rumours that the leader of the nuclear-armed nation was seriously ill or possibly dead.
The North Korean leader had not made a public appearance since presiding over a Workers’ Party politburo meeting on April 11, and the following day state media reported that he had inspected fighter jets.
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At Friday’s event, “all the participants broke into thunderous cheers of ‘hurrah!'” when Kim appeared, the Korean Central news agency reported.
Kim’s sister and his close adviser Kim Yo Jong also attended the ceremony.
He inspected the facility and was “briefed about the production processes,” the report said.
Kim “said with deep emotion” that his grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il “would be greatly pleased if they heard the news that the modern phosphatic fertilizer factory has been built”, the report further added.
Earlier this week, a top security adviser to the South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said that Kim Jong Un is in a ‘vegetative state,’ he is “alive and well”.
“Kim had been staying in Wonsan since April 13. No suspicious movements have so far been detected.” said the adviser. Wonsan is a resort town in the country’s east.
On April 15, Pyongyang marked the birthday of its late founder, Kim’s grandfather Kim Il Sung, — by far the most important date in its annual political calendar. Kim was not seen in attendance, raising speculations about his health.
Last week, the North Korean leader was gravely ill following heart surgery.
Soon afterwards, CNN reported that Washington was “monitoring intelligence” that Kim was in “grave danger” after undergoing surgery, quoting what it said was an anonymous US official.
On April 23, US President Trump rejected reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was ailing and criticized his frequent nemesis CNN for running the story.
Trump’s denial of the report came two days after he declined to comment, saying only that he wished Kim well.
Earlier, in 2014 he dropped out of sight for nearly six weeks before reappearing with a cane. Days later, the South’s spy agency said he had undergone surgery to remove a cyst from his ankle.
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