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 Korea’s Kim Jong Un has sent a “verbal message” to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, after weeks of speculation about his health, according to the state media on Friday.
KCNA news agency did not explain what it meant by a “verbal message,” and it was not clear if the North Korean leader and Xi Jinping had spoken directly.
The message was “in connection with the fact that China is registering success in preventing the COVID-19 infection,” according to KCNA, with Kim Jong Un extending his “warm greetings” to Xi Jinping.
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Last week, Kim made his first public appearance since speculation about his health began last month, cutting the ribbon at the opening of a fertilizer factory.
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.
Kim Jong Un’s temporary disappearance triggered a series of fevered rumors and unconfirmed reports over his condition, while the United States and South Korea insisted they had no information to believe any of the conjecture was true.
Early in the day, the North also lashed out at the South over recent military exercises carried out by Seoul.
“Such reckless move of the military warmongers of the south side is the height of the military confrontation which would leave tongue-tied even their master,” KCNA quoted a North Korean military spokesperson as saying.
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.
Earlier, the North Korean leader was gravely ill following heart surgery.
On Wednesday, according to the Yonhap news agency, there are no signs that Kim received heart surgery when he disappeared from state media for three weeks, but he reduced public activity due to coronavirus concerns.
South Korea’s Unification Minister Kim Yeon-Chul, who oversees North Korea affairs, has said Kim’s public disappearance was not particularly unusual because the country had been taking stringent steps to head off an outbreak.
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