Kim Jong Un death rumours: New photos emerge as claims of North Korean leader's death, secret Beijing treatment and alleged coma spread online

North Korea has released photographs showing leader Kim Jong Un inspecting footwear and women's clothing at an exhibition, following unverified social media claims that he had died after suffering a severe brain haemorrhage, the New York Post reported. The photographs, published by North Korean state media on Monday, show Kim examining children's shoes, gesturing towards officials and looking at women's coats displayed at a garment and footwear exhibition. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) also reported that Kim toured the exhibition on Monday. However, the photographs have not been independently authenticated, and it remains unclear when they were taken. North Korean authorities have not explicitly addressed the rumours about Kim's alleged death.

Kim Jong Un death rumours spread on social media

The rumours gained traction after Wanjun Xie, a US-based Chinese dissident associated with the China Democracy Party, made a series of claims on X on Sunday, according to the New York Post.

Read more - Kim Jong-un death rumours intensify, claims emerge sister Kim Yo-jong has taken power, 9,000 Chinese troops sent to North Korea


Xie alleged that Kim had suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage, fallen into a coma and died after being taken to Beijing for emergency treatment. He claimed that medical specialists from Peking Union Medical College Hospital had travelled to North Korea to treat the leader before he was transferred to Beijing.

Xie further alleged that Kim's body had been secretly returned to North Korea and that the country's leadership was keeping news of his death under wraps.

The claims were not accompanied by medical records, identifiable witnesses or other independently verifiable evidence, the New York Post reported. The allegations subsequently circulated widely on social media.

Claims of Chinese troop deployment and succession crisis

Xie also claimed that China had dispatched 9,000 troops to Pyongyang amid concerns about a possible succession crisis in North Korea. He alleged that the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Northern Theatre Command had been placed on heightened alert in preparation for potential instability.

However, these claims have not been independently verified. There is no confirmed evidence in the information cited by the report that China deployed troops to Pyongyang or that North Korea is facing a succession crisis.

Xie also speculated that Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, could be exercising control over the country following his alleged death. His posts further referred to Kim's daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and the possibility of a change in the country's leadership.

North Korean authorities have not confirmed any change in leadership.

What the photographs show

The photographs released by North Korean state media show Kim inspecting products at a garment and footwear exhibition.

In one image, he bends forward to examine a small pink shoe held by a woman. Another shows him gesturing with his arms outstretched while appearing to address an official. A third photograph captures him reaching towards the sleeve of a woman's coat displayed on a mannequin.

Although the images provide a reported account of Kim's public activity, they do not independently establish when the visit took place. The uncertainty surrounding their timing has also meant that the photographs cannot, on their own, conclusively settle the claims circulating online.

Kim Jong Un's health has drawn international attention

Kim's health has been the subject of international speculation for years. According to the New York Post, South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers on September 30 that the North Korean leader weighed approximately 140 kg and faced an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease because of severe obesity.

However, the agency reportedly detected no significant signs of ill health, citing Kim's ability to climb stairs during an inspection of a naval destroyer.

The latest rumours echo a false alarm in 2020, when Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector who later became a South Korean lawmaker, claimed he was '99%' certain that Kim had died following cardiovascular surgery. Kim subsequently appeared in public, and Ji apologised for making the erroneous claim.