Kim Jong-un death rumours resurface as viral claims say body moved to crystal coffin at Kumsusan Palace; sister takeover claims emerge

Fresh claims that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has died and his sister, Kim Yo-jong, has assumed power are circulating online, even as state media recently released photographs purportedly showing him with his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, at a garment and footwear exhibition. The timing of the photographs has not been independently verified, while the allegations about his death and a change in leadership remain unsubstantiated.

The speculation has intensified following reports of disruptions affecting dozens of North Korean websites, including those of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and the ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. However, no confirmed link has been established between the outages and the rumours about Kim's health or the country's leadership.

Also Read: Kim Jong-un dead or alive: Who will take North Korea leadership in case of death of country's supreme leader

North Korea releases photos of Kim Jong-un with daughter

North Korean state media reported that Kim visited a garment and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19, accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, and released photographs and footage the following day. The images showed the leader inspecting products at the exhibition.

However, the release of the photographs has not put an end to online speculation. A report by the NCIJ Network, citing Snopes, said the images could not be independently verified as having been taken on the date claimed. This uncertainty has been cited in online discussions questioning whether the photographs establish Kim's current whereabouts, although it does not provide evidence that he has died.

Jie Lijian claims Kim's body is being kept at Kumsusan Palace

In a social media post, Jie Lijian claimed that Kim's body had been placed in a crystal coffin at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun following his alleged death, with the authorities supposedly keeping the development secret and having the body embalmed. The post also referred to the preserved remains of Kim's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, and father, Kim Jong-il, at the palace.

Jie further alleged that Kim Yo-jong had taken control of North Korea and that the whereabouts of Kim's wife and daughter were unknown. The post also claimed that Chinese military personnel had been deployed to Pyongyang to facilitate a change in leadership. None of these allegations has been independently substantiated.

The same post alleged that Kim Yo-jong had issued a warning to South Korea on October 22, threatening military action if Seoul interfered in North Korea's internal affairs. It also claimed that North Korea had reactivated loudspeakers broadcasting anti-South Korea messages along the border. These claims have not been independently verified.

Wanjun Xie links website outages to alleged leadership crisis

Wanjun Xie, who has circulated the death claims on social media, alleged that more than 40 North Korean websites experienced severe disruptions on October 21. His post claimed that the outages reflected confusion within the country's leadership following Kim's alleged death and that an attempted transfer of power to Kim Ju-ae had been blocked.

Xie also claimed that Kim Yo-jong had taken control but had yet to consolidate her authority, resulting in competing central leadership structures within the Workers' Party of Korea. He described the reported internet disruption as indirect evidence supporting the death rumours.

However, reports on the website outages have not established that they were caused by a leadership crisis. South Korean media reported that websites operated by North Korean state institutions experienced access problems, but the cause remained unclear, with the possibility of a cyberattack also raised. No independent evidence has confirmed Xie's claims about rival party leadership structures or a takeover by Kim Yo-jong.

Kim Jong-un's death remains unconfirmed

The latest claims remain unverified, and no independently confirmed evidence has established that Kim Jong-un has died or that Kim Yo-jong has taken over the government. South Korean diplomatic and security officials told Yonhap News Agency they had heard nothing to support the death reports.

North Korean state media's publication of photographs purportedly showing Kim at the exhibition has added to the uncertainty, but the date of the images has not been independently established. The reported website outages likewise do not confirm the rumours or demonstrate that a succession has taken place.