Taiwan's intelligence chief claims North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is 'sick'

  • Recently a five minute video started to spread in North Korea claiming that Kim Jong Un is dead

  • The director of the National Security Bureau (NSB) has claimed that North Korea has emergency plans for a potential power struggle if Kim Jong Un dies

The rumours about North Korea leader Kim Jong Un are all over the social media, while several reports claim that he is still alive and doing well. But recently the intelligence chief of Taiwan revealed that Kim Jong Un is "sick."

This came after an alleged KCTV video went viral that claimed the supreme leader of North Korea is dead. On Thursday, April 30, the Taiwan intelligence chief claimed that North Korea has emergency plans for a potential power transfer if Kim Jong Un dies.

Kim Jong-un is not doing well

north korea
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. Reuters

As reported by Taiwan News, the director of the National Security Bureau (NSB) Chui Kuo-cheng, revealed details about Kim Jong Un's health when he was asked about the North Korean leader. The report claimed that the Taiwanese official merely laughed and refused to give a proper reply when asked if he meant that the Hermit Kingdom's leader was indeed alive.

Taipei Times reported that Chiu told lawmakers "My answer is from the intelligence that is available and it is not an opinion." He also refused to provide more details about Kim Jong Un, while citing the need to protect intelligence sources in the secretive country, North Korea. The official also assured the legislators that contingency plans were in place ready for potential power transmission in North Korea if the leader did succumb.

Later, Hu Mu-yuan, Chiu's deputy stated that their intelligence was not able to confirm the current status of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's health and added that "From what we know, Kim is still in charge and in control of North Korea's military and its government."

Does the viral video include all the answers?

Kim Jong-un
Kim Jong-un Pixabay

A five-minute video featuring North Korea's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in the background, which is the memorial of the country's founder Korea Kim Il-sung had been circulated in the area of North Korea bordering China.

As per Daily NK, a North Pyongan Province-based source said the video in the question seemed to have been broadcasted by the Korean Central Television (KCTV) and the footage entered North Korea via China. The Daily NK source also revealed that the leaked video suggests, "Kim suddenly died during on-the-spot guidance [on-the-spot inspections]" on Saturday, April 25 at around at 12:30 AM.

In another report it was also mentioned that the North Korean military is deploying GPS jamming devices along its borders, amidst reports of a massive structure being set up that is speculated to be part of the funeral preparations for supreme leader Kim Jong Un that triggers enough fuel to speculate that the video may not be fake.

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