North Korean officials are reportedly searching in other countries for weight loss drugs to treat leader Kim Jong Un’s obesity, according to a briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), its main spy agency.
The Associated Press reported that the intelligence agency briefed lawmakers on Monday that Kim, 40, is experiencing symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes. The agency also estimated Kim to be about 5’8” in height, weighing 308 pounds (around 139 kg).
Kim, who is known to be a heavy drinker and smoker, reportedly lost up to 44 pounds in 2021, but he gained the weight back and more in the last two years. Both Kim’s father Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, died following heart attacks.
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"North Korean officials have been trying to get new medicines abroad for Kim’s suspected high blood pressure and diabetes," the AP reported.
"North Korea is one of the most secretive countries in the world," the AP continued, "and there is virtually no way for outsiders to know Kim’s exact health conditions."
Obtaining reliable information about the secretive North Korean leader and his inner circle has proven to be difficult for the NIS. In 2016, the spy agency came under fire after it reported that North Korean General Ri Yong-gil was executed for corruption. However, Ri resurfaced, has since been promoted multiple times, and continues to serve in Kim’s government.
Meanwhile, the NIS also claimed that Kim’s heir apparent is his preteen daughter, Kim Ju-ae. State media has begun referring to Ju-ae as Kim’s “most beloved” and “respected” daughter—though he has at least one other child.
Ju-ae first began appearing in photos with her father in November 2022, when she attended a missile launch and appeared in photos alongside her parents in North Korean state media. She has since accompanied her father to multiple other public events, including military parades and sporting events.
