Seoul doubts Kim Jong-Il illness report

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- South Korean intelligence officers are denying reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's health might be failing.

Speculation began when a little-known Seoul economics daily, Asia Economy, published a report citing unnamed government sources saying five Chinese doctors had entered North Korea, Radio Australia reported Sunday.

Asia Economy said the doctors had been in Pyongyang more than a week, possibly to treat Kim.

While Seoul intelligence officials agree Kim indeed has diabetes and heart problems, they say those conditions are not serious enough to affect his job, Radio Australia said.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported Sunday that Kim Il-Sung watchers will be tuning to see if he appears this week at celebrations of the nation's 60th anniversary.