SEOUL, April 21 (UPI) -- As reports swirl claiming that Kim Jong Un is in dire health, South Korea's presidential Blue House said Tuesday that there have been no unusual signs about the North Korean leader's condition.
"There has been nothing to confirm regarding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's health anomalies recently reported by some media, and so far no unusual activities have been identified inside North Korea," Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a text message to reporters.
A report on Monday by the Daily NK, a Seoul-based website that receives information from sources inside North Korea, claimed that Kim was under treatment at a hospital after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure.
Citing an unnamed source, the article said Kim underwent the procedure on April 12 at the Hyangsan Clinic, a private hospital for the Kim family in North Pyongyan Province, as a result of "excessive smoking, obesity and overwork."
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The North Korean leader was reported to be in recovery following the procedure in a villa near the hospital. After judging that Kim's condition had improved, most of the medical team treating him returned to Pyongyang on April 19, the Daily NK report said.
CNN on Tuesday reported that Kim was in "grave danger" following surgery, citing an anonymous U.S. official.
Speculation has been rife about the North Korean leader's health since he did not attend an annual ceremony observing the birth anniversary of founder Kim Il Sung on April 15 for the first time since he fully assumed power in 2012.
Kim's last reported public appearance came on April 11 at a meeting of the ruling party's political bureau, during which he called for stricter measures to contain the coronavirus in North Korea.
He was not present at a meeting of North Korea's legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly, on the following day, and his presence was also not reported at the launch of several missiles on April 14.
