North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un May Have Pretended To Be Dead To Reveal Traitors In Inner Circle: Reports

In April, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un did not appear on the state media for three weeks. The first time his "disappearing" hit headlines was during the second week of April.

This had shot up a series of rumours and speculations about his health and the prospects of a nuclear power state in the event of his "death", in the global media.

Now, This report says that he may have deliberately done this to pretend to be dead. He is said to have done this to reveal traitors.

Reports say that he faked his death to unmask people in his inner circle who were pinning hopes on grabbing power over the event.

WION says that Kim may have done this to identify the leaks within his inner circle. Kim's disappearance from the state media led to rumours on his health and the possibility of an "unexpected succession."

Reuters has said that Members of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee said after a meeting with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) that the reports were “groundless.”

Reuters adds that in April, Daily NK, a Seoul-based news outlet reported "that Kim was recovering from a cardiovascular procedure."

Last week, the rumours were put to rest when North Korean media published photographs and video of Kim at an event. He reappeared at an inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony for a fertiliser plant.

WION says in its report:

Sky Outsiders host James Morrow told Australian viewers that Kim Jong may have been pulling a “classic Stalinist manoeuvre” to see what the public’s response was.

It is being said that the possible consequence of the event: the leader will use the responses that came during his "absence". His returning to the scene puts a question mark on the "credibility" of those high profile defectors in his circle, who had indicated that Kim was suffering from "a life-threatening illness or had died."

WION adds:

One of the defectors, Thae Yong-ho, was North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain, where he managed secret funds for Kim. Thae fled to South Korea in 2016 and was one of a pair of defectors elected to parliament last month.

Yong-ho has apologised.

The other defector is Ji Seong-ho. Reports say that he was invited to attend the United States President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in 2018.

Ji is reported to have said that Kim "had died after cardiovascular surgery".  Ji, too, has issued an apology.

After Kim's reappearance, US President Donald Trump said he is "glad" that the leader is back and healthy.