Kim Jong-un died? North Korea publishes photos like “proof of life”

A North Korea released several photographs of Kim Jong-un as “proof of life,” after rumours had arisen that the North Korean leader would have died after a cerebral hemorrhage. 

The photographs were released by the state press on Monday, October 19, and show Kim Jong-un at a women's clothing store.

Now, the images appeared hours after they began circulating online rumors that the leader of 42 - year - old South Korea would have suffered a brain hemorrhage, so he was brain dead after allegedly being taken to Beijing in China. 

To deny the rumors, the news agency KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un visited an exhibition, although it is not possible to authenticate the veracity of the photographs or when they were taken. 

In the various photographs, you can see Kim interacting with the staff, as well as seeing the clothing and footwear items, followed by several of his advisors. 

Kim Jong-un's health has been the subject of speculation for several years. In fact, last month, South Korea's intelligence services advanced that Kim, who weighs about 140 kilograms, was facing a high risk for cardiovascular diseases due to obesity.

Despite speculation, intelligence services claimed they did not detect significant signs of health problems

After all, how did the rumors begin?

According to the New York Post, it all began when Wanjun Xie, a Chinese dissident based in the United States and associated with the Democratic Party of China, published a series of allegations on social network X last Sunday. 

The Chinese said that Kim Jong-un had died and that China had sent 9,000 soldiers to Pyongyang. He also claimed that a team of specialists from Beijing Medical School Hospital had traveled to North Korea on Saturday to treat the North Korean leader after a cerebral hemorrhage. 

Wanjun Xie also mentions that Kim was in a coma and then transported to China, where he allegedly died. The body was then transported back to North Korea in secret, he said. 

It should be noted that none of these statements have been proven, however, have eventually become viral on social networks and have been passed on by various media. 

Already this Tuesday, the Chinese stated that the images released by North Korean media were manipulated by artificial intelligence.

“ Recently, in an attempt to dispel rumors about Kim Jong-un's death, North Korean state media would have released several photos of Kim Jong-un buying clothes with his wife and daughter. However, some netizens used AI facial recognition to determine that the photos showed a double, not the real Kim Jong-un ", can be read.