South Korea’s spy agency says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is believed to be “extremely obese,” renewing attention on his health after previous periods of limited public appearances sparked speculation about his condition.
This pool image distributed by Sputnik agency shows North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un during his visit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on September 13, 2023, ahead of planned talks with Russian President that could lead to a weapons deal. (Photo by Vladimir SMIRNOV / POOL / AFP)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is understood to be “extremely obese”, Seoul’s spy agency said Wednesday, citing its latest assessment of the reclusive leader’s health.
A heavy smoker who has long been obese, Kim’s health is closely watched internationally as his sudden death could raise questions over succession and stability in the nuclear-armed state.
Kim’s “health condition is classified as extremely obese, weighing over 140 kilogrammes (about 310 pounds),” lawmaker Youn Kun-young said, citing Seoul’s spy agency.
This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the military parade to commemorate the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang.
While he is at “high risk of cardiovascular disease”, Kim has shown no difficulty with physical activity, including running up stairs, Youn added.
“It is assessed that there are no signs of health issues, given the close monitoring by (his) dedicated medical team.”
Speculation over Kim’s health flared in 2020 when he missed a commemoration of his late grandfather’s birthday and disappeared from public view for about 20 days, fuelling rumours that he was seriously ill after surgery.
This undated picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 3, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae (L) inspecting a pet shop awaiting the opening of the fourth-stage district of the Hwasong Area in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
Kim’s father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung were also obese and heavy smokers. Both died of heart attacks.
The nuclear-armed country is under multiple sets of sanctions over its weapons programmes and has long struggled with a moribund state-managed economy and chronic food shortages.
Elizabeth Salmon, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, said in February that food shortages are a key humanitarian concern in the country.
But Paul Smart, executive chef at Hanoi’s Metropole hotel, who worked with Kim’s personal chefs during the 2019 North Korea-US summit, said at the time that the North Korean leader had a taste for rare meat and luxury foods.
According to his chefs — both of them called Kim — the North Korean leader has expensive tastes, Smart said in 2019.
“He likes caviar, lobster, really luxurious product. Foie gras, he really likes to indulge in cuisine.”
AFP
