Kim Jong Un Reappears On North Korean TV, Walks Without Walking Stick, But Limp Still Present

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who was “missing” for the better part of the month of September, made his comeback last month. The North Korean state media previously confirmed Kim Jong Un’s poor health for the reason behind the leader’s sudden disappearance.

The abrupt absence of the leader from the political circles and various functions led people to believe that there was some sort of power struggle underway between him and his younger sister. However, all such speculations were laid to rest after Kim Jong re-appeared on national TV, sporting a limp and walking using a walking stick in mid-October. Dispelling any further rumors about his health, Kim Jon Un has now appeared in a fresh set of photos and on Korean national TV, reports Mashable.

Meanwhile, the South Korean intelligence agency said that it believes Kim Jon Un’s disappearance was in connection with a surgery that he had on his left ankle. The “supreme leader,” as he is addressed by North Koreans, was reportedly suffering from complications caused due to a cyst. According to BBC News, the North Korean government had flown in a team of European doctors to Pyongyang in September or October to operate on Kim Jong Un’s ankle.

On Thursday, Kim Jong Un reappeared in the North Korean national TV with signs that show he is making steady progress. While he still had a limp as he walked, the walking stick was absent. This is perhaps the clearest indication of the fact that Kim Jong Un is definitely recovering from the unconfirmed health problem that kept him on the sidelines for well over a month.

In his latest appearance on national TV, Kim Jong Un was seen attending a meeting of military commanders, according to Reuters. He was seen walking on a stage with a visible limp, without the cane. In another photo, he was seen walking along hundreds of troops looking pretty healthy.

“The photo dispels the lingering sense of uncertainty that was associated with the cane,” Yoo Ho Yeol, a professor of North Korea studies at Korea University in South Korea, told Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, life in North Korea didn’t show any change even as the supreme leader remained absent. The country did, however, execute 10 party officials who had dared to watch South Korean soap operas.

[Image Via Reuters / KCNA]