2026.10.19 - 23:52

Unverified social media claims suggest North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has fallen into a coma after suffering a brain haemorrhage and was taken to China for emergency treatment.

Axar.az reports, citing The Sun, that according to online speculation, Kim was admitted to Peking Union Medical College in Beijing. However, the report provides no independent confirmation of the claims.

Kim was last seen publicly on October 11, when he toured a defence museum in Pyongyang.

North Korea analyst Benedict Rogers said similar rumours about Kim’s death had circulated in the past. He noted that North Korean authorities would typically stage public displays of mourning if the country’s leader died, adding that no such scenes had been reported.

Speculation about succession has focused on Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who could potentially assume power in the event of his death, while his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is widely viewed by some analysts as a possible future successor. However, Ju-ae has not been officially designated as heir.

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Wanjun Xie, chairman of the China Democracy Party, has claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have died and that his sister, Kim Yo-jong, is now in control of the country.

In a post on X, Xie said rumours of Kim’s death had circulated online for days and argued that his absence from public view lent credibility to the claims. However, he provided no verifiable evidence confirming the North Korean leader’s death or a transfer of power.

Xie also claimed that Kim Yo-jong had intensified military threats against South Korea, activating loudspeaker broadcasts and ordering 201 warning shots. He suggested that the actions were intended to consolidate her control over the North Korean military.

The claims remain unverified. No reliable independent confirmation has been provided that Kim Jong-un has died or that Kim Yo-jong has assumed leadership of North Korea.