North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s health condition is said to be critical, as per reports. He has been receiving treatment after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure early this month, amid speculation over Kim's health following his absence from a major anniversary event.
North Korea marked the anniversary of the birthday of its founding father and Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, as a national holiday on April 15. But Kim was not seen in attendance. Kim is reportedly recovering at a villa in the Mount Kumgang resort county of Hyangsan on the east coast after getting the procedure on April 12 at a hospital there.
Gathering intelligence out of North Korea is notoriously difficult, one of the most challenging targets for US intelligence.
North Korea tightly controls any information surrounding its leader, who is treated almost like a deity within the country. His absences from official state media often spark speculation and rumors about his health. North Korea has no free press and is often a black hole when it comes to the country's leadership. Analysts are heavily reliant on scanning state media dispatches and watching propaganda videos for any semblance of a clue.
Kim last appeared in North Korean state media on April 11. April 15 -- North Korea's most important holiday, the anniversary of the birth of the country's founding father, Kim Il Sung -- came and went without any official mention of Kim Jong Un's movements.