WASHINGTON — It's not unusual for North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to disappear from public view. But his absence Tuesday from a military parade marking a major anniversary coincided with reports that the autocratic Kim may be gravely ill.
Or maybe not.
The lack of solid evidence about the state of Kim's health underscores how little the world knows about a country that has detonated a nuclear explosion, frequently berates and threatens its neighbors, and once again may be on the verge of famine.
A U.S. intelligence official said it appeared the 66-year-old leader "has suffered a health setback, potentially a stroke."
The episode occurred in the last two to three weeks, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity when discussing intelligence assessments. He noted that U.S. officials were watching developments closely in one of the world's poorest and most reclusive countries because of the far-reaching effects they could have on world affairs.
The communist regime's survival relies heavily on a cult of personality around the "dear leader," and Kim's passing could usher in a collapse that many analysts believe is years overdue.
Kim's prolonged illness or death also could hurt international efforts to rid North Korea of its nuclear arsenal. The country's generals, who are known to oppose surrendering its nuclear weapons, might take control.
Tuesday was the 60th anniversary of the state's founding, a date that in Korean tradition is more important than anniversary celebrations five and 10 years earlier that Kim did attend. Kim normally would have presided at a military parade in Pyongyang, the capital, but foreign diplomats were told several days ago that they could bring cameras, which was taken as an indication that Kim would not be there.
The New China News Agency reported that only Kim Yong Nam, the 80-year-old second in command, made a public appearance at an anniversary banquet Tuesday evening.
Kim Jong Il was groomed for decades to succeed his father, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994 at age 82. The younger Kim is visibly overweight, walks with a slight limp and is reported by South Korean intelligence to have diabetes and a heart condition.
He is widely reported to like Western movies and luxury goods such as French cognac and designer watches.
