S. Korea: Kim Recovering From Stroke

Kim Jong Il, 66, Absent From Important N. Korea Celebration; N. Korea Denies Any Illness

(CBS/ AP)  North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is believed to be recovering from an apparent stroke, South Korea's presidential office said Wednesday, as the communist nation rejected reports questioning Kim's health as a "conspiracy plot."

Speculation has intensified that Kim may have taken ill after he missed a parade Tuesday commemorating the communist state's founding 60 years ago. That followed weeks of being absent from public view and rumors that foreign doctors were brought to the isolated nation to possibly treat him.

On Wednesday, South Korean presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said that President Lee Myung-bak and top officials received an intelligence briefing on Kim's health. The spokesman said in a statement that according to the briefing Kim was "not seen to be in a serious condition."

South Korea's National Intelligence Service reported to a parliamentary committee that it obtained intelligence reports showing Kim recently had surgery for an unspecified circulatory problem, and his condition had much improved, an agency official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing office policy, did not elaborate.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing lawmakers briefed by the spy agency, reported that the 66-year-old Kim suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, but he remains conscious and "is able to control the situation."

The NIS also reported to lawmakers that Kim is in a "recoverable and manageable condition," and that the North is not in a "power vacuum," Yonhap said.

NIS officials said they could not confirm the Yonhap report.

A Bush administration official confirmed to CBS News that the South Korean government, within the past few weeks, has informed Washington that it believes Kim is recovering from a stroke, reports CBS News State Department reporter Charles Wolfson. The official said there has been an accumulation of signals and signs that "things were not right" in North Korea for a couple of weeks.

Earlier in the day, North Korean officials denied that Kim may be ill or that there was anything unusual about his absence from the parade.

"There are no problems," Kim Yong Nam, Pyongyang's No. 2 leader and ceremonial head of state, told Japan's Kyodo News agency, referring to Kim Jong Il's absence.

Song Il Ho, a senior diplomat, said reports of Kim's illness are "worthless" and a "conspiracy plot," adding Western media "have reported falsehoods before," according to Kyodo's dispatch from Pyongyang.

It was not the first time North Korea had sent a message to the outside world through Kyodo. Kim Yong Nam also gave the news organization an interview two days after North Korea carried out its first-ever nuclear test blast in 2006.

In another indication that the North's leader is alive, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said Kim sent a birthday greeting Wednesday to Syria's leader.

Kim wished Syrian President Bashar Assad good health and success in efforts to make the country secure and prosperous, according to the Korean-language message carried by KCNA.

Early Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting in Seoul to discuss the situation with senior aides, an official at the presidential Blue House said.

Lee's office said in a statement after the meeting that the government will continue to follow the situation closely. It said Seoul had predicted the North's leader may not attend Tuesday's event, but did not elaborate.

Seoul's Defense Ministry said there has been no unusual movement in North Korea's military and the heavily armed border between the two sides remained calm.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency devoted its coverage Wednesday to stories celebrating the country's founding anniversary and gave no hint of Kim's condition. It is considered an absolute taboo for state media to discuss the North Korean leader's health in the totalitarian nation where he is revered almost as a demigod.

Speculation over Kim's condition spiked Tuesday after he did not appear at a parade commemorating North Korea's founding 60 years ago, one of the country's most celebrated holidays along with the birthdays of Kim and his late father, Kim Il Sung, the country's founding leader.

Kim, who has been rumored to be in varying degrees of ill health for years, took over the reclusive state upon the death of his father 14 years ago in a hereditary transfer of power. The younger Kim attended the parade on the 50th and 55th anniversaries and was widely expected to do so this year as well.

Since late 2002, North Korea has been locked in a standoff with the United States over its nuclear ambitions.

The country carried out its first nuclear test in 2006, but agreed last year to disable its nuclear facilities in exchange for economic aid and political concessions.

The negotiations, however, hit a snag again recently with the two sides at odds over how to verify North Korea's accounting of its nuclear programs. Washington has delayed its promised removal of Pyongyang from the U.S. terrorism blacklist.

[ajmarine111]

Does this guy have a son?

Posted by Inketolstoy at 04:21 PM : Sep 10, 2008



Kim is believed to have three children - Kim Sul Song, Kim Jong Nam and Kim Jong Chul - who have two different mothers. None has been declared to be Kim''s successor.

[im4honesty]

More phony outrage from McCain:

"Its clear that Koreas president is making a sexist attack on Sarah Palin and Obama should apologize. Getting brain damage is Kim Jong Ills way of saying Sarah Palin is unqualified. Obama should apologize for the stroke, its an elitist attack meant to smear Palin."




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by MooseMcBush


LOL!!

[u-r-right]

A quick stroke is too kind a death for this nutty little man.

[u-r-right]

And just like that. He''s either dead or a drooling idiot right now. Wouldn''t it be funny if he recovers from it but is a complete opposite of his former self?

[inketolstoy]

Does this guy have a son?

[brianp55]

This is another situation like China, Libya and Cuba (and by the way, I never agreed with our policy toward Cuba, per se). You just have to wait these guys out. Wait for them to die or be overthrown and wait for their economic distress and the rewards of capitalism and association with US to become irresistable. The tide is turning.

[avigil2]

"he looks like a queer..." - Posted by wp4088

Was that really necessary? Do you even know what a "queer" looks like? Most are good-looking and well kept. Don''t be an idiot.

[skysoldier75]

This is what happens when you do far too much meth for far too long.

Too bad the little freak didn''t just die.

[moosemcbush]

More phony outrage from McCain:

"Its clear that Koreas president is making a sexist attack on Sarah Palin and Obama should apologize. Getting brain damage is Kim Jong Ills way of saying Sarah Palin is unqualified. Obama should apologize for the stroke, its an elitist attack meant to smear Palin."

[docpeter-2009]

I refuse to believe that Kamm Junger Ill is allright until I see him out in the courtyard, lopping off the heads of a few political opponents.

Posted by TheVicar1 at 09:53 AM : Sep 10, 2008
____________________

He is wiating for Rove and Cheney to go first and set his example.

[questionnews]

There''''s no problem with Kim Jung Il, he''''s dead.

Posted by unlresources at 08:12 AM : Sep 10, 2008

Even if he''s dead, they wouldn''t admit it. I would not be surprised if they tried to pull off a weekend at Bernie''s scenario.

[thevicar1]

I refuse to believe that Kamm Junger Ill is allright until I see him out in the courtyard, lopping off the heads of a few political opponents.

[tootall10142]

To understand world politics is to understand that if this man dies then the U.N will have to put up with the aspirations of a new leader and all the new leaders of communist countries have rub against the world leaders in irritating fashion just let everyone know im here and im young ang im strong and my people love me because daddy told them too.In my opion if we were worried about the leadership rather than the lack of we the United States would assasinate the next generation and stop the cycle.By allowing the torch to be passed to a son of a communist leader we alre4ady have all the intell. on these people and know them as well as or better than the people they lead.It is better sometimes to let the ripples flow where they may instead of creating turmoil.hussien was a genocidist.The north korean communist leader is just a bully with limited area into which inflict his will.Kepp this in mind the north korean military is a force that would be harsh to reckon with these people are taught and brain washed at a early age. Hitler said {Give me a child for seven years and they will be mine for life}.

[mitywhity]

His dad picked up pine cones and threw them and they turned into grenades. That''s what the NKs believe! Their minds are so shot that they vaguely resemble humans anymore. Sad.

[unlresources]

"Dear Leader", has left the building.

[unlresources]

There''s no problem with Kim Jung Il, he''s dead.

Just like Castro, say everything is fine but be a no show. North Korea creditability problems continues.