New Photos Of Kim Jong Il Raise Doubts

N. Korea Leader Looks Healthy Despite Reports Of Brain Surgery; Background Evokes Summer

(AP)  The 66-year-old man in the photos appeared the picture of health, full of vigor despite reports he underwent brain surgery less than two months ago.

He was surrounded by serious, crisply uniformed soldiers and in the background there was plenty of verdant greenery, more reminiscent of summer than mid-autumn in a temperate clime.

To seasoned North Korea watchers, the country's weekend release of photos of leader Kim Jong Il for the first time since the middle of August are raising a host of questions about his health - as well as the motive and timing behind their publication.

The images came less than 24 hours before the United States on Saturday removed North Korea from Washington's terrorism blacklist, dousing rising tensions over North Korea's nuclear development.

Kim had disappeared from public view in mid-August, just when Pyongyang stopped dismantling its nuclear program in anger with the United States over its refusal to delist the North, a long coveted demand of the country's communist regime.

"They didn't appear to have been taken recently," Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea expert at Seoul's Dongguk University, said Monday of the pictures carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "To me, it looked like they were taken in June or July."

Sporting his trademark dark shades and khaki jumpsuit, Kim was shown inspecting a military unit. He viewed troops in training, clapping and talking to them while looking around their barracks dotted with red-and-white slogans urging loyalty to him.

They were the first photos of the "Dear Leader," as he is known in North Korea, available since Aug. 14.

That is the date around which Kim - believed to have long had diabetes and heart disease - is thought to have suffered a stroke and then underwent brain surgery, according to South Korean and U.S. officials. North Korea has denied Kim is ill.

But the latest images - though undated - gave no indication Kim had been ill, let alone offered any sign of the alleged operation.

His bouffant-hair remained as puffy as before, and their was no change in his pot belly. He also appeared in the images to have no problem walking and using both his arms.

Brain surgery usually involves shaving off of at least some hair and results in some body paralysis in many cases.

"Looking at his hands, arms and facial appearances in the still pictures, he doesn't appear to have had any problems," said Myoung C. Lee, a neurologist at Seoul's Asan Medical Center. "It's doubtful if they were taken recently, but it's all guesswork."

But the oddest thing about the photos to some were the verdant grass and trees visible in the background: They were too green to believe the pictures were taken recently, considering it's autumn on the Korean peninsula.

Foliage in South Korea has begun showing the tinge of fall, with yellowing leaves mixed with those still green. North Korea is latitudinally farther north than South Korea and autumn arrives faster.

Newspapers in Seoul had similar observations.

"Grass and trees in the photos show the typical sight of a summer landscape, though it is time that autumn leaves are visible in North Korea," the daily Kukmin Ilbo said Monday.

The paper also said South Korean intelligence had seen no unusual movements where the military unit Kim reportedly visited is located, which would have been expected had he visited.

South Korean officials declined to comment on their analysis of the photos.

"We're keeping a close watch on Chairman Kim Jong Il's activity," said Kim Ho-nyeon, spokesman for the Unification Ministry in charge of monitoring the North, refusing to discuss details. The North's leader rules the totalitarian nation in his capacity as chairman of the country's all-powerful National Defense Commission.

Hong Hyun-ik, a North Korea analyst at the security think tank Sejong Institute, said he also believes the latest pictures must have been taken much earlier, because they were "too green" in the background and Kim appeared "too healthy."

Still, the North's release of the pictures should not be seen as meaning Kim's health has deteriorated, he said.

"Kim Jong Il cannot appear in public unless he is in perfect shape," the analyst said. "I think North Korea released the pictures to show its people that their supreme leader is up and going, as the regime prepares to use its removal from the U.S. terrorism list as propaganda for the leader."

Kim, the Dongguk University professor, said the images appeared to be intended not only for the North Korean people, but for U.S. audiences as well.

"Would the United States have removed North Korea from the terrorism list if Kim Jong Il's health is serious?" he asked rhetorically. "I think the North must have felt the need to put an end to speculation about his health ahead of its removal from the terror list."

Despite the release of the pictures, the analyst said Kim is on the road to recovery and is likely to make an appearance in the near future in settings that would leave no question about his health, such as meetings with foreign diplomats.

[credibility2]

Let''s hope that once Kim Jong Il passes, that the entire government change and the North Koreans may finally be able to be active participants in their own life, free of control and oppression.

[tannerbird]

hey he looks ok

[rational_1]

New Photos Of Kim Jong Il Raise Doubts... about his sanity? his choice of hair stylist? his funky ''ain''t I so cool?'' sunglasses? So many doubts, so little time.

[ausie-guy]

Where is Barack Hussein? i can''t see him in pictures shaking hand

[JamesB621]

If they intend for SKorea and the world to see it it must be faked, along with every other image that is intended to be seen by anyone, especially his own population!
Oh, by the way, can anyone out there give me the English translation of brdliky''s comments? Just what the #&@$* are you trying to say? I would say "it''s Greek to me" but even that''s an oversimplification!

[nothappyatall]

But the oddest thing about the photos to some were the verdant grass and trees visible in the background: They were too green to believe the pictures were taken recently, considering it''s autumn on the Korean peninsula."

WHOOPS! looks like the guy who did that screw up will be executed tomorrow as punishment for embarassing Jong what that 10 year old child''s type mistake!

[tannerbird]

JOHN MCCAIN BUDDY KIN JONG FINE TO ME

[norepubs]

That picture is the North Korean version of "Weekend at Bernies".....

[govwatch-2009]

This time of year in the north, half of those trees in background should have lost at tleast half of there leaves and the other half should be browned and ready to fall, the others should be a mixture of red and yellow. I have pictures of south Korea hills this time of year and they tress don''t look any thing like these pictures. These are clearly taken in summer.

[questionnews]

New theory:

It''s a wax figure from Madame Tussaud''s and they take it all over the country & pose it next to various attractions. Just like the commercial where the lawn dwarf is taken on vacation & returned with photos of his trip.

Not much difference between Kim Jong il & a lawn dwarf anyway.

[usclimey]

Why can''''t we take out this loon?

Posted by VcOfReason

For the same reason that Bush I (the wiser) did not go to Baghdad. What happens next???

[nirak2-2009]

Why can''t we take out the bigger loon McOfReason?

[fridak-2009]

He looks a lot healthier than McCain.

[vcofreason]

Why can''t we take out this loon?

[deceler8]

Of course it''s a fake...it''s a Sasquatch dressed in a Kim Jong Il costume.

Chest freezer not included.

[capester1]

It''s one of the doubles.

Vote Obama!

[shimano35]

Have Japan send Godzilla to North Korea---Problem solved.

[cyinzl8r]

Kim''s pretending to be somethings he''s not. Just like Obama

[ruthiejunior]

it''s probably an older photo taken prior and used to fool the world, as that''s how some asian countries handle things, by falsifying and pretending what''s fact and not fact.

[phal4875]

One fairly obvious question is whether or not the photo was taken very recently, in June or July of 2008, or perhaps three years ago. The picture would seem to tell us nothing.