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North Korea's Kim 'has collapsed' N Korea insists Kim is not unwell
(about 5 hours later)
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, "almost certainly" has health problems, a South Korean government official has told the country's Yonhap news agency. North Korea has rebuffed reports that its leader, Kim Jong-il, has collapsed as a result of illness, following his failure to appear at a military parade.
The official said Mr Kim had collapsed, but did not say when or how serious his condition was. He said he had not died. "We see such reports as not only worthless but rather as a conspiracy plot," top North Korean diplomat Song Il-ho told Japan's Kyodo news agency.
But a North Korea official denied the reports, calling them "worthless". A South Korean diplomat was earlier quoted as saying Mr Kim "almost certainly" has health problems.
The reclusive leader failed to appear at a triumphant military parade on Tuesday in the capital, Pyongyang, to celebrate his state's 60th anniversary. The reclusive leader was absent from an important military parade on Tuesday.
Earlier, Western intelligence officials said Kim Jong-il might have suffered a stroke. The parade in Pyongyang commemorated the 60th anniversary of the foundation of North Korea.
According to the latest South Korean report, the illness is "not serious enough to threaten his life". Earlier, Western intelligence officials said Mr Kim might have suffered a stroke.
"It seems that he had intended to attend the 9 September event in the afternoon but decided not to because of the aftermath of the surgery," Yonhap quoted the official as saying. According to the South Korean diplomat, the illness was "not serious enough to threaten his life".
Conspiracy claim "It seems that he had intended to attend the 9 September event in the afternoon but decided not to because of the aftermath of the surgery," Seoul's Yonhap news agency quoted the official as saying.
The North Korean official, North Korea's ambassador handling relations with Japan, said reports describing Kim Jong-il as ill were a "conspiracy" by Western media, Japan's Kyodo News reported from Pyongyang.
"We see such reports as not only worthless, but rather as a conspiracy plot," Song Il-ho was reported as saying.
It was Pyongyang's first reaction to recent reports that the North Korean leader was ill.
"I believe the aim is to form a public opinion on something that is not true. Western media have reported falsehood before," Song said, as quoted by Kyodo News.
Abnormal IndicationsAbnormal Indications
South Korean news agency Yonhap also reported that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday convened an unscheduled meeting with his senior secretaries to discuss the health of the North Korean leader. The North Korean diplomat in charge of relations with Japan, Song Il-ho, was the first Pyongyang official to dismiss claims that the leader was seriously ill.
Who is Kim Jong-il? N Korea's "Dear Leader" is a reclusive character, at centre of an elaborate personality cultSucceeded his father Kim Il-sung, founder of North Korea, who died in 1994Mr Kim is seen in the West as both a master manipulator, and delusional madmanHe has a reputation as a drinker, a playboy and a hypochondriac Profile: Kim Jong-ilAbsence fuels health rumours WHO IS KIM JONG-IL? N Korea's "Dear Leader" is a reclusive character, at the centre of an elaborate personality cultSucceeded his father Kim Il-sung, founder of North Korea, who died in 1994Mr Kim is seen in the West as both a master manipulator, and delusional madmanHe has a reputation as a drinker, a playboy and a hypochondriac Profile: Kim Jong-ilAbsence fuels health rumours
He told Kyodo news agency that Western media frequently reported falsehoods about his country.
The communist state's deputy leader, Kim Yong-nam, was later quoted, again by Kyodo, as saying there was "no problem".
South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an unscheduled meeting on Wednesday with his senior secretaries to discuss the health of the North Korean leader.
"Lee discussed countermeasures to a possible serious illness of the North Korean leader during his unscheduled meeting with senior presidential secretaries," a source at the presidential office said."Lee discussed countermeasures to a possible serious illness of the North Korean leader during his unscheduled meeting with senior presidential secretaries," a source at the presidential office said.
"The president and his senior aides discussed all abnormal indications from North Korea, as the North's situation appears to be serious following Kim Jong-il's absence from a high-profile founding anniversary parade on Tuesday," the source was reported by Yonhap as saying."The president and his senior aides discussed all abnormal indications from North Korea, as the North's situation appears to be serious following Kim Jong-il's absence from a high-profile founding anniversary parade on Tuesday," the source was reported by Yonhap as saying.
A ranking intelligence officer from the Office of the President in Seoul said a number of "unusual goings-on" had been detected in North Korea, but the exact health conditions of the North Korean leader remained unclear, Yonhap reported. A ranking intelligence officer from the Office of the President in Seoul said a number of "unusual goings-on" had been detected in North Korea, but the exact condition of the North Korean leader remained unclear, Yonhap reported.
The BBC's John Sudworth, in the South Korean capital Seoul, says rumours were already rife about his well-being before the rally.The BBC's John Sudworth, in the South Korean capital Seoul, says rumours were already rife about his well-being before the rally.
Pyongyang's second-most senior politician oversaw Tuesday's parade
But Mr Kim's absence from the parade - he was not seen in any of the TV coverage of the event - will prompt further speculation, especially given the symbolic importance of the anniversary.But Mr Kim's absence from the parade - he was not seen in any of the TV coverage of the event - will prompt further speculation, especially given the symbolic importance of the anniversary.
This is especially the case, our correspondent says, given that Mr Kim oversaw similarly triumphant occasions for North Korea's 50th and 55th anniversaries.This is especially the case, our correspondent says, given that Mr Kim oversaw similarly triumphant occasions for North Korea's 50th and 55th anniversaries.
'Largest ever' Mr Kim has not been seen in public since early last month. He has been known to disappear from public view for extended periods before, only to reappear unheralded later.
The anniversary comes amid an impasse in international efforts to urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme. This time, however, the rumours of ill health have been given added impetus by news that a team of Chinese doctors was recently summoned to examine him.
Tuesday's military parade was overseen by North Korea's second most senior politician
On Monday, state-run television channel KRT showed footage of the North's cabinet holding a large indoor gathering to mark the anniversary.
The cabinet released a statement, picked up by monitors in Seoul, saying that North Korea had a powerful army that would "mercilessly punish invaders".
According to South Korean media, the main parade on Tuesday was to be the largest ever staged by its northern neighbour.
"The North probably wants to boost the image of its military might in order to cement unity within the country and secure a better position in the denuclearisation negotiations," a South Korean government source told JoongAng Ilbo newspaper.
The future direction of North Korea is tightly linked to the personality of the country's reclusive leader.
Mr Kim has not been seen in public since early last month, giving rise to speculation he could be seriously unwell.
Mr Kim has been known to disappear from public view for extended periods before, and has always returned eventually, but this time the rumours of ill health have been given added impetus by news that a team of Chinese doctors was recently summoned to examine him.
Food shortagesFood shortages
The celebrations are taking place amid rising tensions between Pyongyang and the international community. The future direction of North Korea is tightly linked to the personality of the country's reclusive leader.
Tuesday's anniversary was observed amid an impasse in international efforts to urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme.
North Korea agreed in February 2007 to give up its nuclear ambitions in return for aid and diplomatic concessions, but the progress of the deal has been far from smooth.North Korea agreed in February 2007 to give up its nuclear ambitions in return for aid and diplomatic concessions, but the progress of the deal has been far from smooth.
After a long delay, Pyongyang handed over details of its nuclear facilities in June 2008.After a long delay, Pyongyang handed over details of its nuclear facilities in June 2008.
In return, it expected the US to remove it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, which the US has yet to do, so the North now appears to be starting to reassemble its main nuclear plant.In return, it expected the US to remove it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, which the US has yet to do, so the North now appears to be starting to reassemble its main nuclear plant.
Meanwhile the World Food Programme estimates that North Korea is suffering from a serious food shortage.Meanwhile the World Food Programme estimates that North Korea is suffering from a serious food shortage.
The North has relied on foreign assistance to help feed its 23 million people since its state-controlled economy collapsed in the mid-1990s.The North has relied on foreign assistance to help feed its 23 million people since its state-controlled economy collapsed in the mid-1990s.