China slips in re-assurance on Kim Jong Un's health; claims he's not 'critically ill'

Quoting Chinese party source, an international media reported on Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not 'believed to be critically ill. The report has quoted an official from an official with the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department. The Communist Party of China rules the country and its leader and China's President Xi Jinping's political thought is included in the Chinese constitution, while he has been enshrined to remain 'president for life'. 

The statement comes amid multiple conflicting reports floated in the US media about the health of North Korean Supreme Leader after he missed the celebration of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

While one US news portal citing 'multiple US officials' said that Kim Jong Un caught COVID-19 from a Chinese doctor flown in to help with his heart valve surgery, another report claimed that he is 'brain dead' after surgery. Meanwhile, South Korea have said on April 21 that he was "not gravely ill".

READ | WHO Representative: North Korea Is Testing For COVID-19, Has No Cases

Yet another report stated that the Donald Trump administration is looking into 'potential line of succession'. While there has not been any evidence or direct report by the North Korean state media about the issue, the Unification Ministry, which deals with inter-Korean affairs in South Korea said quoting DailyNK that Kim was recovering from heart surgery in the capital Pyongyang and that his condition was improving. 

READ | Kim Jong Un in fragile condition? South Korea probing health of North's Supreme Leader

The initial report that floated on Tuesday morning said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was in 'fragile condition' after surgery. Citing an anonymous U.S. official, a US-based channel said Kim was in “grave danger” after an unspecified surgery.

READ | Kim Jong Un absent as North Korean legislature holds third session amid pandemic