Kim May Have Had Stroke

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Il is alive but seriously ill, a news report said today, amid mounting speculation over the leader’s health after he missed a key national ceremony.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited an unidentified South Korean government official as saying Mr Kim appeared to have “collapsed”, a Korean term which is used when a person becomes suddenly ill due to causes including a stroke. The official stressed Mr Kim has not died, Yonhap said. The report gave no further details.

Mr Kim did not appear at a parade commemorating North Korea’s founding 60 years ago yesterday, one of the country’s most celebrated holidays.

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