North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un has made his first public appearance for more than a month, with state media on Tuesday reporting a visit to a new housing complex in Pyongyang.
It marked the first time Kim has been seen since early September -- an extended absence that fuelled intense speculation, including rumours of a serious illness or even a coup.
The North's official KCNA news agency said Kim made a "field guidance" tour of the new residential complex specially built for scientists working on North Korea's satellite programme.
"Looking over the exterior of the apartment houses and public buildings, decorated with diverse colored tiles, (Kim) expressed great satisfaction, saying they looked very beautiful," the agency said.
KCNA did not specify the date of the visit, but the agency usually reports such events the day after.
The brief despatch made no mention of Kim's absence from the public eye and offered no insight into his physical wellbeing.
Kim, believed to be 30 or 31, dropped out of sight after attending a music concert with his wife in Pyongyang on September 3.
While there is precedent for a North Korean leader to "disappear" for a while, the absence was more noticeable with Kim who has maintained a particularly pervasive media presence since coming to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011.
Competing theories for his disappearance ranged widely from an extended rest period to a leadership coup, via a long list of possible illnesses and ailments including broken ankles, gout and diabetes.
The rumours multiplied after Kim failed to attend a major political anniversary event on Friday, at which other top leaders were present.
Most analysts speculated that a health problem had left him temporarily incapacitated.
Kim, a heavy smoker, has shown striking weight gain since coming to power following the death of his father in 2011, and recent TV footage had shown him walking with a pronounced limp.
Given the importance of the ruling Kim family dynasty to North Korea's national identity, there were concerns that a prolonged absence might lead to a period of instability.
The South Korean government, however, maintained that its intelligence sources believed Kim had remained in full control.
Nevertheless, his absence did coincide with a rare exchange of heavy machine-gun fire over the inter-Korean border on Friday, triggered by the North Korean military seeking to shoot down some leaflet-laden balloons launched by South Korean anti-Pyongyang activists.
Kim was accompanied on his visit to the residential complex by several top officials including Hwang Pyong-So, the vice chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission who is widely seen as Kim's number two.
Hwang was the leader of a top-ranking North Korean delegation that made a surprise visit to the South just over a week ago.
The rare visit, which resulted in a agreement to resume a suspended high-level dialogue, was seen by some as a message that all was normal in Pyongyang.
The delegation brought a goodwill message from Kim and one of its members insisted the young leader had no health issues.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un has made his first public appearance for more than a month, with state media on Tuesday reporting a visit to a new housing complex in Pyongyang.
It marked the first time Kim has been seen since early September — an extended absence that fuelled intense speculation, including rumours of a serious illness or even a coup.
The North’s official KCNA news agency said Kim made a “field guidance” tour of the new residential complex specially built for scientists working on North Korea’s satellite programme.
“Looking over the exterior of the apartment houses and public buildings, decorated with diverse colored tiles, (Kim) expressed great satisfaction, saying they looked very beautiful,” the agency said.
KCNA did not specify the date of the visit, but the agency usually reports such events the day after.
The brief despatch made no mention of Kim’s absence from the public eye and offered no insight into his physical wellbeing.
Kim, believed to be 30 or 31, dropped out of sight after attending a music concert with his wife in Pyongyang on September 3.
While there is precedent for a North Korean leader to “disappear” for a while, the absence was more noticeable with Kim who has maintained a particularly pervasive media presence since coming to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011.
Competing theories for his disappearance ranged widely from an extended rest period to a leadership coup, via a long list of possible illnesses and ailments including broken ankles, gout and diabetes.
The rumours multiplied after Kim failed to attend a major political anniversary event on Friday, at which other top leaders were present.
Most analysts speculated that a health problem had left him temporarily incapacitated.
Kim, a heavy smoker, has shown striking weight gain since coming to power following the death of his father in 2011, and recent TV footage had shown him walking with a pronounced limp.
Given the importance of the ruling Kim family dynasty to North Korea’s national identity, there were concerns that a prolonged absence might lead to a period of instability.
The South Korean government, however, maintained that its intelligence sources believed Kim had remained in full control.
Nevertheless, his absence did coincide with a rare exchange of heavy machine-gun fire over the inter-Korean border on Friday, triggered by the North Korean military seeking to shoot down some leaflet-laden balloons launched by South Korean anti-Pyongyang activists.
Kim was accompanied on his visit to the residential complex by several top officials including Hwang Pyong-So, the vice chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission who is widely seen as Kim’s number two.
Hwang was the leader of a top-ranking North Korean delegation that made a surprise visit to the South just over a week ago.
The rare visit, which resulted in a agreement to resume a suspended high-level dialogue, was seen by some as a message that all was normal in Pyongyang.
The delegation brought a goodwill message from Kim and one of its members insisted the young leader had no health issues.
