Kim Jong Il suffering from kidney failure, partially paralysed
March 25th, 2010 - 6:28 pm ICT by ANILondon, Mar 25 (ANI): North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Il is partially paralysed following a 2008 stroke and is also suffering from kidney failure, the head of a South Korean state research institute has said.
The paleness of Kim’s fingernails indicates the 68-year-old leader has chronic kidney disease, said Nam Sung-Wook, the director of the Institute for National Security Strategy.
The institute has links to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and Nam’s remarks, in a speech at a Seoul forum, were quoted by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency and were confirmed by the organisers of the event.
“Chairman Kim Jong-Il is suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure and we believe he is undergoing kidney dialysis every two weeks. (The pale colour of) his nails indicates he has chronic kidney failure,” The Times quoted Nam, as saying.
Nam showed photographs of Kim to illustrate his point. The North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency frequently releases colour photos of the Supreme Leader.
Kim weighed 86kg (189 pounds) before his stroke in August 2008, according to Nam. In January last year he went on a three-month diet and slimmed down to 70-73kg (154-160lbs). (ANI)
- Kim Jong-un declared North Korea's supreme military commander - Dec 31, 2011
- Kim's death: US in touch with South Korea - Dec 19, 2011
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies - Dec 19, 2011
- Seoul hopes tensions between Koreas will ease - Jan 02, 2012
- Kim Jong-un gets married: North Korean TV - Jul 25, 2012
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dead, youngest son takes over (Third Lead) - Dec 19, 2011
- North Korea's Kim Jong-un promoted to top military rank - Jul 18, 2012
- North Korean succession is stable: South Korea, US - Dec 30, 2011
- North Korea's top leader Kim Jong-il is dead (Second Lead) - Dec 19, 2011
- South Koreans send anti-regime leaflets to North in balloons - Dec 22, 2011
- Don't expect us to change, North Korea tells world - Dec 30, 2011
- Kim Jong-il unanimously reappointed North Korean leader - Sep 28, 2010
- South Korea on high alert after Kim's death - Dec 19, 2011
- South Korea's former first lady in Pyongyang for condolences - Dec 26, 2011
- Kim Jong-un elected chairman of National Defence Commission - Apr 13, 2012
Tags: central news agency, chairman kim, chronic kidney disease, chronic kidney failure, colour photos, high blood pressure, kidney dialysis, kim jong il, korean central news, korean central news agency, nam sung, national intelligence service, national security strategy, north korea, pale colour, paleness, seoul forum, south korea, supreme leader, yonhap news agency