The North Korean leader has gone into a coma for months ... and his appearance was fake
The leader gave up some of his powers to his younger sister. Archives
South Korean diplomat Chang Song-min, former aide to former South Korean President Kim Dae Yang, said North Korean President Kim Yoo-Young's sister, 33, will take over power in place of her brother to lead North Korea.
"I think the North Korean president is in a fainting state, but he has not died yet," Zhang said during his interview with local media.
He added that the photos of the North Korean president that were shown in the media were fake.
Zhang was speaking as North Korea granted some powers to President Kim to his sister. "So far, there has not been a complete transfer of power, which is why Kim Yoo-young has been summoned to power given that the existing vacuum cannot be left for a long time," he said.
South Korea's intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service, reported last week that the North Korean president will gradually transfer his powers to his sister to "ease tension" even though he is still young. But the agency said that leader Kim Jong Un will maintain absolute control of power, behind the scenes and will insist that the transfer of power has nothing to do with his health.
Kim's pictures appeared last Thursday while attending a government meeting, but Reuters news agency said that it was not possible to "independently verify" the photos published by this country, secretly.
The North Korean dictator, 36, was rarely seen in public this year, and rumors circulated last April that he was in a "coma" as a result of a botched heart operation.