The ultimate challenge for spies and analysts studying North Korea is accurately assessing the health of Kim Jong Un, the 37-year-old dictator of the secretive state.
Kim appeared on state television in recent weeks after a long absence and looked noticeably thinner. This sparked a frenzy of speculation among North Korea watchers from Seoul to Washington. If the country’s leader suddenly fell ill, it could set off a power struggle for control of an arsenal of nuclear and chemical weapons.
The episode exposed the ramifications of a leadership contest in Pyongyang and the deterioration of intelligence agencies’ understanding of North Korea during the coronavirus pandemic, which has added to the secrecy that envelops the country.
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