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South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon reports to the National Assembly National Intelligence Committee in Seoul on May 6. (Yonhap News)

The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed on May 6 that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who had been the subject of speculation over his possible ill health, has not undergone any surgery or other operations recently. Meanwhile, the North Korean economy was confirmed to be suffering a decrease in commercial transactions and other increased difficulties amid containment policies to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking in reference to Kim’s activities in a closed-door report before the National Assembly National Intelligence Committee that day, the NIS said it had “determined that he has not undergone any heart surgery or operations,” according to lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, the Democratic Party’s secretary on the committee.

Kim also quoted the NIS as saying that Kim had “engaged in normal governance activities even as he was not involved in public activities” -- including the formulation of price measures for the coronavirus prevention effort, instructions to establish military discipline, and congratulatory cables and messages of gratitude to foreign leaders and others within North Korea. Kim Byung-kee also questioned reports that a black mark newly observed on the inside of Kim Jong-un’s right wrist was indicative of a cardiovascular operation.

“From what I’ve heard, that’s not the place where they would have done a stent operation,” he said.

Reporting on Kim Jong-un’s activities in public, the NIS noted that he had appeared in public 17 times this year as of May 6, which represented the lowest number yet and a decline of roughly 66% from the average of 50 times over the same period in past years. As reasons for the drop, the NIS reportedly concluded that he had “substantially reduced his activities in public because of the combination of the coronavirus situation and his focus on rearranging government organizations, including directly administering military firepower and the party-government council.”

To date, North Korea has outwardly claimed not to have any diagnosed coronavirus patients. But the NIS did not rule out the possibility that some cases have occurred.

“Given the active human exchanges that took place between North Korea and China in late January before the borders were closed, we cannot rule out the possibility of cases having occurred,” it was quoted as saying.

“Amid a shortage of diagnostic equipment and facilities and specialized workers, North Korea moved early on to implement intensive disease control measures, including the closing of national borders and quarantining of people arriving from overseas,” it explained.

The North Korean economy was also reported to be experiencing difficulties as the borders remained closed.

“North Korea-China trade for the first quarter of this year stood at US$230 million, which was down 55% from the same period last year. For the month of March, it stood at around US$18 million, which was a 91% drop [from the same period in 2019],” the NIS explained.

“Commercial transactions have decreased sharply, and with the rapid rise in imported food products triggering fears about prices, Pyongyang residents have begun hoarding daily essentials, with crowds of people and long lines appearing at department stores,” it reported.

“The sharp increase in prices has reportedly abated somewhat amid various stabilization measures by the North Korean Cabinet and Ministry of People’s Security, including crackdowns on cornering the market on emergency imports of food items,” it added.

Additionally, the NIS reported that North Korea had reverted to the US dollar as its standard currency for overseas transactions. Pyongyang had previously adopted the euro rather than the dollar as its standard currency for overseas transactions to increase trade with Europe in anticipation of stronger US sanctions in the early 2000s.

No unusual activities with nuclear or missile facilities were reported to have been observed.

“The 50-MW (MWe) reactor at Yongbyon has been offline since late 2018, and no signs of activity have been detected at reprocessing facilities,” the NIS reportedly said.

“There have not been any unusual activities at the Punggye Village nuclear test site or Tongchang Village missile launch site,” it added.

It did note that “Gorae-class submarines and underwater missile ejection equipment have been detected on an ongoing base at the Sinpo shipyard in South Hamgyong Province.”

“We’ve been observing activities with preparations for the launching of the new submarine that North Korean unveiled last year,” it added.

By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter

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