North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is believed to weigh more than 310 pounds and faces an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new assessment from South Korea’s intelligence service.
The unusually detailed health assessment was disclosed Wednesday after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, or NIS, briefed lawmakers behind closed doors in Seoul.
Rep. Youn Kun-young, a member of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, told reporters that the agency now classifies Kim as “extremely obese,” estimating his weight at more than 140 kilograms, or roughly 310 pounds.
But despite the concerns surrounding his weight, South Korean intelligence officials reportedly do not believe the 42-year-old leader is currently suffering from a serious medical problem.
The NIS told lawmakers that Kim has continued to show considerable physical mobility and was even seen running up stairs while inspecting a destroyer.
“It is assessed that there are no signs of health issues,” Youn said while relaying the agency’s findings, pointing to the close attention Kim receives from his personal medical team.
That distinction is important. The NIS assessment does not amount to an independent medical examination of Kim, whose health is one of North Korea’s most closely guarded secrets. Instead, South Korean intelligence agencies monitor state media footage, public appearances and other intelligence to try to determine his condition.
Still, Kim’s weight and reported smoking habit have attracted scrutiny for years, particularly because of his family history.
His father, Kim Jong Il, died in 2011 after North Korean state media said he suffered a heart attack. Kim then took control of the isolated, nuclear-armed country while still in his late 20s.
Questions about Kim Jong Un’s own health exploded in 2020 when he disappeared from public view for nearly three weeks and missed celebrations marking the birthday of his grandfather and North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung.
His absence triggered widespread speculation that Kim had undergone surgery or was gravely ill.
He eventually reappeared at a fertilizer factory opening, apparently putting those rumors to rest, but his health has remained a subject of intense international interest ever since.
Kim’s famously rich diet has also fueled fascination abroad.
Paul Smart, who served as executive chef at Hanoi’s Metropole Hotel during Kim’s 2019 summit with President Donald Trump, previously said he worked with members of Kim’s culinary team and was told about the North Korean leader’s appetite for expensive food.
“He likes caviar, lobster, really luxurious product,” Smart said at the time, adding that foie gras was another favorite.
Smart also said the North Korean delegation brought high-quality steaks for Kim that he compared to premium Japanese beef and that the meat was prepared rare.
Those reported tastes stand in sharp contrast to the persistent food insecurity experienced by many ordinary North Koreans.
The country has endured recurring shortages for decades, while international sanctions, natural disasters and problems within its heavily controlled economy have complicated food production and distribution.
Kim’s health carries implications extending far beyond his personal well-being because North Korea has never publicly established a formal succession process.
Increasingly, however, attention has turned toward his young daughter.
South Korea’s intelligence service believes Kim Ju Ae, thought to be about 13 years old, is strengthening her position as a possible successor.
The NIS said Wednesday that she has made roughly 30 public appearances this year and has expanded far beyond the military-related events that dominated her early appearances.
She has recently appeared at political, diplomatic and public-welfare events and has been given increasingly prominent positions alongside her father.
Earlier in September, the agency said it was also investigating longstanding reports that Kim may have a son. South Korean officials said that even if such a son exists, intelligence gathered so far does not indicate he is currently being positioned to inherit power.
Ju Ae first drew international attention in late 2022 when she appeared publicly with her father at a missile launch.
Since then, North Korean state media has referred to her with unusually respectful language, and she has accompanied Kim to weapons tests, military parades, factory visits and other major state events.
Experts remain cautious about declaring her Kim’s designated heir. North Korea has never officially announced that she will succeed him, and Kim could potentially remain in power for decades.
For now, South Korea’s latest assessment suggests there is no immediate succession crisis.
Despite Kim’s estimated weight and the NIS warning about his long-term cardiovascular risk, intelligence officials say they have not detected signs that the North Korean leader is presently unable to carry out his duties.
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