Kim Jong-un's Reported First Public Appearance Following Death Rumors Stirs up Social Media

North Korean state media released new photos of leader Kim Jong-un, reporting that he was at the opening of a fertilizer factory on Friday to mark May Day. This was his first public appearance since April 11, when he attended a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party leaders. However, considering the lack of access to North Korea, many on the web were skeptical of the photos.

On Friday, the Korean Central News Agency reported Kim attended a "completion ceremony" at the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in the city of Sunchon to mark the "international holiday of the working people of the whole world." Photos later surfaced, showing him cutting a ribbon and another of him laughing with party leaders. Another photo showed Kim sitting under a banner with the date May 1, 2020 on it.

Kim missed a ceremony marking the birthday of his grandfather, the country's founder Kim Il-sung, on April 15, which set off a flurry of speculation about his health. Daily NK, a South Korean website that covers North Korea, reported Kim had a cardiovascular system procedure on April 12 due to various health issues. Subsequent reports suggested the procedure did not go well, with reports claiming Kim was in a vegetative state or even died. On Tuesday, CNN reported that the U.S. was keeping an eye on intelligence that Kim was in "grave danger." Sources told Reuters Saturday a team of Chinese officials and doctors were sent to North Korea to advise on Kim's situation. None of the rumors could be independently verified by Western media.