Kim Jong Un ‘suffering insomnia’ and is becoming ‘more dependent on cigarettes and alcohol’

Kim Jong Un ‘is suffering insomnia, weighs well over 300lb and is becoming more dependent on cigarettes and alcohol’

  • A large import of foreign cigarettes were recently imported into North Korea
  • South Korea’s spy agency said they were monitoring Kim’s unhealthy state

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be suffering from insomnia as well as alcohol and nicotine dependencies, South Korea’s intelligence agency has said.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) delivered a report briefing South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee on Wednesday, adding that Kim’s unhealthy habits mean he may weigh well over 300lb (almost 140kg).

The report said the South had intelligence that North Korea’s top officials had been scrambling to gather information on insomnia and medication used to treat the sleep disorder.

South Korea’s spy agency said they were monitoring Kim’s state and believed he may be on the verge of falling into a vicious cycle of alcohol and nicotine abuse that would be perpetuated by his insomnia.

A large import of foreign cigarettes and expensive snacks had recently been monitored arriving to the country, officials said, despite the country’s food crisis.

Kim Jong Un sits with a cigarette in Pyongyang, North Korea, surrounded by military officials and his daughter (left)

Kim Jong Un smiles with his arms crossed with a lit cigarette perched between his fingers

Kim Jong Un smiles with his arms crossed with a lit cigarette perched between his fingers

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un drinks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in amid a truce inside the demilitarized zone, April 27, 2018

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un drinks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in amid a truce inside the demilitarized zone, April 27, 2018

‘Based on the fact that North Korean authorities have been actively collecting the latest medical information, including medications such as zolpidem, for the treatment of insomnia in high-ranking officials abroad in April, the NIS estimates Chairman Kim is suffering from significant sleep disorders,’ Rep. Yoo Sang-bum of the ruling People Power Party told the country’s reporters following a private briefing.

‘Chairman Kim looked very tired with noticeable dark circles under his eyes during his public appearance on May 16,’ Yoo told reporters.

He said the intelligence agency had studied the recent images of Kim and estimated his weight to be around 140kg (well over 300lbs).

The official added that South Korean intelligence had been monitoring scratches and bruises that were noticed on Kim’s hand and arms. Yoo said this is believed to be a form of stress-induced dermatitis and allergies.

The NIS told reporters that it had recently tracked a large import of Marlboro and Dunhill cigarettes into North Korea as well as high-end snacks usually served with food.

Kim is known to be a frequent smoker and is regularly seen with a cigarette in hand in the country’s state released photographs.

The NIS also said starvation and suicide deaths had recently surged within its northern neighbours. The agency said this was due to a worsening food shortage.

It estimated that these deaths had tripled in comparison to recent years, proving to be one of the worst rates during Kim’s time in power.

Kim Jong-Un smokes a cigarette at the General Satellite Control and Command Center after a rocket launch in December 2012

Kim Jong-Un smokes a cigarette at the General Satellite Control and Command Center after a rocket launch in December 2012

Kim is caught lighting up in a grainy image of the North Korean leader while in Hanoi, Vietnam, February 2019

Kim is caught lighting up in a grainy image of the North Korean leader while in Hanoi, Vietnam, February 2019

Kim has tried to take action against these deaths, the NIC said. It said Kim had claimed suicide as an ‘act of treason against socialism’. 

The South Korean spy agency also delivered information on North Korea’s failed satellite launch on Wednesday, which they said Kim likely watched.

The launch failure was a setback to the Pyongyang leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise.

After an unusually quick admission of failure, North Korea vowed to conduct a second launch after it learns what went wrong. It suggests Kim remains determined to expand his weapons arsenal and apply more pressure on Washington and Seoul while diplomacy is stalled.

South Korea and Japan briefly urged residents in some areas to take shelter after the launch.

The South Korean military said it was salvaging an object presumed to be part of the crashed North Korean rocket in waters 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of the southwestern island of Eocheongdo. Later, the Defense Ministry released photos of a white, metal cylinder it described as a suspected rocket part.



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