North Korea’s capital Pyongyang is expected to hold mass military parades this week to celebrate the North Korean military’s 75th anniversary but the country’s leader Kim Jong Un hasn’t been seen in public for more than a month.
NK News, a South Korean-based outlet, reports that Kim skipped a Politburo meeting on Sunday – the third time he’s ever done so. This heightens speculation about health and successor ‘talks’ after he failed to attend the meeting.
Kim’s previous prolonged disappearances have provoked speculation about his health. Per NK News, his longest-ever break from public appearances was in 2014, when he was not seen for about 40 days.
However, Kim is still expected to attend this week’s military parade, which will celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, it could be held as early as Tuesday night.
Perhaps, Kim will use the event to showcase the latest hardware from his growing nuclear weapons and missile program that’s brewing concern for the United States and its allies in Asia.
Last week, North Korea threatened to counter U.S. military moves with the ‘most overwhelming nuclear force’ as it condemned U.S. plans to expand its joint exercise with South Korea and deploy more advanced military assets like bombers and aircraft carriers to the region.
