The photographs reportedly show Kim visiting a national clothing and footwear exhibition on October 19, accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and daughter, Kim Ju Ae. The images were published on October 20 by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The release comes after claims circulated online alleging that Kim had suffered a medical emergency, received treatment from Chinese doctors and was later taken to Beijing, where he allegedly died.
However, the claims have not been supported by independently verifiable medical records, identified eyewitness accounts or other credible evidence. The photographs provide a significant counterpoint to the death rumours, although their date and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Who Is Kim Jong Un?
Kim Jong Un is the leader of North Korea and head of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. He assumed power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011.
His leadership has been marked by North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, ballistic missile tests and strained relations with the United States and South Korea.
Information about the North Korean leadership is difficult to verify independently because the country tightly controls its media and restricts access to information. As a result, reports about the health and whereabouts of senior officials can be difficult to confirm, creating an environment in which rumours can spread rapidly.
Who Claimed Kim Jong Un Had Died?
According to a report published by India’s Times of India on October 20, a Chinese government critic based in the United States, identified as Wanjun Xi and associated with the China Democracy Party, circulated claims about Kim’s alleged death on the social media platform X.
The posts reportedly alleged that Kim had suffered a brain haemorrhage and fallen into a coma before Chinese doctors arrived in North Korea to treat him.
The claims further suggested that Kim was subsequently transferred to Beijing for emergency medical treatment and died there.
Other allegations circulating online claimed that North Korean authorities were concealing his death, that his sister, Kim Yo Jong, had assumed power and that China had deployed 9,000 troops to Pyongyang in anticipation of a potential political crisis.
However, the allegations have not been substantiated by credible, independently verifiable evidence. No verified medical documentation or independently confirmed account has established that Kim suffered the reported medical emergency or died in China.
What Do the Newly Released Photographs Show?
KCNA released photographs showing Kim Jong Un visiting a national clothing and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang.
The images reportedly depict him examining products at the exhibition, with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and daughter, Kim Ju Ae, also appearing in some photographs.
The reported October 19 visit is significant because it places Kim at a public event after claims about his alleged death began circulating online.
However, North Korean authorities have not issued a separate, explicit statement addressing every allegation about his health and death. The photographs also have not been independently authenticated, and their timing and circumstances remain difficult to verify from outside the country.
Consequently, the images should be treated as evidence of what North Korea’s state media is reporting, rather than as independently verified proof of every detail surrounding Kim’s current condition.
Did Similar Rumours Emerge in the Past?
Yes. Kim Jong Un was the subject of widespread health and death rumours in April 2020 after he missed an important public event.
Reports at the time suggested that he had undergone a cardiovascular procedure and was in critical condition. Speculation about his possible death subsequently spread across international media and social platforms.
In May 2020, North Korean state media published images showing Kim attending a public ceremony, contradicting claims that he had died.
The episode highlighted the difficulties of verifying information about North Korea’s leadership, particularly when official information is limited and independent access to the country is restricted.
The latest rumours have raised similar questions about how claims involving political leaders should be assessed when reliable evidence is unavailable.
What Is the Fact-Check Verdict?
As of October 20, 2026, the claim that Kim Jong Un has died remains unverified. North Korean state media has released photographs reportedly showing him attending an exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19.
The allegations that he suffered a brain haemorrhage, fell into a coma, was transferred to Beijing and died there have not been supported by credible, independently verifiable evidence.
At the same time, the publication of photographs by state media does not amount to independent authentication. The available information therefore does not justify presenting either the death claim or every detail of the official account as independently established fact.
Verdict: Unverified. There is no credible, independently verified evidence establishing Kim Jong Un’s death, while North Korean state media has published new photographs reportedly showing him at a public event.
The case underscores the importance of distinguishing between official claims, social media speculation and independently confirmed information when fact-checking reports about North Korea.
