Photos of Kim Jong-un inspecting children’s shoes released by North Korea as proof he’s alive, but people online have their doubts

Rumors surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s alleged failing health spread like wildfire across the internet yesterday. Claims that the 42-year-old had suffered a huge bleed and fallen into a coma led many to suspect that he was close to death. However, North Korean officials seem eager to dispel those rumors, as the country has since released “proof of life” photos that appear to show Kim Jong-un alive and well.

The photos were released mere hours after the sensationalist claims, according to The Sun. The pictures show the North Korean leader at a clothing display. In one photo, he can be seen inspecting a child-sized pink shoe being shown to him by a woman. 

Another photo shows him looking healthy as he speaks to an official, while a third photo shows him reaching for a coat on a mannequin. His daughter and heir apparent, Kim Ju-ae, 13, was also seen by her father’s side in the photographs. The photoshoot comes after a recent state push to encourage citizens in North Korea to spend more on retail and other “fun” activities.

The pictures have been released following claims that Kim was rushed to a hospital in China yesterday. The rumors began circulating after US-based Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie, claimed, without evidence, that the North Korean leader had died after falling into a coma. While the photos seem to dispel such rumors, it’s worth pointing out that the pictures have yet to be verified.

People express doubts over the Kim Jong-un photos

On the internet, people expressed a dose of scepticism when it came to the pictures. On X, some noted that there was no way of telling the date when the photos were taken. “The photos don’t confirm when they were taken,” wrote X account, @warwatch. Another account said the pictures were “Totally not archived pictures meant for these moments.”

While the pictures have not been verified, neither have Wanjun Xie’s claims regarding Kim Jong-un’s supposed coma. On social media he claimed that Kim had been moved to a hospital in Beijing due to a lack of mecial facilities in North Korea. They claimed that the leader had died before being returned to Pyongyang in secret.

However, this isn’t the first time rumors of Kim’s death have circulated according to North Korea analyst Benedict Rogers, “There have been rumours before of his death. He doesn’t look a well man, he’s extremely overweight,” he told The Sun. He also claimed that there would typically be an outpouring of grief on the streets when a leader died in the past and “We haven’t seen anything like that yet.”

Rogers said that we may say that outpouring of grief soon if Kim Jong-un is really dead, and if not, North Korea will produce evidence proving he is still alive.