As of Friday, the absence of the “Dear Leader” from North Korea’s official scene marked the 50th day, the second longest, trailing only Kim Il-sung’s 87-day absence.
Kim Jong-il was last seen on Aug. 14 when he visited a military base. There are many speculations on his “disappearance,” including the widely circulated rumors on his health problem. But despite his absence, in North Korea, the “invisible rule” by Kim still can be felt, Kyunghyang Daily reported.
Kim Jong-il sent a congratulatory message Tuesday to Chinese leaders to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the founding of China. On Wednesday, he also sent a birthday present to faculty members of the Kim Chaek University of Technology, according to North Korean state media.
The Korean intelligence agency believes there have been no signs of out-of-the-ordinary activities in North Korea since Kim’s disappearance.
North Korea’s state media has been highlighting Kim Jong-il’s selfless devotion and willingness to sacrifice for people in recent days. For example, Rodong Sinmun also used expressions that hint the health state of Kim Jong-il such as “General Kim must be very tired from the 20-day-long heavy schedule,” “Mother country’s health and strength depend on General Kim’s health.”
“General Kim” is one of the names Kim Jong-il is called in North Korea. Another often used term is “Dear Leader.”
Now, the big question is when Kim will finally show up. This month has many anniversaries in North Korea, including the 59th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and North Korea that falls on Oct. 6. The 11th anniversary of Kim’s appointment to the general secretary of the Workers’ Party comes on Oct. 8 as well as the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.
It is not clear whether Kim Jong-il will show up for one of these events. In fact, Kim rarely showed up for these events in the past years either. However, if his absence from the public scene continues, it is inevitable for the world to be suspicious about what’s going on in North Korea, particularly Kim’s health. For that matter, some observers predict that Kim might choose an “appropriate time” to demonstrate to the world that he is alive and well.