The panic sparked reports that China had deployed 9,000 troops to Pyongyang and placed its Northern Theater Command on heightened alert to prepare for a succession involving Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae. Similar rumors that the North Korean leader had died circulated in 2020, though those claims were also eventually proven false.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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North Korea Issues Proof of Life for Kim Jong Un Following Death Rumors
Geopolitics1 day ago
The government in Pyongyang published images of Kim Jong Un visiting a garment factory on Oct. 20 to demonstrate that the leader is healthy and active. These sightings, first reported by the news agency Yonhap, countered a surge of unconfirmed social media claims from Oct. 19 alleging that Kim had suffered a brain hemorrhage, fallen into a coma, and died after being transferred to Beijing for treatment.
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