Report: North Korea to make 'major announcement'

Sunday 19th October, 06:20 AM JST

TOKYO —

North Korea has ordered its diplomats abroad to be on standby for an “important announcement” which could be about the health of its leader, Kim Jong Il, a leading Japanese newspaper said Saturday.

Quoting several unidentified sources, the Yomiuri newspaper said North Korea had told its diplomats to refrain from traveling to be ready for the announcement. The order was probably issued several days ago, it said.

The announcement could be about Kim’s health or North Korea’s relations with neighboring South Korea, it said.

The report gave no further details. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials could not be reached for comment late Saturday.

Kim, 66, disappeared from public view in mid-August and failed to make appearances on two important national holidays, leading to speculation he was seriously ill. U.S. and South Korean officials said he suffered a stroke and had brain surgery, but North Korea has denied he is ailing.

Amid mounting speculation about his health, North Korea released photos earlier this month showing Kim inspecting a military unit and appearing healthy. However, it did not say when the pictures were taken, and some analysts have said they appeared to have been made at an earlier time because the foliage wasn’t appropriate for the time of year.

On Thursday, North Korea threatened to break off all relations with South Korea if its new conservative government continues what the North called a policy of reckless confrontation with the communist nation.

North Korea has been unhappy with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who took office in February with a pledge to get tough on the North—a stance that contrasted with that of his two liberal predecessors who aggressively sought reconciliation with North Korea by providing massive aid to the impoverished nation.

The two sides fought the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a cease-fire that has never been replaced by a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula technically still at war. Their ties warmed significantly after the first summit of their leaders in 2000 before cooling again this year.

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Latest 15 of 28 Total Comments Show All

USNinJapan2 at 12:54 PM JST - 19th October

tclh

I think you forget China.

Haven't forgotten them at all but do you categorize what they know about the DPRK as intelligence? Intel is information given up INvoluntarily by a nation. Information shared with its (only) ally hardly qualifies. Regardless, China doesn't share its information base on the DPRK with us or anyone else in the free world so I'd say your point is moot...
miumaru at 01:13 PM JST - 19th October

I think it will be that N.Korea will become the 51st American state, that Kim Jung will now be the Asian spokes person for Disney. And that the N.Korean army will defect, in total to Japan where they hope to become salarymen.

Oh my. That would be very...weird.
briantokyo at 01:57 PM JST - 19th October

It's about time he dies and gives his citizens a chance to improve the country.
northlondon at 02:12 PM JST - 19th October

Japan Today quoting populist soundbytes from a fuller article as usual. The full article broke in the UK over the weekend and the most likely announcement to North Korea's diplomats is about a very prominent North Korean family with diplomatic ties, who have recently absconded and applied for immunity in the country where they were posted (possibly China). In fact, the Japanese author of the Yomiuri story doubted that Kim Jong Il was dead as the North Korean borders would have been sealed if that were true. Please try and publish news articles in their entirety JT and not just what you want us to hear.
NuckinFutz at 03:03 PM JST - 19th October

If they announce he's dead I'm off the the crapper to deposit my respect! Hopefully its "good ridence you worthless excuse for a head of state!"
DirtyOldJoe at 03:30 PM JST - 19th October

He's dead - the aid will flow in again, as world leaders will be invited to NK to attend. DMZ will be taken down with 18 months.
WilliB at 03:35 PM JST - 19th October

" Quoting several unidentified sources, the Yomiuri newspaper.... "

I know a slow weekend when I see one. Obviously they needed to fill up column space.

When the Dear Leader dies, there is no way in the world his cronies will announce that. They´d rather present an animated manequin, until they have properly groomed a replacement.
JoeBigs at 04:28 PM JST - 19th October

Breaking news, Kim Jong Il will from now on be known as......Mary Poppins!

Thank you for watching this waste of a news cast!
Sarge at 04:48 PM JST - 19th October

"He's dead"

That would be the best news since Korea was divided into north and south.
smithinjapan at 10:02 PM JST - 19th October

sarge: "That would be the best news since Korea was divided into north and south."

Now, I'm not really picking on you here, bud, but I am saying that your being completely oblivious to the possibility of things getting FAR worse after his death, if he is indeed gone. All we need is some old codger in government who's been sitting on the button since the Korean war ended to decide now is the time.

My point is, we don't know what's going to replace him if he is dead; it could be his buffoon sons, but I doubt it. It's more likely to be the military, which is very scary.
The_Marion at 11:48 PM JST - 19th October

While I agree with sarge, I too, feel Kim Jung is gone, but the great news that will be announced -- there will be a reconciliation between the North and South Koreas -The civil war will be over and we (the USA )can return to the States.
YuriOtani at 01:28 AM JST - 20th October

If peace can be obtained in Korea, the Americans will be able to remove most of there military from Japan. With the exception of an Air force base there will simply be no need for them! The marines on Okinawa can return to America at last! The “burden” of the American bases can be resolved at last! Please do not talk about their ability to intervene in a Chinese-Taiwan. Perhaps peace will make peace and there will be the need only for the use of a single base for American “open skies” aircraft to monitor the former Soviet Union.
Badsey at 04:04 AM JST - 20th October

NK is endorsing Obama: -I though everyone already knew?
medievaltimes at 09:53 AM JST - 20th October

Pyongyang Disneyland.
ca1ic0cat at 09:04 PM JST - 20th October

lol Ossan. If they did have that kind of intel they wouldn't tell us!

I wonder if the dear little leader is gone off to meet his dear departed dad? I wonder what the reaction will be by the NK ruling clique when he is gone. Maybe there will finally be some progress in getting some help to those people.