North Korea drops new photos of Kim Jong Un after death rumors go viral
Story By Staff Reporter
North Korean state media published photographs of leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday (October 20, 2026). It reported that he visited a clothing and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19. Unverified claims about his death have circulated online.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released the images. They show Kim with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and daughter, Kim Ju Ae, according to Yonhap.
This exhibition visit is a more recent reported appearance than the October 11 museum visit in earlier coverage of the rumours. The photographs do not independently show his medical condition.
On October 19, reports said neither North Korea nor China had acknowledged the alleged emergency. No hospital records or independent evidence has emerged to support it.
