Kim Jong-un shown limping in unusual video footage at regime founder’s anniversary
Usually, state media is strictly staged to depict the leader in his finest form
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In an odd display of physical weakness, Kim Jong-un was shown unusually limping across the stage in footage broadcast to the country by the state media yesterday.
The North Korean leader can be seen ambling along the platform at a large audience event to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of his grandfather, the founder of the regime, Kim Il-sung.
Scroll Down To Watch The Video
Usually, state media is strictly staged to depict the leader in his finest form, so a video showing him in a less than fit state is rare.
For example, Kim Il-sung suffered from an inoperable growth on the side of his neck about the size of a tennis ball before he died in 1994, and the media were banned from photographing or filming him from angles that displayed the growth.
It is not clear how Kim Jong-un has injured himself or where his limp has come from.
The video comes as North Korea threatened to violate UN sanctions with a fourth nuclear test. The country have also test-fired rockets and short-range missiles a number of times in the last 10 days.
The government issued a statement about the film, in which the actors star as two journalists ordered by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong-un, saying that the country considered the movie “an act of war” and a “wanton act of terror”. He also labelled Rogen a “gangster filmmaker”.
Franco, Rogen, and The White House are yet to respond to their aggressive demands.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments