Kim Jong Un visits garment expo amid death rumors
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was photographed at the 2026 National Garment and Footwear Exhibition with his wife and daughter, countering unverified claims that he had died or been hospitalized.
Key points
- Kim Jong Un attended the exhibition with wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Kim Ju Ae.
- KCNA released photos showing him inspecting products and meeting officials.
- Unverified claims of a fatal brain hemorrhage and emergency treatment in Beijing were not confirmed by any official source.
- No evidence of a medical evacuation or coma has been presented.
- The photos were shared by KCNA and later reposted by NK News on X.
On Monday, October 19, 2026, North Korean state media released photographs showing Kim Jong Un visiting the 2026 National Garment and Footwear Exhibition with his daughter Kim Ju Ae and his wife Ri Sol Ju.
The images were posted by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and later shared by the news outlet NK News on its X account.
These photos were issued after unverified claims spread on X over the weekend of October 18, when Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie alleged that Kim had suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage, fallen into a coma, and been taken to Beijing for emergency treatment.
KCNA reported that Kim inspected products and interacted with officials at the exhibition, but the agency did not address the health rumors, and the photographs do not establish his medical condition.
State media had previously shown Kim at a national defence museum in Pyongyang on October 11, accompanied by Ri Sol Ju and Kim Ju Ae; images from that visit were published on October 13.
No independently verified evidence of a brain hemorrhage, coma, or medical evacuation has been presented, and neither Pyongyang nor Beijing has confirmed any such emergency.
Your questions, answered
What did the photos of Kim Jong Un at the garment expo show?
The photos show Kim Jong Un inspecting products and interacting with officials at the 2026 National Garment and Footwear Exhibition with his wife and daughter.
Were there any official statements about Kim Jong Un’s health?
KCNA did not address the health rumors, and no independently verified evidence of a brain hemorrhage, coma, or medical evacuation has been presented.
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