Kim Jong-un has become the subject of a fresh online conspiracy theory alleging that the North Korean leader died from a brain haemorrhage and was secretly replaced by a body double.
The claims, circulated by US-based Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie, allege that doctors from Peking Union Medical College Hospital travelled to North Korea to treat Kim before he was transferred to Beijing, where he purportedly died. Xie further claimed that arrangements to select a successor had begun, with Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, allegedly poised to take over.
No medical records, eyewitness testimony or other independently verifiable evidence have been presented to substantiate the account.
Nevertheless, the allegations have gained traction online, fuelling speculation that the leader appearing at official engagements may not be the real Kim.
A video showing the North Korean leader walking along a red carpet accompanied by military personnel prompted some social media users to question his identity. One commenter wrote on X: “That’s not Kim Jong Un. This one looks happy to play the role, too much handshakes. If that’s a body double … it’s a pretty good one.”
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The speculation contrasts sharply with assessments from South Korean authorities, who have rejected claims that Kim has died.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reportedly told lawmakers on Friday that the rumours circulating on social media were false. The assessment was delivered during a closed-door meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, according to Yonhap News Agency.
South Korean diplomatic and security officials had also said earlier in the week that they had received no information supporting the allegations.
North Korean state media have not directly addressed the conspiracy theory. Instead, reports subsequently described Kim visiting a garment and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang, accompanied by his daughter. Images released by state media showed the pair touring the exhibition together.
The Ministry of Unification also said Kim had arrived in Dangong, China, on Saturday for a visit, according to the supplied reporting.
The episode highlights the uncertainty surrounding information emerging from North Korea, where the leadership’s public appearances are closely scrutinised and independent verification can be difficult. In that environment, ambiguous images and unsubstantiated claims can rapidly become the basis for elaborate theories about the country’s political future.
For now, however, the dramatic assertions about Kim’s death, a supposed body double and an imminent succession remain unsupported. South Korean intelligence assessments and North Korean state media reports offer no corroboration for the conspiracy theory, leaving the online speculation far short of credible evidence.
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