North Korean leader recovering after unknown disease

Officials at South Korea's Defense Ministry said that the DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, who had not been seen in public for a month, was recovering after an "unknown" disease, the Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote.

According to South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo, despite conflicting reports about Kim Jong-un's health the Ministry of Defense of South Korea had most accurate information on the current state of affairs: "I think that we receive very reliable information from the intelligence unit of the defense ministry. We do our best to correctly assess the situation," he said.

However, the official did not specify the disease.

It was reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-un had surgery on his ankle in mid-September and was then undergoing treatment at the metropolitan Bonghwa Clinic, which is a traditional hospital for high-ranking party officials. A representative of the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council later denied the information.