SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony, state radio reported Saturday morning.
The Friday event marked the first time Kim’s whereabouts had been publicly known since April 11 — when he attended a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea — and ended weeks of speculation about his well-being.
Kim attended the event for a fertilizer plant in South Pyongan Province, in the western part of the country, state radio said. No photos were released.
Kim was joined by many others, including party and military leaders as well as construction workers, according to a more detailed report from the official Korean Central News Agency. He personally cut the ribbon and waved to the crowd, it said.
“All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of ‘hurrah!’ extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership,” South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency quoted KCNA as saying.
North Korean state media thus in effect denied speculation that had begun over Kim’s health when he missed the April 15 celebration of grandfather Kim Il Sung’s birthday.
U.S. President Donald Trump kept mum Friday when asked about the situation by reporters at the White House, .
“I’d rather not comment on it yet,” Trump said.
“We’ll have something to say about it at the appropriate time,” he said.
Earlier in the week, the president said he had “a very good idea” about Kim’s condition.
South Korean officials had also expressed full confidence that no unusual developments were visible in the North Korean leadership.