‘Infodemic’: Seoul Takes Aim At CNN “Fake News” Report About Kim Jong Un’s Failed Heart Surgery 

Last week’s avalanche of headlines regarding Kim Jong Un’s ‘disappearance’ and possible death triggered initially by a report in Seoul-based outlet Daily NK, but then amplified by a CNN suggesting the North Korean leader is in “grave danger” following heart surgery, has been addressed in candid terms with fresh statements of South Korea’s Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul.

He rejected the unconfirmed reports as “fake news” and an “infodemic,” insisting that South Korean intelligence is “confident” that there are no unusual signs regarding Kim Jong Un’s health, according to the South’s state-run Yonhap news agency.

“It is true that he had never missed the anniversary for Kim Il Sung’s birthday since he took power, but many anniversary events including celebrations and a banquet had been canceled because of coronavirus concerns,” Kim Yeon-chul said during a parliament session.

He described that Pyongyang appears to be exercising extreme caution related to the coronavirus pandemic, canceling Kim’s appearance at all public commemorations; however, North Korean media continues to report on near daily official messages sent from the leader to workers, the military, and other sectors.

“It can be seen as a phenomenon of infodemic,” Minister Kim added in reference to the deluge of rumors surrounding the NK leader’s health. “We have intelligence capacity that allows us to say confidently that there are no unusual signs.”

In a rare moment, the top South Korean minister took direct aim at CNN, saying, “I know that the CNN report is based on the Daily NK report, which said that (Kim) received surgery at the Hyangsan Medical Center.”

“That cannot make sense logically. … The Hyangsan Medical Center is like a clinic, a facility incapable of performing surgery or medical procedures,” he explained.

Speaking during the same parliamentary assembly, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also sought to quash the pervasive reports: “Despite a series of recent media reports, no unusual signs have been detected inside North Korea,” she asserted.

As we described in our own initial reporting on the matter last week: First, it should be noted that the Western mainstream press often gets North Korea completely wrong — and in the case of the latest speculation a high degree of critical skepticism is warranted further given the initial source for the heart surgery claims was a US state-funded media outlet based in South Korea, the Daily NK website.

This is appearing to be the case once again.