The recent disappearance of Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s young leader, from public view for more than 40 days has stirred enormous speculation and concern. His mysterious absence was further amplified by the country’s most senior military leader’s unexpected appearance in South Korea along with a high-level team to discuss the terms for renewed North-South diplomacy. These unusual comings and goings were the subject of feverish conjecture and rumour-mongering, with supposed experts suggesting that the “Young Genius” was either deposed in a coup and replaced by his sister, recovering from ankle surgery after an unfortunate fall in teetering high heels or recuperating in hiding after a disfiguring injury. Much of the more outlandish speculation seemed to be resolved by his reappearance in public on Tuesday last week, when he showed up in North Korean state media with a noticeable limp and black cane – perfect accessories to the already Bondish quality of his villainous reputation. Official television in Pyongyang offered helpfully that he had been experiencing “discomfort”.
朝鲜年轻的领导人金正恩(Kim Jong Un)最近从公众视线中消失了40余天，引发了大量猜想和担忧。令事态更加戏剧化的是，在他神秘失踪期间，朝鲜军方最高人物带领一支高级别团队出人意料地出现在韩国，重启南北外交。这些不同寻常的动向点燃了人们的猜测热情，导致流言四起。一些所谓的专家提出无奇不有的种种猜想：朝鲜发生了政变，“年轻的天才”已被废黜，被他的妹妹接替；穿高跟皮鞋的他不幸摔跤，接受踝骨手术后正在康复；因伤毁容后躲起来恢复。上周二金正恩公开露面之后，大部分猜想都不攻自破了。那天，金正恩明显一瘸一拐地出现在朝鲜官方媒体上，拄着黑色拐杖，跟他本来就具备的007反面人物形象十分相称。平壤官方电视台隔靴搔痒般地解释称，金正恩此前“身体不适”。