North Korea publishes photos of Kim Jong Un - why do rumours of his death keep coming back?

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   North Korea publishes photos of Kim Jong Un - why do rumours of his death keep coming back?

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 20, 2026Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “North Korean state media released photos of Kim Jong Un shortly after rumours of his death started spreading online Kim Jong Un has appeared in North Korean state media looking remarkably healthy for a man rumoured to have died from a brain haemorrhage. Photographs published by state newspaper Rodong Sinmun show the 42-year-old dictator touring what the paper said was a clothing and footwear exhibition with his daughter. The images emerged hours after a Chinese dissident who lives in the US claimed, without evidence, that Kim had been taken to a hospital in Beijing in a coma and had died. For those who watch North Korea closely, this kind of rumour has become almost routine. In one of the world's most secretive states, facts are often difficult to verify, creating fertile ground for speculation. This latest claim originated with Wanjun Xie, who identifies himself as chairman of the Chinese Democratic Party, a group banned by Chinese authorities. He has previously circulated unverified claims, including speculation about the death of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Xie alleged that Kim suffered a severe brain haemorrhage and was transferred to Beijing because North Korea lacked the medical facilities to treat him. He claimed Kim later died and that his body had been secretly returned to North Korea, with the regime concealing his death. Kim is seen examining displays, accompanied by Kim Ju Ae and his usual entourage of officials.”

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   Kim Jong Un (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaChecked Oct 20, 2026

   “Kim Jong Un (born 8 January c. 1982–1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has been serving as the supreme leader of North Korea since 2011, following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. He is the third ruler from the Kim family to lead the country, which was founded by his grandfather Kim Il Sung. Kim holds the positions of general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs Commission, as well as the highest offices in the Korean People's Army. The second of three children of Kim Jong Il and his mistress Ko Yong Hui, Kim studied at the International School of Berne in Switzerland before attending Kim Il Sung University between 2002 and 2007. From 2009, Kim was viewed as the successor to the North Korean leadership. Following his father's death in 2011, state television announced Kim as the "great successor to the revolutionary cause". He assumed various leadership posts, and also became member of the Presidium of the WPK Politburo, the highest decision-making body in the country.”

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   Municipal Risk Communication and Public Trust: Reducing Counterproductive Behaviors Across Emergency Scenarios.

   Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis (Bodas et al.)Published Apr 1, 2026Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “This study examined how municipal informational messages shaped behavioral intentions across five emergency scenarios (wildfires, flooding, hazardous materials, extreme weather, and civil unrest) in a representative sample of 1509 adults. Using a cross-sectional experiment, we compared participants exposed to rumors alone versus rumors with municipal guidance. Results show that municipal messaging significantly reduced counterproductive behaviors such as rumor-spreading and convergence on hazard sites, though it had limited effects on preparedness and proactive information seeking. Trust in national authorities remained stronger than in local governments, and demographic factors such as gender, age, and political orientation moderated behavioral responses. These findings extend established models of risk communication by highlighting the contextual role of municipal authorities and suggest that local communication strategies are best framed as harm-reduction tools. The study underscores the need for scenario-specific message design, proactive trust-building, and future field-based research to capture real-world behaviors.”

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   Cross-Country Comparison of Public Awareness, Rumors, and Behavioral Responses to the COVID-19 Epidemic: Infodemiology Study.

   Journal of medical Internet research (Hou et al.)Published Aug 3, 2020Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “China's epidemic and the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern did not prompt a worldwide public reaction to adopt health-protective measures; instead, most countries and regions only responded to the epidemic after their own case counts increased. Rumors and misinformation led to a surge of sales in herbal remedies in China and antimalarial drugs worldwide, and timely clarification of rumors mitigated the rush to purchase unproven remedies.ConclusionsOur comparative study highlights the urgent need for international coordination to promote mutual learning about epidemic characteristics and effective control measures as well as to trigger early and timely responses in individual countries. Early release of official guidelines and timely clarification of rumors led by governments are necessary to guide the public to take rational action.”