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Kim Jong Un Death Rumours: A Chronology of Reports Since 2011

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Kim Jong Un has been the subject of repeated death rumours since taking power in North Korea in December 2011. The claims have ranged from assassination reports and alleged US military strikes to speculation about a fatal illness. Here’s a list of major death claims documented below, which forced the North Korean leader’s public appearance soon to defy the claim.

February 10, 2012: Foreign Policy reported on February 10, 2012, that an unverified message circulating on Chinese social media claimed unknown assailants had broken into Kim’s residence and shot him dead. The post cited unnamed sources and alleged unusual activity around North Korea’s embassy in Beijing. The report was published less than two months after Kim succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, who died on December 17, 2011.

February 12, 2012: The Korea Times reported on February 12, 2012, that US officials had rejected claims that Kim was assassinated during a visit to Beijing. The rumours had spread from Chinese social media to Twitter. According to the report, US officials said they had seen no evidence of abnormal activity in North Korea to support the claim.

July 6, 2017: A website published a story on July 6, 2017, claiming Kim had died from a gunshot wound to the head fired by an American sniper. The report alleged that North Korean state media had attributed the shooting to a US operative. PolitiFact examined the claim on July 20, 2017, and found it fabricated. North Korean state media had reported that Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on July 8, two days after the original claim appeared.

July 23-28, 2017: A separate fabricated story claimed Kim was killed in a US military operation against North Korea. The story appeared on a website known for publishing fictional reports presented as news. PolitiFact published its assessment on August 4, 2017, concluding that the alleged US operation and Kim’s death had not occurred.

April 21, 2020: CNN reported on April 21, 2020, that US officials were monitoring intelligence suggesting Kim was in grave danger after undergoing surgery. The report followed his absence from public view and his failure to attend an April 15 ceremony marking the birthday of his grandfather, North Korean founder Kim Il Sung. The speculation followed an earlier report by the Seoul-based website Daily NK, which cited an unnamed source as saying Kim was recovering after a cardiovascular procedure. The reports did not establish that he had died.

April 22, 2020: PolitiFact reported on April 22, 2020, that online videos were falsely claiming Kim had died. The fact-check said rumours and reports based on anonymous sources had fuelled speculation about his health, but there were no confirmed breaking-news reports of his death. The episode illustrated how an initial report about a possible medical emergency developed into more definitive claims about his condition.

May 2, 2020: North Korean state media released photographs on May 2, 2020, purporting to show Kim attending the opening of a fertiliser factory the previous day. It was his first reported public appearance in about 20 days. The images followed weeks of international speculation about his health, including claims that he was critically ill or had died. The Guardian reported that the photographs showed Kim cutting a ribbon and touring the factory, although independent journalists had not been allowed to verify the event themselves.

October 19-20, 2026: A post attributed to US-based Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie claimed Kim had suffered a severe brain haemorrhage, fallen into a coma and been taken to Beijing for treatment before dying. It further alleged that his body had been returned secretly to North Korea and that the death was being concealed.

October 20, 2026: North Korean state media reported on October 20 that Kim had visited a garment and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang on October 19, accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. The release of the photographs followed the circulation of the death rumours in media outlets. Yonhap reported that the images showed Kim touring the exhibition.