 EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM Thursday, September 14, 2006. North Korean reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il's health has further deteriorated and he can no longer walk without difficulty due to worsening diabetes, a South Korean lawmaker said.
Kim, 64, has long suffered from diabetes, kidney and liver problems and now has difficulty walking, said Chung Hyung-Keun, a longtime intelligence official now affiliated with the opposition Grand National Party. "Kim has problems walking more than 30 meters at once and has to sit and rest [frequently]. Kim has been accompanied by an assistant with a chair," said Chung.
| Diabetic neuropathy is due to the effects of hyperglycemia on the peripheral nerves. Leaves you unable to walk and stand since the sensory nerves aren't talking to the brain. Pretty darned crippling for an advanced diabetic. |
Chung served as an investigator for the anti-communism division of South Korea's intelligence agency throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. He is believed to have extensive intelligence sources on North Korea. He has periodically revealed information on the secret society in the North since becoming a lawmaker in 1996. He is a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee.
Chung also said Kim Jong-Il's first son, Jong-Nam, has backing from the Chinese leadership to be North Korea's next leader. However, his maverick lifestyle has caused him to lose his father's favor, Chung said. |