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National Intelligence Service officials said North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is quickly recovering from a stroke and will have no problem running his government. The NIS officials were quoted by lawmakers as making the remarks during a briefing at the National Assembly Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.
A senior South Korean government official said Kim (66) ¡°has gotten through a serious crisis. But I understand that he is partially paralyzed and feels discomfort with the left side of his body."
A senior U.S. government official also said Kim has recently had some problem with his health but is apparently recovering.
Lawmakers said Kim had a stroke and lost consciousness at some point after Aug. 14. But foreign doctors performed surgery and took intensive care of him, and he can speak and move around now. They said NIS officers told them he has neither hemiplegia nor speech impediment and that there is no conspicuous disturbance in North Korea.
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This file photo taken in September 1988 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (R) meeting with Korean People's Army personel. Kim's failure to appear at a major parade on September 9 celebrating the communist country's 60th anniversary triggered renewed speculation about the reclusive leader's state of health./AFP
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Medical experts said if Kim has no speech impediment, it means that he has no problem with the left side of his brain, where the speech-control center is situated, and the sequelae of the stroke will remain in the right side of his brain, paralyzing his left arm and leg.
A lawmaker said NIS Director Kim Sung-ho mentioned three possible causees -- cerebral hemorrhage, apoplexy and stroke.
The NIS said it has been carefully checking the veracity of intelligence gathered on Kim's recent treatment for circulatory disorder. His condition has apparently improved considerably after care from foreign doctors.
A lawmaker said intelligence reports have it that a Chinese medical team went to the North in early August and a French medical team flew to North Korea around the time when Kim had surgery. A government source said the French team were neurosurgeons.
North Korea denied there was anything wrong with Kim¡¯s health. In an interview with Japan¡¯s Kyodo news agency, the North¡¯s no. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam said, "There is no problem" when he touched on Kim Jong-il's failure to appear at an event marking North Korea's 60th anniversary on Tuesday. The North Korean mission to the UN flatly denied what it called "rumors¡± about Kim's health.
North Korea experts said it seems the North is currently managed and controlled by those closest to the chairman and key military leaders.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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