North Korea: Nation To Mark 60th Anniversary Amid Claims Kim Jong Il Dead Since 2003 | World News | Sky News — If I am not mistaken this stunt was tried with Castro 30-40 years ago. And I seem to also recall the rumor planted in the 1970’s that Castro was dying of syphilis. And there have been numerous reports about a fake Castro too. I’m not sure what this gambit is supposed to accomplish, but it is a funny idea.
The speculation comes amid claims that Kim was already dead – and stand-ins have been used since 2003.
Japanese Professor Toshimitsu Shigemura, an expert on North Korea, alleges in his book, The True Character Of Kim Jong Il, that the 66-year-old succumbed to diabetes five years ago.
Now, a series of look-alikes pose as the secretive state’s leader during public events and has even met with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Hu Jintao.
Professor Shigemura cites sources from both Japan and North Korea, but speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, he conceded it was “possible” Kim was dead.
He’s not dead.
He’s just resting.
He’s pining for the fjords.
I don’t believe it. Where would they find a stand-in willing to wear that hairstyle?
“He’s DEAD Jim!”, either that or my watch has stopped!
“Dammit Jim, I’m a doctor not an evil Korean despot!”
Don’t Caucasians always say of Asians “They all look alike to me.” The photo accompanying the article shows Kim’s double’s hairdo as much too fine. Having served in South Korea 50 years ago, I hope the North can now play catch-up with the South’s living standards.
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He is like Schrödinger’s dictator. He isn’t dead until you actually observe him.
He is not dead. He was frozen and they only thaw him out for special occasions.
He’s alive and well and is running Ron Paul’s PR in Ohio under the pseudonym, Rocky Fernandez. He changed his haistyle, wears green contacts and has a Poirot mustache.
Don’t tease us like that!!
North Korea is the one country with a government nutty enough to actually try and pull something like this off. Nothing would surprise me.
I’m sure the meeting between Putin and the fake never happened, but that would be great if it did and was televised. The expression on Putin’s face (since he wouldn’t be fooled) would be priceless.
I don’t see how he could have body doubles. He’s the only fat man in North Korea.