North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has emerged from his lengthy absence yet again. But what people are noticing about him is his slimmed-down physique. The latest photos released by the state media show Kim's IWC Schaffhausen Portofino timepiece appeared to have been fastened tighter around his wrist.
According to Seoul-based news site, NK News, close-ups of the $12,000 watch from past months support observations that the 37-year-old North Korean leader had slimmed down.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Kim's weight has long been tracked by spy agencies for clues about the stability of his autocratic and secretive regime, especially since his family has a history of heart disease.
"Foreign intelligence agencies want to know is Kim Jong Un healthy enough to remain the leader for a long amount of time," said Colin Zwirko, a senior analytic correspondent for NK News. "What's going on behind the scenes, if he's unhealthy? And how does that affect security in the region given North Korea has nuclear weapons."
(With agency inputs)
