What Is Happening In North Korea And Kim Jong-il

North Koreans participate in celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of North Korea in Pyongyang, September 9, 2008.

N. Korea's Kim May Have Had Stroke: U.S. Official
-- Yahoo News/Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may have had a stroke within the past couple of weeks, a U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday.

"It does appear that Kim Jong-il has suffered a health setback, potentially a stroke," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

She said there have been no signs of a change in governing power and that assessing whether Kim was still capable of governing would "call for a lot of speculation."

Kim failed to appear at a triumphal military parade on Tuesday celebrating North Korea's 60th birthday.

South Korea's largest daily, the Chosun Ilbo, said Kim, 66 and suspected of suffering from chronic illness, collapsed last month, citing a South Korean diplomatic source in Beijing.

Kim, as leader, attended the parades for the 50th and 55th anniversary of the state founded by his father Kim Il-sung.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, asked about the possible stroke, "We do not have any information on that report."

More News On North Korea

Full Coverage on North Korea -- Yahoo News
Absence prompts doubt over N.Korean leader's health -- Reuters
North Korea's Leader May Be Seriously Ill, U.S. Officials Say -- Wall Street Journal
Missing Kim Jong-il 'may have had stroke' -- Independent
Missing Kim Jong Il raises health questions -- CNN
NKorea's Kim may have suffered stroke: US intelligence -- AFP
Kim's absence fuels health rumours -- BBC
US suspects dictator gravely ill -- Sydney Morning Herald
North Korea moves toward restarting reactor: US -- AFP
North Korea Faces Diplomatic Costs If Reactor Starts, U.S. Says -- Bloomberg
Seoul Plans to Send Food Aid to North Korea -- Korea Times
American defector tells of life in North Korea -- The Telegraph
FACTBOX: Kim Jong-il, North Korea's wily and reclusive leader -- Reuters

My Comment: Where there is smoke .... there is fire. Communist leaders never miss the parades that occur on their National Holiday. Like the annual U.S. State of the Union speech, you know something is wrong when the President decides to not show up.

This reminds me of when Fidel Castro decided to not show up for Cuba's National holiday (and announcing later that he is sick) ..... this absence from Kim Jong-il indicates that there is something wrong in the North Korean leadership.