A reporter from the Daily Star attempted to deliver a 'get well soon' card and cheese to North Korea's embassy in west London after reports circulated that Kim Jong-un was unwell, with some claims suggesting he might be in a coma or even dead.
The North Korean leader has been absent from state television, and his sister Kim Yo Jong has had to step in for military parade duties, according to the report. The gifts included Swiss Emmental and gruyere — cheeses the paper described as among Kim's favourites — alongside a card and a copy of the Daily Star.
Protective gear at the embassy
The reporter wore a press 'flack jacket' and helmet, citing the regime's reputation for "obliterating" people who have mocked Kim with anti-aircraft missiles at close range. Approaching the semi-detached embassy, the reporter knelt to leave the gifts outside the front door and said: "Wishing you all the best," adding: "Hope to see you back on state television soon."
Nobody emerged from the building to receive the items, and an attempt to post Emmental through the letterbox also went unanswered. The protective clothing drew a shout from workers passing in a white van, which the reporter assumed was directed at them rather than the North Korean leader.
Coma claims and official photos
The leader was alleged to have fallen into a coma after suffering a brain haemorrhage the previous weekend, with unconfirmed speculation that he had died. North Korean officials responded by showing undated photos of Kim out and about to prove he was alive.
Earlier this week, China Democracy Party Chairman Wanjun Xie wrote on X: "It is rumoured that recently, Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Supreme Leader of North Korea, suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage and fell into a coma." Xie added that a coma could potentially plunge "North Korea into civil war", given the unconventional nature of the succession line.
Succession questions
The report noted that Kim's only heir is his 13-year-old daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who is considered far too young to take the reins of the country. The embassy did not accept the gifts left outside its door.
