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North Korean leader Kim Jong-ils heir apparent son, Kim Jong-un, has undergone plastic surgery six times to look more like his late grandfather and the nations founder, the chief of a radio station specializing in North Korean affairs claimed yesterday.
Ha Tae-kyung, head of Open Radio for North Korea, cited unidentified senior North Korean officials and claimed that the Norths leader-in-waiting had the operations between 2007 and 2010 before he officially debuted as successor last September.
Ha made the remarks in a speech on North Koreas power succession during an international defense forum hosted by the London-based Royal United Services Institute.
Believed to be in his late 20s, Kim was given the title of four-star general and named the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Norths ruling Workers Party in what was believed to be Pyongyangs first official steps to put him in line to succeed his father.
It is not the first time that Kim was rumored to have undergone plastic surgery.
Rumors began after photographs of Kim looking chubby and with facial features similar to his grandfather were released shortly after the political event.
Ha claimed that the surgery was aimed at creating an image similar to that of his charismatic grandfather and North Koreas founder, Kim Il Sung, to boost his position as the countrys next leader.
The succession, if made, would mark communisms second hereditary power transfer. The elder Kim inherited power from his father, who died in 1994.
Ha also said that Pyongyang is working on consolidating the heir apparents power after his leadership was undermined following failed attempts to reform the impoverished nations currency system in 2009.
The reform move is believed to have caused strong public backlash as it led to massive inflation and worsened food shortages.
Ha Tae-kyung, head of Open Radio for North Korea, cited unidentified senior North Korean officials and claimed that the Norths leader-in-waiting had the operations between 2007 and 2010 before he officially debuted as successor last September.
Ha made the remarks in a speech on North Koreas power succession during an international defense forum hosted by the London-based Royal United Services Institute.
Believed to be in his late 20s, Kim was given the title of four-star general and named the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Norths ruling Workers Party in what was believed to be Pyongyangs first official steps to put him in line to succeed his father.
It is not the first time that Kim was rumored to have undergone plastic surgery.
Rumors began after photographs of Kim looking chubby and with facial features similar to his grandfather were released shortly after the political event.
Ha claimed that the surgery was aimed at creating an image similar to that of his charismatic grandfather and North Koreas founder, Kim Il Sung, to boost his position as the countrys next leader.
The succession, if made, would mark communisms second hereditary power transfer. The elder Kim inherited power from his father, who died in 1994.
Ha also said that Pyongyang is working on consolidating the heir apparents power after his leadership was undermined following failed attempts to reform the impoverished nations currency system in 2009.
The reform move is believed to have caused strong public backlash as it led to massive inflation and worsened food shortages.
