朝鮮領導人金正恩臥牀不起？

North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un hasn't been seen at a public event for three weeks, including a prominent state meeting that he has attended every year since coming to power in late 2011.

On Thursday, Kim was conspicuously absent from the Supreme People's Assembly, which is North Korea's parliament attended by officials of the party, the military and various national organizations. A prominent seat remained empty on stage surrounded by North Korea's top brass.

"We expected to see him at the Supreme People's Assembly, because he had attended that session every time," said Yoo Ho-Yeol, a professor of North Korean studies at Korea University in Seoul. "So we are speculating that he might have problems in his health."

On Thursday, North Korean state TV referred to Kim, saying, "The wealth and prosperity of our socialism is thanks to the painstaking efforts of our marshal, who keeps lighting the path for the people, like the flicker of a flame, despite suffering from discomfort."

The 31-year-old leader's absence has fueled speculation that Kim has a health problem, as some observers have pointed to weight gain, as well as a limp when he was seen walking in July.

Korea's state-run news agency, KCNA, routinely catalogs Kim's activities and public appearances. A count of KCNA announcements about Kim's public appearances went from 24 events in July to 16 in August. It dwindled to just one event in September. His last listed public appearance was a September 4 concert, which he attended with his wife Ri Sol Ju, according to KCNA.

While it's difficult to know what's happening in North Korea, the absence of its leader from public view has given hints in the past.

"We had that kind of occasion when Kim Jong Il was seriously sick in 2008," said Yoo.

That year, the elder Kim's absence from parades and national events raised questions about the leader's health. US and South Korean intelligence believed that Kim Jong Il had suffered severe health problems and possibly a stroke.

Kim died at the age of 69, in December 2011, and his son assumed command.據美國有線新聞網（CNN）9月27日報道，最近三週，朝鮮領導人金正恩都沒有在公開的場合露面，就連從2011年掌權以來，從未缺席過的最高人民會議，也一併缺席。

9月25日，朝鮮舉行最高人民會議，該會議的與會者主要包括勞動黨領導人、軍方及各種國家機構負責人，但值得注意的是，金正恩並未出席該會議。臺上的一個主坐空着，周圍坐着一衆朝鮮高官。

“我們本來預想他會出席此次會議，因爲他每次都參加該（這個）會議，”高麗大學（Korea University）朝鮮問題專家柳何烈(Yoo Ho-Yeol)教授說道，“所以，我們猜測他可能健康出了問題。”

9月25日，朝鮮國家電視臺提及金正恩時說道：“我們社會主義的富裕繁榮，都要歸功於我們元帥的高度努力，他儘管身體不適，他仍如同閃耀的火焰一般，不斷照亮人民的道路。”

這位31歲領導人的缺席，人們對此多有猜測認爲他健康出了問題。有些人認爲是體重超標，也有人認爲他腿部出了問題，因爲7月份的一個視頻顯示，他走路一瘸一拐。

朝鮮國家新聞通訊社——朝鮮中央通訊社（KCNA）例行通報了金正恩出席活動與在公共場合露面的情況。從7月到8月16日，朝鮮中央通訊社共報道了金正日24次公開活動。而在9月份則劇減至僅僅1次。他最近一次亮相是在9月4日與其妻子李雪主（Ri Sol Ju）觀看音樂會。

我們很難知道朝鮮發生了什麼情況，但在過去，其領導人從公衆的視野中消失時能給人些許提示。

“在2008年，金正日病重時，我們經歷過同樣的狀況。”柳何烈說道。

在那一年，金正日缺席了遊行及國家的一些重大活動，人們懷疑他的健康狀況出了問題。美國與韓國的情報機構相信金正日遭遇了嚴重的健康問題，很可能是中風。

金正日於2011年12月去世，享年69歲。他的兒子繼承了領袖地位。