NIS tells Assembly intelligence panel Kim Jong-un death rumors are false

South Korea's National Intelligence Service has told the National Assembly's intelligence committee that rumors of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's death are false, sources said.

According to political sources, the NIS briefed ruling and opposition party lawmakers on the intelligence committee Friday, reporting in a closed session that the death rumors circulating about Kim are untrue.

The briefing came amid a wave of claims spreading on SNS that Kim had died. The NIS said its analysis of related developments led it to conclude the rumors have no basis in fact.

The agency had also told the committee at a separate closed briefing on Sept. 30 that no unusual signs of health problems had been detected in Kim.

At that time, the NIS said Kim, who weighs in the 140-kilogram range and is classified as severely obese with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, had shown no notable difficulty with physical activity — including running up stairs during an inspection of a destroyer.

The agency also said it assessed him to have no health abnormalities, citing the close monitoring provided by his dedicated medical team.

Friday's briefing is consistent with the NIS's existing assessment that Kim shows no clear signs of health problems. Having evaluated his condition last month and now explicitly labeling the SNS death rumors as false, the agency appears to be drawing a firm line against speculation surrounding the North Korean leader's wellbeing.

The closed briefing also included an analysis of Kim Yo-jong's recent visit to a military facility, sources said. Kim Yo-jong is a department director of the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee.

She visited a fortification construction site along North Korea's southern border on Tuesday, accompanied by Pak Jong-chon, an adviser to the Ministry of National Defense.

The NIS conveyed the view that Kim Yo-jong's standing has not changed, sources said.

However, no separate briefing was given at Friday's meeting on the outlook for North Korea-US dialogue or preparations for a possible visit by Kim to China, sources said.

The NIS is scheduled to undergo a national audit by the Assembly's intelligence committee on Thursday. Kim's health, internal developments in North Korea, and major security issues are expected to be on the agenda.