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How did Kim Jong Un come to power? 1:36
(CNN) - North Korea's state media outlets released a letter from the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, congratulating him on Freedom Day.
CNN has no way of independently verifying the authenticity of the letter, and has reported last week on conflicting beliefs by various government officials about Kim's state of health.
- READ: Amid growing speculation, South Korea says Kim Jong Un is 'alive and well'
The message is dated April 27, 2020, KCNA reported, as speculation about Kim's health grows, after he did not attend his grandfather's birthday celebration on April 15.
In the letter to Ramaphosa, the North Korean leader expressed his certainty that the friendship between the two nations would expand and develop infinitely, in addition to referring to Freedom Day, a holiday that is celebrated in South Africa on Monday. .
On Sunday, South Korean presidential adviser Moon Chung-in told CNN that the North Korean leader is "alive and well," despite speculation about his well-being. The adviser to Moon Jae-in, the president of South Korea, said that Kim had been staying in the Wonsan area, on the east coast of the country, since April 13, adding: "So far they have not been detected suspicious movements ”.
Versions about Kim Jong Un's health 2:40A website specializing in North Korean affairs released satellite images on Saturday that investigators say showed a train "probably owned by Kim Jong Un" that had been stopped at a railway station serving Kim's luxurious Wonsan complex. on the east coast of the country since at least April 21,
According to 38 North, Kim's opulent Wonsan complex has leisure facilities including nine large guest houses, a recreation center, a protected harbor, a shooting range, a recreation building, a covered pier, and a small trail. converted in 2019 into a racecourse.
Last week, a US official with direct knowledge told CNN that the US It monitored intelligence that suggested Kim was in serious danger after surgery. Another US official told CNN on Monday that Kim's health concerns were credible, but the severity was difficult to assess.
- LOOK: North Korean defector, now a South Korean lawmaker, believes Kim Jong Un has health problems, but dismisses those who say they have details
This came after a report by the Daily NK, a South Korean-based online newspaper focusing on North Korea, about Kim allegedly having a cardiovascular procedure due to his "excessive smoking, obesity, and overwork." The outlet said the leader was receiving treatment at a villa in Hyangsan county, north of Pyongyang.
After evaluating that Kim's condition had improved, most of the medical team that treated him returned to Pyongyang on April 19, while some of them stayed to monitor his recovery, the news site noted. CNN was unable to independently confirm the report.
This is the fourth report in the country's state media on Kim's routine duties since April 12, when the first reports emerged that Kim could be wrong.
The Effects of Uncertainty in North Korea 1:12On Sunday, the North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun said Kim sent her thanks to the workers who helped remodel the city of Samjiyon. CNN was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of Sunday's report and whether the thank you note came directly from the leader.
Although North Korea has not reported any cases of coronavirus within its borders - a claim public health experts say is unlikely - Pyongyang has taken the pandemic very seriously. The country quickly closed its borders to tourists and quarantined foreign diplomats, who eventually left the country. State media included several warnings and reports on the importance of proper hygiene in February, while describing steps the government was taking to combat the virus.
Kim Jong Un