'건강이상설' 김정은, 20일째 두문분출…트럼프 "무슨 일 진행 중인지 이해하고 있어"<br /><br />The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has not been seen in public for weeks now, amid rumors about his health.<br />The White House seems to know what's going on but isn't saying much.<br />If Kim were to become unable to rule, the U.S. Congressional Research Service suggests that the one to succeed him would be his younger sister, Kim Yo-jong.<br />Our Hong Yoo reports.<br />Amid speculation that he might be seriously ill, the North Korean leader has not made a public appearance for 20 consecutive days.<br />U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he knows what's going on but can't talk about it.<br />"Well, I understand what's going on. And I just can't talk about Kim Jong Un right now. I just hope everything is going to be fine. But I do understand the situation very well."<br />Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a radio interview that the U.S. has not been able to identify a public appearance by Kim, which is unusual but not unheard of.<br />He added that they are monitoring the situation closely, but in any case, their mission is to denuclearize the regime to create a brighter future for the North Korean people.<br />On Wednesday, the U.S. Congressional Research Service released a report on the U.S.-North Korea relationship in which it said that in the event of a succession, it's highly likely that power would go to Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister.<br />Kim Yo-jong has been playing a key role in her brother's summit diplomacy, but analysts wonder whether the regime would put a woman in charge, especially without the explicit blessing of her brother.<br />It added that if there's a power struggle, it could have major implications for the U.S., such as questions about control of North Korea's nuclear weapons, the potential for a humanitarian crisis, and the possibility of a confrontation with China that could alter the fundamental security structure of the region.<br />Hong Yoo, Arirang News.<br />
