North Korea leader Kim Jong Un misses event, fueling speculation

SEOUL, South Korea -- For the first time in three years, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un didn't appear at a celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party yesterday, further increasing speculation that something is amiss with the authoritarian leader who hasn't been seen publicly in more than a month.

North Korea's propaganda machine conveyed the no-show to the world in its typical murky fashion -- a state media dispatch that excluded Kim's name from a list of senior officials who paid their respects at an event marking the party's 69th anniversary.

Indications that Kim remains firmly in power were evident, however.

His name appeared on a flower basket placed before statues of his father and grandfather, both of whom also ruled North Korea. And an earlier dispatch said the might of the party "is growing stronger under the seasoned guidance of Marshal Kim Jong Un."

State media haven't shown Kim, who is thought to be 31, performing his public duties since he attended a concert Sept. 3. He had been walking with a limp and was more overweight than usual in images that were broadcast before that. An official documentary from last month described him as dealing with "discomfort," which led to speculation he may be ill.

A group of South Korean activists, meanwhile, marked yesterday's anniversary by releasing anti-North Korean propaganda balloons across the border. North Korea responded later with machine-gun fire, and several bullets fell south of the border near a military base and a residential area, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said.

He said South Korea then fired 40 rounds from machine guns. North Korea then opened fire with rifles, which South Korean soldiers responded to in kind, he said. There were no reports of damage or injuries, but the exchange of fire was a reminder of the bitter rivals' animosity despite recent glimmers of trust building.