North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fallen into a coma, a former South Korean official claimed on Sunday, according to The New York Post.
The claim follows reports that Kim has ceded over some of his power to his younger sister.
Chang Song-min, a former aide to late-South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, alleged that Kim has become seriously ill amid speculation about his limited public appearances this year.
“I assess him to be in a coma, but his life has not ended,” he told South Korean media.
The former aide added that the leader’s younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, was poised to help lead the country.
“A complete succession structure has not been formed, so Kim Yo-jong is being brought to the fore as the vacuum cannot be maintained for a prolonged period,” he said.
Kim has only been seen in public a handful of times this year after rumors swirled that he was clinging to life in April due to a botched heart operation.
In April, it was reported that Kim is in grave danger after undergoing heart surgery. The report was denied by a South Korean official.
North Korean media subsequently published photos of Kim attending a ribbon cutting ceremony at a fertilizer factory.
A month later, Kim hosted a military meeting to discuss new policies to bolster the country's nuclear capabilities.