Eberstadt: Kim Jong Il Has Looked Better (Update: See for Yourself)

Never mind missiles or the U.N., says Nick Eberstadt. The real North Korea story is still Kim Jong Il’s health:

In the most recent official footage, undated but released late last month, North Korea’s leader looks like one of the beneficiaries of an extended stay in the Yodok political prison camp. In an alleged outing to a swimming pool at Kim Il Sung University, his signature belly is gone. Indeed, to judge by the picture, this sepulchral figure can barely weigh half as much as he did a few years ago. His Mao suit is ill-fitted and almost empty. His skin is practically hanging off his face. He is shown wearing huge face-concealing sunglasses favored by ailing Hollywood divas (think Elizabeth Taylor) while clutching the pool’s two siderails for support. [Nicholas Eberstadt, The Wall Street Journal]

Someone call Dr. Morell. As gratifying as I find the suffering of His Porcine Majesty, I’d be even more gratified to see it continued in the afterlife. Where’s Jack Kevorkian when you need him? And does he still issue those gift certificates?

Eberstadt also talks about the poor prospects for extending the dynasty, but I’ll let you read that on your own.

(Thanks to a reader for forwarding the link.)

Update: I found the photos Eberstadt is talking about, and no kidding — he (I mean Kim Jong Il, not Eberstadt) looks like death warmed over:

See the whole set here, courtesy of Reuters.