Seoul: North Korea's Kim Jong Il paid visits to machinery and soap-making factories, state media reported today, the latest in a series of dispatches in recent weeks about public appearances by a leader believed to be recovering from a stroke.

Kim's health is of keen interest because he rules the isolated, nuclear-armed nation with absolute authority and has not publicly named a successor.

Speculation about Kim's health comes at a time of increased tension on the peninsula, with the North taking steps to restrict cross-border traffic in retaliation against the tough policies of Seoul's new conservative government.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said today that Kim provided "field guidance" at factories in the western city of Sinuiju on the border with China.

KCNA did not provide an exact date of the visits but said Kim praised the machinery factory for fulfilling its assignments for this year "as of the end of October."

KCNA later released two pictures of Kim. One showed him and two aides standing near a large orange bulldozer during the factory tour. The other showed Kim outside a building at the soap factory.

In both images, Kim was wearing a brown coat and sunglasses, and looked healthy.

Kim reportedly suffered a stroke in August and underwent brain surgery, though North Korea denies he fell ill.

Today's report was the latest KCNA report about Kim's public appearances. The last one, sent Nov 16, said Kim attended cultural performances by the military.
Source : PTI