Observers of the secretive regime in North Korea will be watching tomorrow's 69th anniversary celebration of the country's Workers Party and whether leader Kim Jong Un will surface after more than a month out of the public eye. Last seen on September 3, Kim had been limping and was clearly overweight, perhaps because he suffers from gout. The official North Korean line is that Kim is experiencing "discomfort." Last week's surprise visit to South Korea by North Korea's top two officials under Kim was highly unusual, and fueling speculation that Kim's health -- and grip on power -- may be more precarious than acknowledged.
UPDATE: Hmmm. Kim was a no-show at the Party celebration.
(photo: Associated Press. Kim, center hatless, inspects his 12-course lunch.)
