Kim Jong Woon, Suffering from High-Blood Pressure, Diabetes

Kim Jong Il’s youngest son Jong Woon (24), who has been kept out of the public eye, is known to suffer from high-blood pressure and diabetes despite his young age.

Yonhap News reported from several sources on the 17th, noting, “Jong Woon’s high-blood pressure and diabetes have deteriorated this year, disrupting his activities.”

The source said, “After the death in 2004 of his mother Ko Yong Hee, Jong Woon, who harbors great political ambition, was hindered by Kim Ok, who is effectively acting as Kim Jong Il’s first lady, not to be groomed as the successor. His health must have deteriorated during that time – he is said to have indulged in alcohol on a daily basis to ward off the stress.”

Furthermore, a segment of the media has suggested recently that “Kim Jong Il had a stroke as a result of his third son’s condition.”

Besides the information that Jong Woon studied abroad in Switzerland and then returned to North Korea, hardly anything is known to the outside world. However, the only other thing known internationally is that he is favored by Kim Jong Il due to his similar disposition and close physical similarities.

Kenji Fujimoto, who spent 10 years as Kim Jong Il’s private chef, stated in his memoirs, “The successor will more likely be Jong Woon than Jong Cheol.” He added that Kim Jong Il preferred Jong Woon, saying, “That boy (Jong Cheol) is not good. He is like a girl.”

It is also known that Kim Jong Il’s eldest son Jong Nam (37) and the second son Jong Cheol (27) also suffer from ailments. Jong Nam inherited heart disease from his grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il, while Jong Cheol suffers from “excessive female hormone secretion.”

Since the summer of 2004, Jong Cheol has regularly utilized Kim Jong Il’s private plane to visit several famous hospitals in France to seek treatment.

Some have even proposed that Jong Cheol became addicted to pain relievers while being treated for an injured leg, which he hurt playng basketball.