By Staff Writer (media@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 30, 2014 06:17 AM EDT

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un's absence from customary public duties in front of state media coverage for more than three weeks has sparked speculations from the public about the leader's health.

Questions about his health started when he began showing up in events with a heavier weight than usual and with a distinct limp in his step, according to a report from Huffington Post. In a rubber stamp parliamentary meeting, Kim Jong Un didn't show up which further fueled speculations. Although his father and previous North Korea leader Kim Jong-Il sometimes missed these meetings, it was the first time that Kim Jong Un was absent since becoming the nation's leader.

North Korea then aired a documentary on August that showed a footage of a limping Kim inspecting a tile factory. "Our marshal continues to light the path for the people like a flame despite his discomfort," a narrator said. It was the first and only time that the state media had made a direct comment on Kim's health since he rose to power in 2011.

Unidentified sources speculate that Kim Jong Un suffers from gout, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Another anonymous British report says the leader has been affected by a massive cheese addiction. Another headline presumes the possibility of being obsessed with fried chicken and beer -- common Korean favorites.

But as always, matters happening in the most closed-off nation in the world are much more than what's seen publicly. The fact that the state acknowledges the ailing of their leader suggests that the issue is not that serious at all. This is a stark contrast from the tight-lipped and secretive way North Korea dealt with its prior leader Kim Jong-Il's major health problems. Kim Jong Un is believed to have been groomed for leadership by his father Kim Jong-Il, who had suffered s stroke in 2008, a report from Yahoo! News states. Kim Jong Un, who is presumed to be 31 years old, has a young daughter but no adult heirs.

According to the same report from Yahoo! News, South Korean officials told the media that they don't think Kim Jong Un is suffering from major health problems, but rumors still continue to circulate.

North Korea's aggressive military approach fueled the nation's numerous threats directed at the United States of America and its allies. Rocket launches and nuclear tests are among the events associated with the nation, and these are enough to spark global alertness and unease from the people around the world. Because of this, speculations arise whether what would happen if Kim Jong Un gets incapacitated.

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