Using Artificial Intelligence To Measure, South Korea Calls North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un's Weight 140 Kilograms

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Source: KCNA)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have a weight of more than 140 kg (308 pounds) according to artificial intelligence (AI) estimates, a South Korean Parliament member said on Wednesday, in a statement reflecting interest in the health of North Korea's closed rulers.

The health of North Korean leaders is usually a closely guarded state secret, and speculation about the current condition of the leader, Kim, who is believed to be 39 years old, has repeatedly emerged because of his smoking habits, clear weight gains and family history with cardiovascular problems.

"He looks tired of a clear black circle around his eyes as he appears in public on May 16, and is estimated to have a weight of more than 140 kilograms according to AI analysis," Yoo Sang-bum, a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters after a briefing from the National Intelligence Agency., reported Reuters May 31.

The lawmaker said Leader Kim was believed to be suffering from "severe" sleep disturbances, citing intelligence reports that North Korea had intensively gathered the latest medical information on insomnia treatment for top officials.

It is known that North Korean state media, which are strictly controlled, rarely mentions the health of its leaders. But in March, North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said leader Kim was working until 5 a.m., citing a statement saying he was used to working overnight, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

It is known that Leader Kim was the third generation leader in power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in 2011 of a heart attack.

Meanwhile, South Korea's spy body is monitoring the possibility of Kim falling into an "demonsian circle" of increasing dependence on alcohol and nicotine, and experiencing worse insomnia due to the large number of foreign cigarettes and snacks sent to North Korea, Yoo said.

The briefing comes hours after North Korea's sixth satellite launch ended in a failure, with its boosters and payloads falling into the sea.

Yoo said Kim Jong-un appeared to have observed the launch on site.