© KCNA KCNA / Reuters/REUTERS North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, at a military drill earlier this year. He is reportedly hospitalized with two fractured ankles.
North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un has been missing from public view because he's recuperating from surgery to repair two broken ankles, a new report says.
The North Korean leader, who has gained weight since assuming leadership of the repressive, eccentric country, had been seen limping in official state videos before disappearing from view in early September.
Kim ended up in the hospital because he put off getting treatment for his injuries, The Chosun Ilbo reported.
The reclusive Kim was operated on at the Bonghwa Clinic, a prestigious medical center for elite party members, the report said.
Speculation has arisen that Kim's rapid weight gain since assuming leadership after his father,Kim Jong Il, died in 2011, has caused the young ruler to develop gout.
© KCNA KCNA / Reuters/REUTERS North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in black, visits the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in June for a memorial ceremony, according to state-run media.
He is also rumored to be a heavy drinker.
His broken ankles were possible the result of walking in high-heeled boots made in Cuba, during extensive tours of military installations and factories, the report said.
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