In 2021, photos circulating online showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un having lost a significant amount of weight, prompting many to wonder if his different appearance was due to illness or simply a diet.

However, an anonymous analyst told South Korea’s “NK News” that Kim “may have decided to lose weight to improve his public image.”

Three years later, the North Korean leader has regained weight. It appears that he has health problems related to obesity, such as hypertension and diabetes, and his officials are looking for new medications abroad to address them, according to South Korean intelligence reports.

The 40-year-old leader, a heavy smoker and drinker, comes from a family with a history of heart disease, as noted by the British network Sky News. Both his father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before him, died from heart problems.

Kim Jong Un, who is 1.70 meters tall, weighed 140 kilograms before changing his dietary habits in 2021.

However, recent footage from South Korean state media shows that Kim has regained the weight he lost three years ago. Yesterday, the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s main spy agency, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that Kim is estimated to weigh around 140 kilograms again and is in a high-risk group for heart diseases. Additionally, there is information that Kim has shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes since his 30s.

The fact that the North Korean leader is obese is likely due to his unhealthy lifestyle and stress, according to South Korean intelligence services. They also believe that his eldest daughter, who is 10 or 11 years old, is being groomed to take over the leadership of the country when her father retires. Kim Ju Ae has frequently accompanied her father at public events in 2022.

South Korean state media claim that the North Korean leader has a strong affection for his daughter, making her the most likely candidate to inherit the leadership.