An undated picture released by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 24 August 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the “November 2″ Factory of the North Korean People’s Army at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The factory, established in 1947, supplies confectionery, sweets, bread and other foodstuffs to the North Korean military. European Pressphoto Agency 
 
 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was a no-show at the country’s rubber-stamp parliament meeting on Thursday and hasn’t been seen in public for more than three weeks. 
 
 So what’s up with the normally ever-present dictator? One theory is that he is suffering from chronic gout. 
 
 That suggestion first surfaced after Mr. Kim was shown in July walking with an unmistakable limp. 
 
 A South Korean official said Friday that the government believes Mr. Kim is suffering from myriad medical conditions, including gout, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. 
 
 Gout, historically known as “the disease of kings” for its prevalence among those with a diet rich in meat, sugar and alcohol, is characterized by acute joint pains that last for hours at a time, most often in the toe. It is caused by high uric acid levels in the blood, and in addition to diet can be caused by genetics. 
 
 The South Korean official said that gout is known to run in the Kim family, harking back to Mr. Kim’s grandfather Kim Il Sung, who died at age 82 in 1994 after nearly a half-century of dictatorship. 
 
 The current leader’s father, Kim Jong Il, was shown in 2008 with a limp after suffering what was believed to be a stroke. He died three years later, aged 69. 
 
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 SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is believed to be suffering from gout due to his poor management of his health as well as family traits, a source familiar with North Korea affairs said Friday. 
 
 Speculation has been rife that the young leader in his early 30s may have a health problem as recent video footage released from the North has shown him walking with a limp. 
 
 Kim last appeared in public on Sept. 3 to attend a concert. He was absent from this year's second session of the country's rubber-stamp parliament on Thursday. 
 
 "Kim Jong-un is suffering from gout, which is why he is limping on both legs," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "I understand that he is suffering from gout along with hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure." 
 
 
 
 Kim's health is believed to have deteriorated due to his habit of frequent drinking and overeating. 
 
 The source noted, however, that gout runs in Kim's family. 
 
 Kim's grandfather, the North's founding leader, Kim Il-sung; his father, former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il; and his elder brother, Kim Jong-nam, all suffered from the disease. 
 
 Gout is often caused by obesity, which results from a high-calorie diet, drinking, and a lack of exercise. Genetic factors also play a large role. 
 
 Another source familiar with the communist country claimed that North Korean doctors recently made secret visits to Germany, Switzerland and other European countries to find ways to treat Kim. 
 
 As Kim's health deteriorated, however, there is speculation that European doctors may have later made trips to the North as well. 
 
 Seoul officials said the North Korean leader appears to have a health problem, but they have not been able to confirm details of his condition, nor rumors that he has already had an operation on his ankles. 
 
 "We are paying close attention, bearing in mind various possibilities, including the view that he has a health problem," Park Soo-jin, the vice spokesperson for Seoul's unification ministry, said in a regular press briefing. 
 
 Another government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the leader may have been absent from Thursday's parliamentary session as he considered it unnecessary to attend events of less importance, with the regime now under his control. 
 
 Kim took power following the death of his father in December 2011. 
 
 hague@yna.co.kr 
 
 (END)
– Kim Jong Un hasn't been seen in public since Sept. 3, even missing the year's second session of its rubber-stamp parliament yesterday, and North Korea today explained why, albeit vaguely. The 31-year-old is "suffering discomfort," according to state media, in what Reuters terms the "first official [acknowledgment] of ill health." It didn't get more specific than that, though it did attest to the fact that he has continued to light the way for his country "like the flicker of a flame." Media beyond the Hermit Kingdom is getting more specific, however, and the consensus is that it's gout. Footage aired on state television in July showed him limping, and pre-recorded footage aired yesterday shows him struggling to walk, adds Reuters. A source tells Yonhap that it is indeed gout, and he's limping "on both legs." The Wall Street Journal reports that what has been dubbed "the disease of kings" typically strikes those who eat a high-calorie, boozy diet, causing intense joint pain, most typically in the toes; genetics can also play a role. Gout has dogged members of the Kim family, having reportedly struck his grandfather, father, and oldest brother. And it may not be the only thing dogging Kim: The source says he's also believed to be suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. Another source tells Yonhap that North Korean doctors have journeyed to Europe in secret in search of ways to treat Kim. (Meanwhile, a 24-year-old American held in North Korea describes prison there.)