SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong-il looked gaunt during a rare appearance on state television on Wednesday as the communist state marked the anniversary of the death of his father and state founder Kim Il-sung.North Korean TV showed recorded footage of the event taking place on Wednesday, with Kim looking thin and aloof, but he earlier appeared alert and walked briskly on stage followed by top military and ruling Workers' Party officials.
As nominal head of state, Kim Yong-nam delivered a memorial address as Kim sat slouched in his center-stage chair. Close-up shots showed him looking older than his 67 years.
Kim typically does not speak when attending public events and did not appear to address the indoor ceremony. He has had an active public profile in recent months since re-emerging after a suspected stroke last year. North Korea's propaganda machine has carefully managed the re-emergence of Kim from his illness through reports about his tours to factories and military bases, while showing mostly still photographs of the visits.