North Korean leader in ‘vicious cycle’ of alcohol, smoke and insomnia: report

Seoul: South Korean spy agency has found that North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un may be suffering from a sleep order, fueled by worsening dependency on alcohol and nicotine.

Rival South Korea’s spy agency, according to Bloomberg , found that North Korean authorities are collecting medical information on top officials with insomnia from overseas sources alongside details of drugs like Zolpidem used to treat it.

South Korean lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum who is also the executive secretary of the parliamentary intelligence committee said that North Korea recently imported a lot of foreign cigarettes brands including Marlboro and Dunhill and expensive snacks usually taken along alcohol.

Yoo Sang-bum cited the artificial intelligence (AI) analysis of recent photos of Kim showing as gained weight which is believed to be over 140 kilograms.

More details of Kim’s disorderly lifestyle emerges with New York Post reporting that the North Korean leader has presumably fallen into a ‘vicious cycle’ of boozing and smoking, causing ‘ significant sleep disorders’.

Reports further said that Kim may be hoarding medications like zolpidem to treat his insomnia.

Meanwhile, the intelligence committee said Kim had dark circles under his eyes as he showed up in public on May 16 and appeared to be tired as well.

Yoo said North Koreans are facing a worsening situation of food shortages and price rise of grains since Kim took power.

The nation is beset with crimes, starvation deaths and suicides which are increasing, the official said.

The intelligence report comes just days after North Korean failed to launch a rocket carrying a satellite into orbit.

The faulty launch however caused a panic in neighbouring South Korea where an erroneous alarm sent off to phones caused chaos on Wednesday morning.