Kim Jong Un travelled to an exclusive beach resort after people around him tested positive for the coronavirus, it has been reported.
The North Korean leader left the capital Pyongyang on his private train and headed to Wonsan last week.
The dictator had decided to travel to the beach resort on the east coast of the country to stay in a villa after members of his circle fell ill, Korean outlet Ichannela reported.
Japanese newspaper The Sansei suggested that Kim had fled Pyongyang due to the coronavirus spreading in the densely populated city.
The news follows days of rife speculation about the health of the North Korean leader.
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Three days ago Daily NK reported that Kim had undergone heart surgery, before its story was amended to clarify that the claim was only based on one source within North Korea.
CNN then reported that US officials were monitoring information related to his health.
A spokesperson for the Blue House - the seat of power in South Korea - later suggested that there was "no unusual activity detected in North Korea."
Kim recently missed the celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being.
However, he had been seen four days before that at a government meeting.
Donald Trump's administration officials were looking into who would be in the line of succession if Kim were to die, according to Bloomberg News.
A reporter for the American network also said the US president's administration received information that Kim had heart surgery last week and is believed to be in poor health.
Gathering information out of North Korea is notoriously difficult and one of the most challenging targets for US intelligence.
North Korea tightly controls any information surrounding its leader, who is treated almost like a deity within the country.
His absences from official state media often spark speculation and rumours about his health.
