A former South Korean analyst points out! Evidence for the Kim Jong-un “shadow warrior” theory

“Kim Jong-un’s appearance at the military parade is very likely a shadow of his former self. Kim’s age must have been close to 40, but the person who attended the parade had the youthfulness of someone in his 20s. He looks like a completely different person.

Ko Yong-cheol, a senior researcher at Takushoku University, told me this. Ko is a former analyst at the South Korean Ministry of National Defense’s Intelligence Headquarters and a professional in reading the situation on the Korean Peninsula who has analyzed various data and reports on North Korea.

On September 9, a ceremony was held to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of North Korea’s founding. As Mr. Gao pointed out, the world was astonished by Kim’s transformation. His cheeks and neck have cleared up, and the hem of his pants are flapping in the wind as if they no longer fit. Her cheeks and neck have cleared up, and the hem of her trousers is flapping in the wind.

“According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Kim weighed about 140 kilograms as of May this year. According to the National Intelligence Service, Kim weighed about 140 kilograms as of May this year, and is believed to have lost 10 to 20 kilograms by the time he attended the National Day celebration.

Because of the drastic change, there are rumors of a “shadow warrior” theory. Mr. Ko speculates that the person who attended the ceremony was a shadow warrior.

“There is a department called Unit 974 that provides special protection to the Supreme Leader. Within the unit, there is a secret organization commonly known as the ‘Substitute Institute. According to the testimony of a North Korean defector who worked there, there are 12 shadow warriors stationed at the institute. The institute’s plastic surgery and makeup techniques are among the best in the world. Even professionals can hardly tell the difference between them and the real thing. It seems that they use 12 different shadow warriors depending on the situation.

Mr. Gao believes that there are two main cases in which shadow warriors appear. The first is when he is on a tour of a region or attending a large-scale ceremony and there is a possibility of assassination. The second is when a person is forced to undergo long-term treatment due to illness.

“In April last year, Kim’s movements were unknown for about a month. The following month, in May, a person believed to be Mr. Kim appeared on a factory tour in the region, but there is a high possibility that it was someone else. The shadow warrior’s ears are slightly different from the real one, and his nostrils are slightly turned up (see the photo below).

At the military parade held on September 9, there was a major difference from previous years.

“Cho Yong-won, secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, presided over the parade, and another party secretary gave a speech. It is not usual for a subordinate to speak in place of Mr. Kim.

In response to this unusual situation, Mr. Gao suggested a possible outcome. Mr. Gao suggested a possible outcome of this change: a shift in power.

“The most likely scenario is that the party will seize power. The party secretary may have come to the fore to show that the leadership has been transferred to them. It is likely that they used a different person, clearly different from the shadow warriors of the past, to assert that Kim is no longer the leader. On the other hand, the North Korean people’s infatuation with the Kim family is strong. Even if Kim were to lose his position, there would be a huge backlash if he were to suddenly announce it. In order to make his rule smoother, the shadow warriors will continue to appear for a while.

The next key event will be the celebration of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the party, to be held on October 10. Mr. Gao believes that the possibility of Kim’s downfall will increase further if a shadow warrior who is clearly not him appears at the ceremony.

From “FRIDAY” October 15, 2021 issue.