<figure id="attachment_205342" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1641px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205342"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="24004db9"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--CsnUWltZ--/t_article_image/v1631691226/%E9%87%91%E6%AD%A3%E6%81%A9_dtjtle.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205342" class="wp-caption-text">Kim Jong-un attends a review ceremony on September 9. He is wearing makeup that resembles that of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, the founder of the country. A deep crease shines above his right eyebrow (Image: KNS/KCNA/AFP/Afro)</figcaption></figure>
Kim Jong-un may not be the real Kim Jong-un at the military review ceremony.
This speculation is spreading around the world. It all started with the military parade held on September 9 to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of North Korea&#8217;s founding. Kim Jong-un stood on the dais and looked noticeably thinner than before. The fact that he has become as slim as a different person is the basis for the &#8220;shadow warrior&#8221; theory.
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Mr. Gao Yongqi, editor-in-chief of &#8220;Daily NK Japan&#8221; and an expert on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, tells us.
 He said, &#8220;Looking at the images of the military review ceremony, Kim has indeed become quite slim. There are various reasons whispered for his extreme weight loss. He lost weight due to a severe adverse reaction to a vaccine for a new coronavirus, and he succeeded in losing weight. &#8230;&#8230; Whatever the reason, it is certain that he has lost 10 to 20 kilograms.
Mr. Gao believes that Kim Jong-un looks different not only because he has lost a lot of weight.
 &#8220;His hairstyle has also changed. Until around 2003, Kim had a hairstyle with the top of his head raised, which was ridiculed as a &#8216;black phone. At that time, he was young, around 30 years old, and full of blood, and public executions were frequent. The hairstyle he adopted after 2004 was called &#8220;Haikyi Hair,&#8221; in which both sides of the head were cropped extremely close together. This was a time when Mr. Kim was trying to rebuild the economy with a strong will.
 This time, however, both the hair on the top of his head and the side of his head are well balanced. It gave me a calm impression. There is no eccentric image like in &#8220;Black Phone. This year marks the tenth year of Kim&#8217;s leadership. He is now in his late thirties. He may be trying to project a more dignified and composed image of a leader.
<h2>The Biggest Taboo in North Korea</h2>
<figure id="attachment_205349" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205349"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5971691f"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--1jsDbqaK--/t_article_image/v1631691845/aflo_15271632_fniidb.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205349" class="wp-caption-text">Shortly after he officially took over as leader in April 2012. The image was captured from a video, so you can&#8217;t read the wrinkles on his face, but the shape of his ears is the same as now.</figcaption></figure>
Kim&#8217;s impression has changed drastically with his weight loss and drastic change in hairstyle. Is it really Kim himself who was at the review ceremony, or was it a shadow warrior? This is Mr. Ko&#8217;s verification.
 &#8220;In conclusion, there is no doubt that it was Kim himself. I have looked through almost all the photos and videos of Kim since he appeared in public in October 2010. Even though his body shape and hairstyle have changed, his facial features are the same as before.
 For example, if you compare the review ceremony with the old photos, you will see that the ears spread backward are the same shape (see related images below). Also, on the right eyebrow, there is a deep crease that looks like a scratch. Based on these facts, we know that all the Kims who have appeared on the stage since he officially became the leader in April 2012 are the same person.
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This is not the first time that the &#8220;shadow warrior&#8221; theory has surfaced. This is not the first time that the &#8220;shadow warrior&#8221; theory has surfaced; it was also a hot topic last year.
 &#8220;Kim is said to have undergone cardiovascular surgery in April last year. In fact, he had been out of action for some time. The following month, however, Kim publicly announced that he had passed away. However, the following month, Kim appeared in public and was found to be alive. Even so, some of the media, who had bought into the &#8216;death theory,&#8217; did not admit the error and spread the &#8216;shadow warrior&#8217; theory.
In North Korea, it is impossible to use shadow warriors in the first place.
 &#8220;Kim is the only person of absolute dignity. Impersonating such a noble person is something that should not be done in North Korea. It&#8217;s the biggest no-no. It&#8217;s the biggest no-no. When Kim needs to rest due to illness or other reasons, he doesn&#8217;t go out of his way to do so. He would never use a substitute to deceive the people around him.
 If you had a shadow warrior, would you have to lose a lot of weight or change your hairstyle?　They would probably keep the same image as much as possible to look like the real thing. Also, in today&#8217;s technologically advanced world, it is impossible to use a shadow warrior, and AI analysis will quickly reveal that the person is a fake.
In a dictatorship, it is unacceptable to imitate the supreme leader. In a dictatorship, imitating the supreme leader is unacceptable &#8211; &#8220;fake&#8221; is an absolute taboo in North Korea.
<figure id="attachment_205352" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205352"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="afaf8cca"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--BDy7Lxfs--/t_article_image/v1631692141/aflo_21461991_vctcxv.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205352" class="wp-caption-text">July 2013. Deep wrinkle above the right eyebrow.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_205356" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2700px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205356"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5c5ba8b2"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--Wrt9tPMz--/t_article_image/v1631692462/aflo_37082130_tmyxkq.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205356" class="wp-caption-text">December 2004.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_205358" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2711px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205358"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="dd1cc54f"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--WZlSW8Pr--/t_article_image/v1631692685/aflo_80459440_s0e1la.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205358" class="wp-caption-text">June &#8217;18.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_205361" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205361"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3dc3add9"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--NMsmOKLh--/t_article_image/v1631692836/aflo_118872101_ny0cdi.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-205361" class="wp-caption-text">Dec. &#8217;19.</figcaption></figure>

 Reuters/Afro KNS/KCNA/AFP/Afro

 A "shadow warrior" theory has emerged about Kim Jong-un, as his appearance at a military review ceremony on September 9 showed that he had lost weight and looked like a different person than before. Is she real or is she a fake? A photographic examination reveals the "biggest taboo in North Korea".

Kim Jong-un’s “shadow warrior” theory: the forbidden truth

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