N. Korea: Japanese Weekly "Kim Jong-il had heart surgery"(coronary bypass, from German source)

Yonhap News ^ | 06/08/07

[TigerLikesRooster]

/begin my translation

Japanese Weekly "Kim Jong-il had heart surgery"

S. Korean government official, "We have no particular indication of Kim's health trouble"

Yonhap News
2007.06.08 16:29

Japanese weekly news magazine 'Shukan Gendai' reported that Kim Jong-il suffered myocardial infarction (heart attack) last May and was hospitalized at Kim Man-you hospital in Pyongyang, and had an operation.

In its June 13th issue, the latest edition, the magazine reported, "Kim suffered a heart attack in early May and had a coronary bypass surgery in secret. Those involved were put on strict gag order, but it is the medical team dispatched from German Heart Institute Berlin who performed the surgery."

The magazine claimed that they secured the testimony from a German surgeon with close links to the institute, and said, "The operation was a success and the German medical team had returned on May 19th."

According to the surgeon, Kim was moved to Bong-hwa Clinic and hospitalized there for 10 days after the operation. After being released from the clinic, he is recovering at a villa in Mt. Myong-hyang.

The operation was performed in a special operating room at Kim Man-you Hospital. They performed coronary bypass surgery in order to reroute blood around a constricted blood vessel, according to Shukan Gendai.

The magazine pointed out that this could be consistent with the fact that reports on Kim had disappeared from (the state) media since the report of his visit to military unit on May 5th, and It was not before June 1st that KCNA, the state wire services, reported Kim toured industrial facilities in Kang-gye, Jagang. Even then, the report was not dated, and it is possible that his tour was made prior to May, the magazine went on to say.

In a telephone conversation with Shukan Gendai, a public relation's officer of the German Heart Institute Berlin said, "It is true that six doctors from our institute visited Pyongyang from May 11th to 19th for the first time(in our history.) However, they did not perform operation on Kim Jong-il. We did an operation on a (N. Korean) worker, but we cannot divulge his name. At any rate, the operation was a success."

A S. Korean government official, upon being asked about this report, responded, "(Kim's activities have been) sparse for a while but are picking up lately. We do not see any particular indication of Kim's health trouble."

KCNA reported on June 7th that Kim gave on-site guidance at enterprises and co-op farms in N. Pyongan Province, such as N. Korea-China Allied Machine Enterprise.

/end my translation

[TigerLikesRooster]

I posted a short news report on this earlier today.

N. Korea: Kim Jong-il Suffered Heart-attack and Hospitalized Recently (Japan's Shukan Gendai)

At the time, the account is sketchy. Now we have more detailed information on what happened.

It is hard to believe that six German doctors were dispatched to just operate on an (ordinary) N. Korean worker. Whoever he is must be really an important figure. The worker may well be Kim Jong-il.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Kakaze]

Just once I'd like to see a surgeon.."drop a stitch".

How he could have changed the world.

[Brilliant]

I thought this guy was supposed to be the diety. When was the last time a god had surgery?

[4rcane]

why the commies bringing foreign doctors to treat their leaders. Cuba and North Korea. Don’t we know that they both have the best health system

[gulfcoast6]

I do not like to speak ill of any man but this joker needs to go.

[Tenacious 1]

We know this story is a hoax. Kim Jong-il has no heart.

[mad_as_he$$]

By a German??

[AmericanInTokyo]

It would be funny if he walks around now, sounding like a Volkswagen.

[TigerLikesRooster]

LOL!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Cost Estimate / Appointments Once your medical requirements have been ascertained, you will be advised of the possible duration of your stay at the DHZB, the intended treatment plan and an estimate of all the costs. Provided either your insurance company or you yourself undertake to pay these costs, we will then request that an advance deposit be paid into a specific bank account of the DHZB. Once this has been received, we will offer you several admission dates. Confirmation of one of these dates is necessary so that we can plan your stay with us. Travel Assistance Whenever necessary, the DHZB will assist you in obtaining an entry visa for Germany by directly contacting the German Embassy in your home country. Accommodation Unlike many institutions, we have our own guest-house, which is located in the hospital grounds and where family members and other individuals accompanying the patient can stay. This is a special service provided for all our patients. Alternatively, the DHZB can help you to find a hotel to suit your requirements in terms of price, location and personal preferences. In some instances the hotels offer special discount rates for our patients and accompanying persons. Transportation Service Once the dates have for your stay at the DHZB have been finalized, we can arrange for you and your family members to be met at the airport and taken to our guest-house. Also, upon your departure from the Institute we will arrange your return journey to the airport. Language Assistance / Interpretation Services Should German not be one of your languages, we can provide an interpreter so that you can communicate freely with the doctors and nursing staff. However, most of our doctors and nurses speak English. We also supply interpreters for other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Correction: he is recovering at a villa in Mt. Myong Myo-hyang

[TigerLikesRooster]

They do not mention the special trans-Eurasian house-call for heart surgery. I wonder how much it cost.:-)

[Abathar]

I was thinking the same thing, according to Michael Moore we should be going over there for good medical treatment, not the other way around.

[mad_as_he$$]

lol

[mass55th]

"It would be funny if he walks around now, sounding like a Volkswagen."

He already looks like one; might as well sound like one too.

[reagan_fanatic]

Too bad Kevorkian couldn’t have attended the surgery. I hear he’s out of jail now.

[Red in Blue PA]

How can a god need heart surgery?

[Vaquero]

So Ronery, it breaks my heart

[Tenacious 1]

I think there is cause for two mysterious assisinations of foreign world leaders (hopefully on the same day). Can you think of which two might be cause for some quiet celebration?

It has to be easier than war and do what they do, deny everything.

(Just a fantasy)