Kim Jong-un is 'emaciated', admits North Korea in rare TV address about autocratic leader's health

North Koreans are deeply concerned over their supreme leader Kim Jong Un's dramatic weight loss, an unidentified North Korean citizen has said in a highly unusual public broadcast about Kim's health.

The citizen was quoted in a segment discussing Kim's "emaciated" condition after photos emerged of him. In the photos, Kim is looking frail and this has raised serious concerns over his health.

In a rare TV broadcast about Kim's health, an unidentified Pyongyang resident was quoted as saying: "Seeing respected general secretary (Kim Jong Un) looking emaciated breaks our people's heart so much. Everyone is saying that their tears welled up."

It is to be noted that Kim is a heavy smoker and earlier this month he was pictured looking significantly less overweight.

According to observers, the North Korean autocratic leader may have lost between 22 and 44 pounds from his estimated weight of 308.

The broadcast, hwoever, did not reveal the reason behind dramatic weight loss of 37-year-old Kim. It may be recalled that the speculations over Kim's falling health started doing the rounds last year after he failed to attend the birth anniversary celebrations of state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

Kim's father Kim Jong-Il and grandfather Kim Il-Sung were both chain smokers and both were obese too. They both died of heart attacks.

Experts maintain that the sudden decline in Kim's health is not a good sign as it could bring instability in nuclear-armed North Korea.