DPRK's Kim has pancreatic cancer: report

SEOUL: The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-il has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, the Republic of Korea (ROK) broadcaster YTN said on Monday, citing information gathered from Chinese and South Korean intelligence sources.

In this Wednesday July 8, 2009 image made off KRT footage  distributed by APTN, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, center,  arrives at the 15th anniversary of the death of Kim Il-sung, his father and founder of the country, in Pyongyang.  [Agencies]

The report fueled speculation about Kim's health while raising questions about the future of the DPRK and who will make decisions about its nuclear programs.

It also comes after a gaunt Kim, who was suspected of suffering a stroke a year ago, made a rare public appearance last Wednesday at a memorial for his father and state founder Kim Il-sung. The stark figure he cast heightened speculation the 67-year-old leader was still ill.

YTN said the diagnoses of the cancer came around the same time as the stroke.

ROK's National Intelligence Service declined to confirm the reports and the Unification Ministry said it had no information to back up the report. US officials did not immediately have comment.

The news hurt sentiment on Seoul's main stock index, which posted its biggest loss in more than four months amid renewed US financial and earnings worries.

"Such news highlights South Korea's (ROK) geopolitical uncertainty and risks and one thing that investors hate is any uncertainty," said Lee Kyoung-su, a market analyst at Taurus Investment & Securities.

The DPRK has been raising tension in Asia through missile launches and a nuclear test on May 25 which was met by UN sanctions aimed at cutting off it arms trade, one of its few sources of hard cash.