South Korea makes new claims about Kim Jong Un's current state of health

South Korea has made new claims about Kim Jong Un's current state as they continue to play down rumours that the North Korean leader is seriously ill or dead.

On Tuesday, the South's unification minister, Kim Yeon-Chul told lawmakers that 'the government is aware of Kim Jong Un's location,' without explaining further. The minister said Kim Jong Un may be lying low to avoid catching coronavirus and not because he is gravely ill.

According to Daily Mail, the US have already sent five spy planes to North Korea amid rumours about Kim's health.

Four US eavesdropping aircraft will try to intercept messages about the Supreme Leader and his health, while one ground surveillance plane will monitor for unusual troop movements, the publication reported.

South Korea has also deployed a spy aircraft over its northern neighbour, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, despite Seoul's insistence that Kim is alive and well.

Rumours and conflicting reports have been swirling around the North Korean dictator since April 15, when he missed an event that honored his grandfather Kim Il-sung. 

Several reports said that he underwent a life-saving heart surgery, which either wasn't done rapidly enough, or it was botched completely by the surgeon after he clutched his chest in early April and fell down while visiting the countryside.