Shots fired by North Korea likely 'accidental': Pompeo
04 May, 2020
Shots fired by North Korea across its border with South Korea were likely "accidental," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday (May 3) as speculation continues to swirl about the fitness of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
North and South Korea on Saturday exchanged gunfire around a rural guard post, raising tension a day after North Korean state media showed Kim visiting a factory, the first report of him making a public appearance since Apr 11.
South Korea taken care of immediately shots fired from across the DMZ but no casualties were reported.
"We think those are accidental. South Koreans did return fire. As far as we can tell, there is no loss of life on either side," Pompeo said on ABC This Week.
Pompeo declined to discuss whether he knows whether Kim has been gravely ill during the last few weeks - which ratcheted up speculation as Kim missed a celebration of his late grandfather - but said based on video footage of him from state television set at a recently available event, "It appears like Chairman Kim is alive and well."
"We know there have been other long periods of time where Chairman Kim's been out of public view aswell, so it is not unprecedented," Pompeo said.
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