Hangover or ill health? Manner of Kim Jong-il fuels debate
Was it poor circulation, degenerating co-ordination or simply the work of a roaring hangover? As South Korea this weekend chews over both the substance and style of the first state meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in seven years, his health and lifestyle are proving an enduring talking point.
South Korean officials escorting President Roh Moo-hyun on his three-day trip to Pyongyang noted how their host, the mysterious 'Dear Leader', was apparently stung by suggestions in Seoul and internationally that his appearance to welcome Mr Roh on Tuesday was well below par. His legs appeared to tremble at times and he weaved down the red carpet as he showed Mr Roh his bayonet-wielding troops. Then there was the limp left arm and a decidedly bored demeanour.
Apart from looking a little flushed at the end of his intense talks with Mr Roh the next day, Mr Kim seemed to have staged a remarkable recovery, smiling, gesturing and giving every suggestion of being deeply engaged with events around him.
The contrasting images beamed on a special live feed onto televisions in Seoul's restaurants, offices and bars, not to mention on giant screens before 800 reporters in a downtown hotel, sparked fevered debate. Everyone, it seemed, was suddenly a long-distance doctor.
The diagnoses came thick and fast. South Korean intelligence officials updated reports of his diabetes and heart disease as they tried to confirm reports of heart surgery as recently as May.
Other South Korean officials and counterparts in the foreign diplomatic community used to the perils of cocktail functions had other ideas, however. He was simply getting over the excesses of the night before, they noted.
'My first reaction was that he looked drunk,' one western diplomat said. 'Or at least he had a hangover. From what we know of Kim's tastes and way he lives, it would be have been classic Kim behaviour.
'The most annoying thing of all is the fact that we just won't know for sure ... the summit may have given us the briefest glimpse into his life, but no one is giving away the family secrets.'
Mr Kim, of course, keeps extensive cellars of French red wines and cognac, and considers himself to possess a finely refined palate.
South Korean officials also noted how keen Mr Kim was to prove his good health during the three days - even to the extent of using drink to prove his point. During rounds of toasts and goodwill cheers, he took healthy slurps, telling people that he was still able to enjoy his drink.
There certainly was plenty of it. One of the most enduring images of a fascinating three days is the final lunch with Mr Roh. Photos showed a beaming Mr Kim eyeing a stack of fine French wines put on the table before him, making several selections before settling on a bottle in intense discussion with his guest.
Despite the heavy booze motif, no one saw him drink too much. 'He gave every impression of being on his very best behaviour,' one Seoul official said. 'He was in control.'
Mr Roh proved he was no slouch, either. Mr Kim avoided some banquets, leaving Mr Roh to break the ice with the famously stiff North Korean senior officials. He staged round after round of charged glasses. 'Let's get relaxed tonight,' he said at one point.
Any visitor to Seoul is quick to note South Korea's fondness for beer and rice liquor. Red-faced businessmen are visible on the streets in the evenings, drinking to seal deals or get over a hard day. Their leaders proved no different as they faced their biggest and most tricky deal in six decades of dealing with an enemy across the border.
As they celebrate their declaration of peace and economic co-operation this weekend, the smarter ones know the hangover is still ahead.
