North Korean defectors say sorry after false Kim Jong-un speculation

Thae Yong-ho and Ji Seong-ho both said in South Korea that leader was gravely ill or dead

A former senior North Korean diplomat has apologised after saying Kim Jong-un was probably so ill he could not stand, days before he emerged on state media smoking and walking briskly at an event attended by hundreds of officials.

Kim disappeared from state media for three weeks, an unusually long time, leading to concerns over the nuclear-armed state in the event of an unexpected succession.