Chang Song-min, a South Korean diplomat and former aide to late South Korean President, Kim Dae-Jung, has said North Korea leader, Kim Jong Un, is in coma and his sister is poised to take control of the country.

Chang Song-min made this known on his Facebook page.

Chang Song-min claims that the North Korean leader has been in a state of comatose since April and that all of his public appearances have been faked. 

He speculated that Kim Yo-jong, 33, the leader’s younger sister, is now being groomed for leadership after spy chiefs claimed that she has been promoted to de-facto Deputy Leader of the country. 

The role, if confirmed, would make her de-facto second-in-command of the country.

Chang said that such a move is would be the first of its kind in North Korea's history, and would only occur under two scenarios - if Kim was gravely ill, or if there had been a coup.

Chang wrote on Facebook: 'I assess him to be in a coma, but his life has not ended.'  

He added: 'A complete succession structure has not been formed, so Kim Yo-jong is being brought to the fore as the vacuum cannot be maintained for a prolonged period.' 

That would mean that all of Kim's recent public appearances have been faked, including one of him at a party meeting last week. 

But observers have reacted to Chang's comments, with South Korean website, Shinmoongo, calling it absurd.

Shinmoongo pointed out that the former diplomat now a popular commentator on conservative news outlets made the same remarks earlier this year.

“After 'greatly embarrassing' himself by commenting on the leader's health before he reappeared in public, Chang is now trying to validate his opinions,” the site said.

Other North Korean experts had cast doubt on the initial intelligence from South Korea, which they pointed out has been wrong in the past.

Kim Jong Un, widely referred to as the country’s ‘Dictator’, said to be aged around 36, has only been seen few times this year amid speculation in April that a heart operation had left him in a critical condition or even dead.  

Meanwhile Kim Yo-jong has been taking on a much larger public profile in recent months, including taking the lead on diplomacy with South Korea.

In June, she gave the order to blow up a joint liaison office with South Korea. 

At the time, observers said it was possible that North Korea was trying to boost the leadership profile of the younger Kim, in the event she has to step in for her brother if his health fails.

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