North Korean leader misses major anniversary event

For the first time in three years, Kim Jong Un was not among the dignitaries at an event honoring the anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. Instead, a basket of flowers in his name was placed before statues of his father and grandfather.

There is often a lag between when something happens in North Korea and when it is officially reported, but the 30-something-year-old dictator hasn't been seen in public since Sept. 3, when he was photographed alongside his wife at a concert.

It was a video from over the summer that really fueled speculation about his health. Kim is seen walking with a limp and the accompanying narration talks about his "discomfort."

The latest reports -- and rumors -- range from his having a "pulled a tendon," suffering from gout or even an obsession with the Emmental cheese said to be behind his weight gain.

The speculation can almost be humorous, but this is serious. Kim is the leader of a rogue state with nuclear ambitions, and has threatened to strike not only the Korean peninsula, but also the United States.