North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il wears a pair of platform shoes to boost his height, a South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The Dong-a Ilbo published a rare photograph of Kim wearing a pair of shoes with heels about 10-12cm high.
The photo, taken in August 2002 during a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, confirmed rumours Kim uses platform shoes to increase his height when he meets foreign leaders, the daily said.
Kim’s actual height is not known but he is estimated to stand between 155cm and 165cm, it said.
Few details emerge from North Korea on Kim’s health and private life, which are considered a state secret.
North Korean propaganda has transformed Kim into a mythical figure with a vast personality cult since he took power when his father died in July 1994.
Kim (63) was once dubbed a ”pygmy” by United States President George Bush. – Sapa-AFP