SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's president convened an emergency meeting of his cabinet to prepare for possible changes in North Korea after speculation its leader Kim Jong-il had suffered a stroke, an official said on Thursday.
Kim, 66, has led Communist North Korea for 14 years underwhich the reclusive country has seen it economy shrink, itsballistic missile arsenal swell and U.N. sanctions imposed dueto its nuclear programme and first atomic test two years ago.
"We should have thorough and precise readiness so we canrespond to any situation without confusion," President LeeMyung-bak was quoted as saying in a statement from thespokesman of the presidential Blue House. The meeting was lateon Wednesday.
"There was a report that Chairman Kim is recovering from astroke in the brain circulatory system and does not appear tobe in a serious condition," a Blue House spokesman said.
U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials said earlierthat Kim had suffered a stroke. The South's intelligence saidKim was recovering well, while North Korean officialsreportedly said there was nothing wrong with their leader.
The statement said the South has spotted no unusual troopmovements in the North but Lee had asked his government to stepup readiness plans for possible contingencies.
Kim's death would create huge uncertainty over leadershipin a country whose deep distrust of the outside world is backedby one of the globe's largest standing armies and whichprobably has atomic weapons.
The North has threatened to turn its wealthy neighbour inthe south to dust and considers Japan and the United States asmortal enemies.
His illness comes as the North appears to be backing awayfrom an international nuclear disarmament deal and analystssaid progress would almost certainly be scuttled if there was aleadership struggle in the North.
Kim's health and possible successor are two of Pyongyang'smost closely guarded secrets.
South Korea said in a 2006 intelligence report that whenKim died, it expected the North Korean government to lapse intoa brief coma and then hunker down with top military officialsbattling for power, perhaps in partnership with one of Kim'sthree known sons.
(Reporting by Jack Kim and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by NickMacfie)
