State media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) did not report as usual the traditional visit by top leader Kim Jong Un to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a midnight ritual marking the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
At around 23:50 local time (1450 GMT) Thursday, no police or security guards were seen around Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the remains of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are preserved.
Each year as a traditional commemoration, Kim Jong Un would pay tributes to the deceased leaders of the DPRK since he assumed power at the end of 2011. This year marks the 69th anniversary of the founding of the WPK.
However, Kim has disappeared from public view for more than a month, fueling speculation about his health condition.
At 00:00 local time on July 27, Kim paid a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to celebrate the 61st anniversary of the end of the Korean War.