PYONGYANG - KIM Jong-un is in a coma as North Korea prepares to hand power to his sister, an ex-diplomat has sensationally claimed.

The dictator, 36, has rarely been seen in public this year, with rumours circulating in April that he was in a “vegetative state” following a botched heart op.

Yet despite Kim supposedly being pictured just three days ago, an ex-aide to late South Korean president Kim Dae-jung believes the rogue state is hiding the truth about their leader's health.

Speaking with local media, Chang Song-min said: “I assess him to be in a coma, but his life has not ended.”

He spoke as North Korea reportedly handed over some powers to the dictator's sister Kim Yo-jong, 33.

Chang 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.”

This week, South Korea's spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) , reported that Kim will gradually transfer authority to his sister “to ease stress”, despite his young age.

However, the agency said the ruthless leader will still “exert absolute power” from behind the scenes while insisting the move was not linked to the tyrant's health.

Pictures emerged on Thursday showing Kim attending a government meeting – yet news outlet Reuters said it could not “independently verify” the images as they were released by the secretive country.

Speculation in April that Kim had died or was in a vegetative state were quickly quashed when the portly dictator turned up at the opening of a fertiliser factory 30 miles north of capital Pyongyang.(FA)