The information about Kim Jong Un's heart surgery was spread by the online newspaper Daily NK based in South Korea, stating that it was deemed necessary due to the obesity, smoking and overwork of the North Korean leader.
The concerns are credible but difficult to confirm, a US official told CNN.
According to the report, the operation took place on April 12 and Kim Jong Un is said to be recovering in a villa in Hangshan Province.
For its part, however, the South Korean government has said it has not seen any suspicious activity confirming concern over Kim Jong Un's condition.
According to the Associated Press, the scenarios regarding Kim Jong Un most often have as a reason his presence or not in important events in North Korea.
Kim Jong Un has not made a public appearance since April 11 when he chaired a Labor party bureau meeting. Kim Jong Un, on the other hand, was absent from events in honor of Kim Il Sung's grandfather on April 15, one of North Korea's most important national holidays.
According to Sejong Institute analyst Cheong Seong-Chang, even if there is a negative development in Kim Jong Un's health, it will not be followed by political unrest as his sister, Kim Yo Yong, is already very influential in the government. The analyst notes that there are many in Pyongyang's leadership system who want to keep the Kim family in the country's leadership.
