Apparently the North Koreans are at it again with their falsifying of pictures of Kim Jong-il:

South Korean intelligence authorities believe that a photo of purportedly showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on an inspection of the command of the 7th Infantry Division on June 14 was really taken during a visit to the 851st Unit on April 25. Intelligence forces are on alert in case that means that Kim’s health has deteriorated again.

North Korea released a group photo of Kim accompanied by Kim Yong-chun, minister of the People’s Armed Forces, and Kim Jong-gak, first vice-director of the General Political Department of the KPA, to illustrate a story that he visited the 851st Unit on the 77th anniversary of the army on April 25.

The photo was released on June 14 by the official KCNA news agency to accompany a story on the visit, but it mentions no date. The positions of people in the two photos except five or six soldiers at both ends of the front row are identical to the earlier picture, as are the ceiling lamps and the words in the placard in the backdrop. Kim Yong-chun, who is standing on Kim’s right, was apparently in China around June 13.  [Chosun Ilbo]

The North Korean media does such a sloppy job of releasing these photographs that proport to show Kim Jong-il, it makes me wonder if this all isn’t being done as part of some misinformation campaign by the North Koreans?