For the first time since he came to power in 2011, North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un missed Friday's founding anniversary of the ruling party, further sparking rumors about his ill health and his grip on power.

Kim has, for the last three years, marked the beginning of North Korea's most important national holiday by paying a visit to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun with the country's top party and military officials.

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Until Friday morning, however, state media has not reported any visit made by the supreme leader to the shrine where the mummified remains of revered North Korean leaders, including Kim's father and grandfather, lie.

Instead, an official state announcement excluded Kim's name from the list of those who paid their respects, while state-controlled Rodong Sinmun newspaper ran a full front-page editorial describing his "monolithic leadership."

According to KCNA state news agency, a flower basket with Kim's name on it was presented at the mausoleum. The most senior official in attendance was Kim's second in command, Hwang Pyong So.

North's leader has not been seen in public since September 3 when he attended a music concert with his wife at Pyongyang's Mansudae Art Theatre. A rather overweight and limping Kim was featured in video footages.

In August, an official documentary mentioned a "discomfort" he was dealing with, which had led to speculations about his health.

In Seoul, unification ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol told a media conference that affairs in rival North remain normal. He noted that Kim conveyed his greetings to South's President Park Geun-hye a week before during the senior-level talks with Pyongyang officials.

North Korea has not made any comment on Kim's absence.

It is not the first time that Kim went on a hiatus. In 2011, Kim took a break from the media spotlight for three weeks and in June 2012 he disappeared from public view for 24 days.  

TagsNorth Korea, 69th founding anniversary of North Korea's Worker's Party