North Korea on Sunday released photographs of leader Kim Jong-Il watching a football match, in an apparent bid to quell mounting speculation over the state of his health.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and other media carried the undated photos of Kim watching the game between two army teams, according to Seoul's unification ministry, which monitors North Korean media.

One analyst said Pyongyang was struggling to calm jitters about Kim, who Seoul says is recovering from a stroke and brain surgery in mid-August.

Trademark sunglasses

In one of the photos disclosed by the ministry here, Kim sat smiling on a sofa inside a glass structure wearing his trademark sunglasses, while his full cheeks and bouffant hair looked the same as usual.

With his deputies standing or sitting nearby, Kim was wearing a brown winter jacket. Trees near him had autumnal leaves.

The North's state television and Rodong Simnum newspaper also carried 14 different photos of Kim watching the game, standing and giving instructions to his deputies as well as a soccer pit.

None of the North Korean media disclosed when and where the photos were taken. KCNA earlier on Sunday reported that Kim watched the match between two army teams, Mangyongbong and Jebi, but did not say when.

The National Intelligence Service, Seoul's main spy agency, said it was analysing the photos, but it refused to elaborate.

He is firmly in control

"North Koreans are desperately stepping up their efforts to send a message: Mr. Kim is doing well. He is firmly in control," Kim Yong-Hyun, a professor and North Korean expert at Seoul's Dongguk University, told AFP.

But Seoul's Yonhap news agency noted there was no single photo of both Kim and the game featured in the same frame. Instead, the released photos carry separate images of Kim or those of the game.

The release of the photographs were the latest effort by Pyongyang apparently aimed at suggesting the leader is well, following widespread overseas reports that Kim (66) suffered a stroke in mid-August.

Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso said last week Kim is probably in hospital but still capable of making decisions about his hardline communist state.

On Thursday Kim failed to attend the state funeral for former vice president Pak Song-Chol.

Kim's health is the subject of intense speculation since he has not publicly nominated a successor to run the impoverished and nuclear-armed nation.

Brain surgery

After he failed to attend a 9 September parade marking the country's 60th anniversary, South Korean officials said he underwent brain surgery following a stroke around mid-August but is recovering well.

On October 4 KCNA reported Kim watched a student football match but did not say when the game was held. On October 11 state television released still photos of Kim inspecting a women's army unit.

US and South Korean officials said foliage shown in the photo appeared to indicate the pictures were taken before his reported illness.

KCNA in its latest report said the army game was held in connection with the close of the 11th People's Sports Contest and Mangyongbong won "by successfully applying the Korean-style sporting method".

"After watching the match, Kim Jong-Il congratulated the footballers on their success in the match, expressing great satisfaction over a high level of the game played by them," it said.

KCNA said the leader watched the game along with senior army and communist party personnel.

AFP