Twitter rumor claims death of Korean leader Kim Jong-Un
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Feb. 7, 2012: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, salutes when he visited Unit 158 of the navy of the North Korean People's Army. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service)
A team of trained ninja assassins snuck into North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's room overnight and assassinated the new leader while he was on a business trip in Beijing -- if rumors spreading across microblogging service Twitter and its Chinese counterpart Weibo are to be believed, that is.
The rumors -- unsubstantiated by any major news service or government agency -- started on the Chinese language Twitter clone earlier today, claiming Jong-Un had been killed in his residence.
“According to reliable sources, North Korean leader [Kim Jong-Un was killed] in Beijing in February 10 2012, at 2 o'clock and 45 minutes. Unknown persons broke into his residence shot and were subsequently shot and killed by the bodyguard,” one Tweet claimed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No new photo of the leader of the reclusive country has emerged -- at least none picked up by the popular tumblr blog Kim Jong-Un Looking at Things.
The news spread like wildfire across Twitter as well as Weibo -- and quickly become fodder for jokes.
“Hearing unconfirmed reports that Kim Jong-Un is the new England manager,” wrote a journalist with London paper The Sun.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“BREAKING: Kim Jong-Un death confirmed, now registered to vote in Chicago,” wrote a Washington Times correspondent.
Other Twitter users were quick to urge caution.
“Wait for confirmation on Kim Jong-Un death rumors. Twitter is also reporting that ‘Jonas Brothers are the best band,’” wrote one Twitter user.