- South Korean media says two lawmakers were briefed by intelligence sources
- The surgery was done by a foreign doctor, Yonhap reports
- There is a possibility a cyst could recur, the sources say they were told
- Kim Jong Un reappeared in photos on October 14 after about six weeks
(CNN) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who recently disappeared from public view for about six weeks, had a cyst removed from his right ankle, a semi-official South Korean news agency reported Tuesday.
The Yonhap News Agency said South Korean lawmakers, who cited intelligence sources, said Kim had an ankle operation between September and October.
The lawmakers told Yonhap the National Intelligence Service told a closed-door meeting that a foreign doctor performed the surgery. The cyst could recur, the two sources said.
Kim reappeared October 14 when North Korean state media published the first photos of him in more than a month.
The North Korean leader gave "field guidance" to a newly built residential district and visited the Natural Energy Institute of the State Academy of Sciences, state news agency KCNA reported.
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Kim hadn't been seen in public since he reportedly attended a concert with his wife on September 3. It was his longest absence from official events since he made his first public appearance in 2010, according to NK News, a website devoted to analyzing North Korea.
In the undated photos, Kim was surrounded by officials and could be seen walking with a cane. He was smiling and didn't appear, in the photos at least, to be in pain.
Before his disappearance, Kim was seen limping, prompting theories he was suffering everything from weight gain to gout.
Why has North Korea decided to talk now?
He skipped important anniversary
His sudden disappearance took a concerning turn earlier this month when he didn't appear at events to mark the 65th anniversary of the Worker's Party of North Korea.
In previous years, Kim had attended the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang to pay tribute to his father and grandfather. This year his name was absent from the list of attendees. Instead, KCNA reported that flowers were presented at the shrine in Kim's name.
Kim's failure to appear fueled rampant speculation: Was there a power shift in the North Korean hierarchy? Could the young leader be ill?
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According to Dr. Kim So-Yeon, the former personal doctor to Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung, Kim inherited a number of health issues, including psychological problems and a history of obesity.
She said both Kim Il Sung and Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, suffered from diabetes, heart problems and stress.
After studying the photos, she said Kim's face appeared to have been swollen due to painkillers. She also speculated that he has been receiving hormone shots to make him look more like his grandfather, the much-revered founder of North Korea.
Before this absence, Kim's longest disappearance from public view as Supreme Leader was 24 days between June 7 and July 1, 2012. His was once absent for 29 days,between July 28 and August 27, 2011, while his father was still alive, NK News said.
Kim's sole public appearance in September was at a Moranbong Band concert at Pyongyang's Mansudae Art Theatre, reported by state media on September 4.
He was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, his sister Kim Yo Jong and several top officials including Hwang Pyong So.
According to KCNA, he visited an orphanage to give field guidance over the weekend.
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CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report.
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