As global speculation about the state of Kim Jong Un’s health mounts, an otherwise-banal aspect of Pyongyang’s day-to-day propaganda output has taken on a much greater significance: the letters the DPRK leader is reported to have sent to various foreign friends and praiseworthy citizens.

In the 16 days since Kim Jong Un has been reported to have appeared in public, ruling party organ the Rodong Sinmun has carried nine reports of the leader sending personal notes.

Most of these are mundane formalities, from Monday’s letter praising the workers of the newly-build “utopia” town in Samjiyon toa personal “birthday spread”