Amid speculations of his whereabouts, Vice Chairman Choe Ryong-hae of the North Korean ruling party made a public appearance. 

The North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency on Thursday dispelled rumors of his purge, reporting about Choe's attendance at a celebratory concert held in Pyongyang the previous day.

The report said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, chief of the general political bureau of the Korean People's Army, Hwang Pyong-so and the ruling Workers' Party secretary Kim Ki-nam were also present.

Widely regarded as number-two in the North Korean regime, Choe's prolonged public absence caused various speculations, including the possibilities of his purge and illness.