Kim Jong Un 'mobbed' by fans at North Korea's fifth National Conference for Mothers. Watch

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a screengrab from the viral video. (Credit: @timecaptales/X)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who had recently called for measures to prevent a decline in the country's birth rate, appeared to have been "mobbed" by participants at the fifth National Conference of Mothers.

In a video doing rounds on social media, Kim Jong Un is seen being suddenly surrounded by cheering women while he attempted to shake hands with one of them. But for a country that tightly controls its population and how the world perceives it, the act could have been scripted, said social media users.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un mobbed by North Koreans pic.twitter.com/fEQunQS16q

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— Time Capsule Tales (@timecaptales) December 11, 2023

"I think that would have to be planned. Kim Jong Un is not particularly tall. It seems like they had some sort of height limitations to join the mobbing to ensure he remains the prominent figure in the scene," said an X user. "This is so fake. Everybody was literally jumping in unison. Like it was rehearsed," commented another.

Last week, in what appeared to be a rare emotional address, Kim Jong Un fervently implored the women of his nation to bolster declining birth rates, emphasising the collective responsibility of solving this issue. Standing alongside uniformed leaders, the North Korean leader's tearful plea aimed to rally support for population growth, citing it as crucial for strengthening the country's future.

Kim Jong Un CRIES while telling North Korean women to have more babies.

The dictator shed tears while speaking at the National Mothers Meeting as he urged women to boost the countries birth rate. pic.twitter.com/J354CyVnln

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) December 5, 2023

South Korea's government statistics agency reported a decline in the average number of children per North Korean woman from 1.88 in 2014 to 1.79 in 2022, prompting Kim to stress the urgency of addressing this decline.

Kim Jong Un stated, "Stopping the decline in birth rates and providing good child care and education are all our family affairs that we should solve together with our mothers." He appeared to be wiping off tears in a viral clip.