The North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is suffering from kidney failure which requires dialysis and also has partial paralysis following a 2008 stroke, according to the head of a South Korean state research institute.

Nam Sung-Wook, director of the Institute for National Security Strategy, said the paleness of Mr Kim's fingernails indicates the 68-year-old leader has chronic kidney disease.

The institute has links to South Korea's National Intelligence Service. Mr Nam's remarks, in a speech at a Seoul forum, were quoted by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency and were confirmed by the organisers of the event.

"Chairman Kim Jong-Il is suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure and we believe he is undergoing kidney dialysis every two weeks," Mr Nam said. "[The pale colour of] his nails indicates he has chronic kidney failure."

To read full London Times story — Go Here Now.