North Korea's second highest official, Kim Yong-nam, has reportedly denied that leader Kim Jong-il is sick.

Japan’s Kyodo News quoted the parliamentary leader as saying so in an interview with Kyodo in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

The news agency also cited Song Il-ho, North Korea's diplomat for normalizing ties with Japan, as saying the speculations on Kim’s illness are worthless. Song added that the rumors are part of a conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg cited an official of the North Korean mission to the UN as saying over the phone that it's not true that the North’s leader has suffered a stroke.