A Russian expert on North Korea says reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has pancreatic cancer could be an exaggeration.

The remark was made by Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Department for Korean Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He said similar reports have been made in the past, stressing caution when it comes to any hasty conclusions regarding Kim’s health.

He criticized the excessive media fervor on Kim's health, saying Korean and Japanese journalists are merely focused on reporting eye-catching news.