The DPRK's official KCNA news agency said Kim inspected two facilities of the Korean People's Army, without saying when he made the visits.

The DPRK's state television station showed several still pictures of the visits where Kim, wearing sunglasses and an autumn coat, walks with the troops, claps his hands and poses with groups of soldiers.

Kim appears to have lost little weight and has a full head of hair, even though some intelligence sources said he may have had brain surgery. The images were the most DPRK has released of Kim in months and show him far more active than in recent other shots.

"He highly praised them on their successes in training and put forward highly important tasks which would serve as guidelines for bolstering up the heroic Korean People's Army as invincible revolutionary armed forces," KCNA said.

The Republic of Korea's Unification Ministry would not make any guesses on Kim's health.

"There are pictures in the background that suggest the timing, and he's wearing a parka, which is not for summer, so that would be right for the season," spokesman Kim Ho-nyeon said.

One of the bases visited is believed to be a major army unit near the capital, Pyongyang, and has been the site of frequent inspections by the DPRK leader in recent years, the spokesman said.

At the weekend, DPRK released photographs it said showed Kim watching a soccer match. Last month it said he was out in public twice, once to see a separate soccer match and inspect a unit of women soldiers. Pictures released at the weekend of the soccer match show Kim smiling and standing.