Seoul - North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il is ill and might have suffered a recent collapse but is still alive, according to assessments by South Korean government officials Wednesday.

"It is certain that Kim Jong Il is sick," an unnamed intelligence officer in the presidential office told the Yonhap News Agency. "Taking various recent circumstances into consideration, Kim may have collapsed from an illness."

On Tuesday, a US official said the reclusive Kim appeared to have suffered health problems that could have been caused by a stroke.

Kim's failure to appear at Tuesday's national parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of North Korea's founding further indicated the leader could be suffering health problems, the US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"It does appear that Kim Jong Il has had a potential serious health setback - potentially a stroke," the official said in Washington, adding that the ailment probably occurred within the past two weeks.

Seoul has detected a number of "unusual goings-on" in North Korea, including reports of Western and Chinese doctors flying into the capital, Pyongyang.

On Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Myung Bak called a top-level meeting to address speculation about the 66-year-old dictator, who reportedly has had heart problems and suffers from diabetes. (dpa)