Obviously something has happened behind the scenes which the North Korean government does not want us to know about. Kim is reported to be a bit of a whack job and ordered the execution of his own uncle who was perceived as a political foe but was publicly labelled a traitor and then shot. Kim could be dead, very ill, in a mental hospital, or in hiding.
I think it is an embarrassment that the leader of a country of 25 million people can disappear for a month with no explanation of any kind. What must the North Koreans think? That they have a leaderless country? What if someone decides to attack North Korea - who is making the decisions on what to do?
Can you imagine President Obama or Prime Minister Harper disappearing with no explanation for over 30 days?