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Kim Jong-un claims to have succeeded where the greatest minds in science have failed... by producing a single drug which can prevent and cure Aids, Ebola, Sars and Mers.

North Korea is currently suffering from one of the worst droughts in its history while still pursuing a nuclear programme.

The official Korean Central News Agency said the portly despot's scientists developed miracle drug Kumdang-2 from ginseng and other ingredients - without saying which.

North Korea claimed the same drug cured deadly bird flu outbreaks in 2006 and 2013.

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The North’s claim comes as rival South Korea fights an outbreak of Mers - a respiratory disease similar to SARS - that has killed two dozen people.

There is no known vaccine for the disease.

North Korea’s announcement via their central news agency today contained no detailed information. Korea is one of the world’s largest producers of ginseng.

(Image: Rex)

A case of Mers was also confirmed in Thailand yesterday after a 75-year-old businessman from Oman was admitted to hospital in Bangkok. Fifty eight medical staff at the hospital have been quarantined.

The Thai case has sparked fears in Asia of a repeat of a 2002-2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which began in China and killed about 800 people globally.

MERS was first identified in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and the majority of cases have been in the Middle East.

North Korea is currently suffering from it’s worst drought in over a century, leading some commentators to believe the science announcement was meant to divert attention from the problem in a country highly dependant on agriculture.

Thirty percent of its rice paddies have dried up, and the UN has warned that the food supply could be seriously affected.

(Image: Rex)

Ruled by 32-year-old Kin Jong Un Korea has astounded the world with claims over the years often linked to their leader - most recently that they had “miniaturised” a nuclear weapon.

According to claims in school text books Kim Jong-un learned to drive when he was just three years old and won a yacht race at the age of nine and that he is a superb artists and musical composer.

The country’s records also say that his father Kim Jong-Il scored 11 holes in one the first time he played golf.

Kim Jong-un was also said to have climbed his country’s highest mountain - although was pictured at the summit in his usual black overcoat.

There were also totally unconfirmed reports that unicorns still existed in the country.

Gallery: Kim Jong-un looking at things

What is ginseng?

The herbal drug is taken from the root of the perennial plant and has been used for hundreds of years.

It has been claimed to be a suitable treatment to boost the immune system, lower blood sugar levels, which could benefit people with type 2 diabetes as well as help fend off cancer, heart disease, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, high blood pressure, menopausal symptoms and other conditions.