Trump breaks silence on Kim Jong-un's health; quotes news on North Korea's Supreme Leader

Amid several reports about the health of North Korean Supreme leader Kim Jong-un, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday wished him "well", issuing his first statement amid the speculation. However, he stopped short of directly commenting on his health amid reports that he underwent a bypass surgery.

When asked about the same during Donald Trump's White House briefing on the Covid crisis, he said: "I wish him well," noting the "good relationship" he shares with the North Korean leader. "If he is in the kind of condition that the reports say, that the news is saying, it's a very serious condition," he said.

READ | Donald Trump pledges to 'never let oil industry down' as prices plung

Reports about Kim Jong-Un's health

Earlier on Tuesday, the first report came in from a US-based channel saying that Kim Jong-un is "gravely ill" after he underwent a bypass surgery. Soon after, several reports were floated in US media, while a news portal, citing 'multiple US officials', said that Kim Jong-Un caught COVID-19 from a Chinese doctor flown in to help with his heart surgery, and another report going to the extent of claiming that Kim was 'brain-dead' after surgery. Later in the day, quoting a Chinese CCP party source, an international media agency reported that Kim is not 'believed to be critically ill.' 

READ | North Korea denies sending letter to Donald Trump recently: Report

Meanwhile, South Korea too clarified later in the day that he was "not gravely ill". The speculation about Kim's health came arose after the North Korean Supreme Leader did not attend the celebration of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

READ | China slips in re-assurance on Kim Jong Un's health; claims he's not 'critically ill'

Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un

Among all other things, Donald Trump will be remembered for his historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the Singapore Summit on June 12, 2018. Even after his several barbs on 'tiny rocket man', Trump shook hands with 'Mr. Chairman'. Trump and Kim met for the second time almost seven months later, at the Hanoi Summit in Vietnam. North Korea had on both occasions recommitted to complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Trump also became the first president to step into the North Korean territory during 2019 Koreas – United States DMZ Summit on June 30, 2019. 

READ |COVID-19: Joe Biden says Trump should 'stop blaming others and do his job'