U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday welcomed the news that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made his first public appearance in 20 days, after his absence sparked rumors over his health.
"I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!" Trump tweeted, in response to a Twitter post that carried images of Kim attending a ceremony to mark the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang.
Trump's tweet came a day after he declined to comment on a report by North Korea's state-run news agency on Kim's appearance at the factory.
Kim's movements had not been reported in state-run media since April 12, when the Korean Central News Agency said he presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling party held the day before.
He missed the celebration of the birth of his late grandfather and the nation's founder, Kim Il Sung, on April 15, one of the most important holidays in the country.
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His absence sparked rumors over his health, including speculation he had died or was brain-dead, raising concerns over what would happen in the nuclear-armed country in the event of the sudden demise of its third-generation hereditary leader.
Trump, who has boasted about his "good relationship" with Kim following three meetings, had suggested that he knew of the North Korean leader's health condition, but declined to talk about it.
An abrupt change in North Korea's leadership would likely be a blow to the Trump administration as it seeks to rid Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons by building on the personal ties between Trump and Kim.
