Trump dispels rumors about Kim Jong-un's health

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shake hands during their meeting over the military demarcation line at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the inter-Korean border, Sunday. Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

• Published Jul 2, 2019 4:38 PM KST
• Updated Jul 2, 2019 5:00 PM KST

By Lee Min-hyung

U.S. President Donald Trump has downplayed speculations that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could be suffering from ill health, saying he “looked very healthy” during their surprise meeting Sunday at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the inter-Korean Joint Security Area.

“It was great being with Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea this weekend,” Trump tweeted Monday. “We had a great meeting. He looked really well and very healthy. I look forward to seeing him again soon.”

From the moments of the historic Kim-Trump meeting, a White House press pool reporter claimed that he heard the North's leader Kim “wheezing” and added “he was breathing heavily and sweating after walking just a few yards … he's obviously overweight.”

Speculations were that Kim's alleged poor health may affect his nuclear diplomacy with China, the United States and South Korea.

Kim Jong-un rarely makes public appearances, so his every step draws special media attention.

Since the very beginning of nuclear dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, the U.S. president toned down his criticism of his North Korean counterpart, aiding in the growing rapprochement between the two, with the ultimate goal of bringing him to the negotiating table.

Following the momentous DMZ encounter, the leaders agreed to resume their nuclear dialogue in the next couple of weeks. Trump took 20 steps into the northern side of the military demarcation line at the border area, making history as the first sitting U.S. president to enter North Korea.