"I think the report was incorrect," Trump said, referring to the CNN report. "I think the report was done by a network that was ... incorrect. I'm hearing they used old documents ... I hope it was an incorrect report," Trump added.
When asked by a reporter if he has been in touch with North Korea, Trump refused to answer the question but stressed that the US' relationship with North Korea is "good." He also reaffirmed that he has a good relationship with Kim and "hopes he's OK."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 23, 2020
On Monday, CNN reported - citing an unnamed US official - that the US was monitoring "intelligence" which indicated that Kim is in "grave danger" following surgery. Another unnamed US official told CNN that concerns about the North Korean leader's health are credible, but the severity of the ailment is hard to assess. Kim missed the celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15, resulting in speculation regarding his health.
Following reports regarding Kim's alleged surgery, South Korean presidential office spokesperson Kang Min Seok stated on Tuesday that "we have nothing to confirm, and there has been no unusual activity detected in North Korea," the South Korean state-funded Yonhap News Agency reported. South Korean outlet Daily NK reported, citing an unnamed source from North Korea, that Kim underwent a "cardiovascular surgical procedure" and was said to be mostly recovered. However, the report also said that Kim is still receiving medical treatment at the Hyangsan Medical Center, a "dedicated hospital of the Kim family."
In June 2018, Kim and Trump reached a historic agreement stipulating that North Korea would make efforts to promote the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the freezing of US-South Korean military drills and the potential removal of US sanctions. However, the negotiations were stalled over Pyongyang's continued missile tests.
