Donald Trump has hailed the reported reappearance of Kim Jong-un following speculation that the North Korean dictator was seriously ill. “I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!” the US president tweeted after the North Korean dictator made his first public appearance in nearly three weeks. Speculation over the health of Kim, 36, was triggered by his lengthy absence even failing to appear at his late grandfather’s birthday celebration on April 15. It was the first time he had ever missed the event, which is held at the mausoleum of Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea. No explanation for his absence was provided by Pyongyang. It was the second time in recent years that he disappeared for several weeks. In 2014 he was laid low for six weeks after reportedly sustaining an ankle injury. Kim Jong-un’s return was announced by the official KCNA news agency, which said his appearance cutting the ribbon at the opening of a fertiliser factory, was greeted by “thunderous cheers of hurrah”. The video showed a beaming Kim at the ceremony at the factory near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
