North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has recovered enough from his mid-August stroke to brush his own teeth, a Chinese government official told Chosun Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper.
The official told the Associated Press that Kim, 66, is able to walk with assistance and does not have trouble speaking.
Despite his reported improvement, Kim did not attend North Korea's 60th anniversary celebrations, according to the AP. His absence from the public eye has increased speculation and concern that Kim is gravely ill, The Washington Post reported. The strongman's precarious health underlies the potential power struggle and instability that could ensue with Kim's death, according to The Washington Times.
-M.M.
