Trump thinks report on Kim Jong Un was incorrect

On Thursday (April 23) U.S. President Donald Trump threw more cold water on reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was gravely ill.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I'm hearing they used old documents but I, that's what I hear.

I hear the report was an incorrect report.

I hope it was an incorrect report." Daily NK, a Seoul-based website, was the first to report on Monday (April 20) that Kim was recovering from a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month.

They have cited one unnamed source within North Korea - and its unclear what documents the president was referring to.

Trump lauded the relationship his administration had built with the isolated state... (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "Here we are, you would have been in a war with North Korea if I didn't get elected president.

Remember, I was going to be the one that took us into war my first day in office OK." However, Trump declined to say if he had been in touch with Kim or other North Korean officials.

(OFF CAMERA) REPORTER: "When was the last time you heard from him?" TRUMP: I don't want to say, yeah." (OFF CAMERA) REPORTER: "Since you pointed to me, just a quick question about that, so you haven't made any contact though, just to make sure?" TRUMP: "With who?" (OFF CAMERA) REPORTER: "The North Koreans." TRUMP: "I don't want to say, I won't say that.

We have a good relationship with North Korea, as good as you can have.

I mean, we have a good relationship with North Korea." Two South Korean officials rejected a subsequent CNN report which cited an unnamed U.S. official saying the United States was quote "monitoring intelligence" that Kim was in grave danger after surgery.

And on Thursday Trump criticized the quote "fake report done by CNN." (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un and I hope he's OK.

And somebody will say, 'Oh, that's terrible,' no, it's not terrible.

I hope he's okay, I think it was a fake report done by CNN." TRUMP IN EXCHANGE WITH OFF CAMERA REPORTER: "That's enough, go ahead.

The problem is, you don't write the truth.

So, you know, as far as I'm concerned, I want to go to the next question.

No, not CNN, I told you.

CNN is fake news, don't talk to me." U.S. officials acknowledge that Kim does have a history of health problems. But they have not confirmed that Kim has had a serious health setback And say he has previously disappeared from the public for extended periods of time.