N. Korea's Kim's health said to be better

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has recovered enough from his illness that he can brush his teeth on his own, a South Korean official said Friday.

"We have obtained information that Kim can brush his teeth without help from others," the Seoul official told Yonhap.

The official said the South Korean government was monitoring Kim's health and "other situations in North Korea in anticipation of an emergency there."

While Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke, the official said the possibility of the North Korean leader having a minor brain disorder couldn't be dismissed, Yonhap reported.

Speculation about Kim's health began after he didn't attend North Korea's 60th founding anniversary parade in Pyongyang Tuesday. South Korea's intelligence chief, Kim Sung-ho, later said that the North Korean leader was believed to be recovering from a stroke.

North Korea has issued no official report on Kim's health.