North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in China amid unverified coma rumors

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in China, a visit confirmed Saturday days after unverified claims that he had fallen into a coma.

• Kim reached Dandong, China, on Saturday via a newly opened Yalu River bridge, South Korean media reported, citing an unnamed government source.
• Unverified social media claims say Kim fell into a coma after a brain hemorrhage and was taken to a hospital in Beijing.
• Kim was last seen on October 11 touring a defense museum at an undisclosed site in Pyongyang.
• Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's commitment to strengthening ties with North Korea, saying the countries have long backed each other.
• The New Yalu River Bridge, completed in 2014, officially opened about a week before Kim's visit after delays over connecting roads and customs facilities.
• South Korean officials said the visit was Kim Jong Un's first trip to China in a year; neither country's state media had confirmed it.
• Kim has prioritized ties with Russia, sending troops and weapons for its war in Ukraine, and rejected a Trump proposal to resume dialogue.