SEOUL (AFP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message to Donald Trump after the US president's diagnosis with coronavirus, wishing him a quick recovery, state media said on Saturday (Oct 3).

"He offered his sympathy to the president and the first lady," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

"He sincerely hoped that they would be recovered as soon as possible. He hoped they will surely overcome it. He sent warm greetings to them."

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said it was the first time Mr Kim had sent well wishes to a world leader who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Mr Trump announced in the early hours of Friday that he had tested positive for Covid-19. Later in the day, he headed to a military hospital for further observation and treatment.

Mr Trump and Mr Kim held three high-profile meetings starting in June 2018, after an uptick in tensions between Washington and Pyongyang at the start of Mr Trump's term.

But nothing concrete emerged in terms of Pyongyang's denuclearisation, and talks have been officially at a standstill for months.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in mid-September that talks were ongoing behind the scenes.

Mr Trump has consistently portrayed his close relationship with Mr Kim as one of his foreign policy achievements.