A South Korean government official said Friday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has recovered enough to brush his teeth on his own.

The official said Seoul has obtained information that Kim can brush his teeth without help from others and has no problem moving, adding that Kim's chronic diseases such as diabetes could affect his full recovery.

The official said Seoul's National Intelligence Service had learned of Kim's stroke two or three days after he collapsed, noting South Korea was the first country to obtain the information.

Commenting on Kim's successor, the official said Pyongyang will likely adopt a collective leadership system, with the military at the center, as Kim's sons have not been groomed to succeed the leader.