A 29-year-old Australian student detained in North Korea has been released and is "safe and well", <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-student-feared-detained-in-north-korea-230713">Prime Minister Scott Morrison </a>told parliament on Thursday, ending a weeklong ordeal for his family.

Alek Sigley -&nbsp;one of a handful of Westerners living and studying in Pyongyang -&nbsp;disappeared without a trace around June 23, prompting concerns about his fate.

For days his family received no word about his whereabouts or wellbeing, stoking fears he may be the latest in a long line of foreigners to be tangled up in North Korea's police state.

Then, with little warning, Morrison on Thursday told lawmakers that Sigley had "been released from detention in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" and that "he is safe and well".

His detention came just days before a landmark meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, fuelling speculation that his detention may have been politically motivated.

Sigley ran a number of social media sites, which usually had a stream of apolitical content about everyday life in one of the world's most secretive nations.

"He is always trying to demystify North Korea, unlike the typical Western media. He tries to understand the people there," his 26-year-old wife Yuka Morinaga had said.

The case was complicated by Australia's lack of diplomatic representation in North Korea, Australia's interests there are instead represented by Sweden.

Swedish special envoy Kent Harstedt had travelled to Pyongyang where he raised the issue with North Korean authorities.

"I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Swedish authorities for their invaluable assistance in securing Alek's prompt release," Morrison said, hailing it as a triumph of "behind the scenes" diplomacy.

Sigley is believed to be travelling from China to Japan, where his wife lives.

A 29-year-old Australian student detained in North Korea has been released and is "safe and well", Prime Minister Scott Morrison told parliament on Thursday, ending a weeklong ordeal for his family.

A 29-year-old Australian student detained in North Korea has been released and is "safe and well", Prime Minister Scott Morrison told parliament on Thursday, ending a weeklong ordeal for his family. Alek Sigley - one of a handful of Westerners living and studying in Pyongyang - disappeared without a trace around June 23, prompting concerns about his fate. For days his family received no word about his whereabouts or wellbeing, stoking fears he may be the latest in a long line of foreigners to be tangled up in North Korea's police state. Then, with little warning, Morrison on Thursday told lawmakers that Sigley had "been released from detention in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" and that "he is safe and well". His detention came just days before a landmark meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, fuelling speculation that his detention may have been politically motivated. Sigley ran a number of social media sites, which usually had a stream of apolitical content about everyday life in one of the world's most secretive nations. "He is always trying to demystify North Korea, unlike the typical Western media. He tries to understand the people there," his 26-year-old wife Yuka Morinaga had said. The case was complicated by Australia's lack of diplomatic representation in North Korea, Australia's interests there are instead represented by Sweden. Swedish special envoy Kent Harstedt had travelled to Pyongyang where he raised the issue with North Korean authorities. "I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Swedish authorities for their invaluable assistance in securing Alek's prompt release," Morrison said, hailing it as a triumph of "behind the scenes" diplomacy. Sigley is believed to be travelling from China to Japan, where his wife lives.

Australian student detained in North Korea released: PM Scott Morrison

Once Trump Called Kim Jon-Un A Rocket Man On A Suicide Mission. Now Trump Becomes The First U.S. President To Visit North Korea

Gravitas: From 'Fire & Fury' to 'love': the evolution of Trump-Kim Relationship

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fresh-protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-on-china-handover-anniversary-231871">Fresh protests erupt in Hong Kong on China handover anniversary</a>

Police in Hong Kong used pepper spray and batons against anti-government protesters who had seized highways early Monday ahead of what is expected to be a huge pro-democracy rally on the anniversary of the city's handover to China.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/remain-engaged-in-north-korea-but-firm-on-sanctions-ahead-of-denuclearisation-pompeo-231861">Remain engaged in North Korea but firm on sanctions ahead of denuclearisation: Pompeo</a>

US President Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea on Sunday when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2019-dhoni-jadhav-booed-by-india-supporters-as-rohit-reflects-on-poor-show-against-england-231872">World Cup 2019: Dhoni, Jadhav booed by India supporters as Rohit reflects on poor show against England</a>

Rohit Sharma admitted there were "lessons" to be learnt from England's bowlers after India suffered their first defeat of this World Cup against the hosts on Sunday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twin-engine-passenger-plane-crashes-in-texas-10-dead-officials-231860">Twin-engine passenger plane crashes in Texas, 10 dead</a>

A small twin-engine passenger plane crashed in Texas in the United States on Sunday, killing 10 people, officials said.

"The Dallas County Medical Examiner has confirmed 10 fatalities and no survivors," a spokeswoman for the town of Addison, Texas told AFP.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-seven-dead-in-sudans-massive-protest-over-civilian-rule-231869">At least seven dead in Sudan's massive protest over civilian rule</a>

Around seven people were killed on Sunday as tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Khartoum demanding the ruling military hand over to civilians.

Fresh protests erupt in Hong Kong on China handover anniversary Police in Hong Kong used pepper spray and batons against anti-government protesters who had seized highways early Monday ahead of what is expected to be a huge pro-democracy rally on the anniversary of the city's handover to China.

Fresh protests erupt in Hong Kong on China handover anniversary Police in Hong Kong used pepper spray and batons against anti-government protesters who had seized highways early Monday ahead of what is expected to be a huge pro-democracy rally on the anniversary of the city's handover to China. Remain engaged in North Korea but firm on sanctions ahead of denuclearisation: Pompeo US President Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea on Sunday when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks. World Cup 2019: Dhoni, Jadhav booed by India supporters as Rohit reflects on poor show against England Rohit Sharma admitted there were "lessons" to be learnt from England's bowlers after India suffered their first defeat of this World Cup against the hosts on Sunday. Twin-engine passenger plane crashes in Texas, 10 dead A small twin-engine passenger plane crashed in Texas in the United States on Sunday, killing 10 people, officials said. "The Dallas County Medical Examiner has confirmed 10 fatalities and no survivors," a spokeswoman for the town of Addison, Texas told AFP. At least seven dead in Sudan's massive protest over civilian rule Around seven people were killed on Sunday as tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Khartoum demanding the ruling military hand over to civilians.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The meeting, initiated by a spur-of-the-moment tweet by Trump that Kim said took him by surprise, once again displayed the rapport between the two. But they are no closer to narrowing the gap between their positions since they walked away from their summit in February in Vietnam.

After surprise Trump-Kim meeting, US and North Korea to reopen talks

New U.S. Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham got hands on in her new role on Sunday, when she stepped in to scuffles between North Korean security guards and members of the U.S. media who were trying to cover the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in North Korea on when he met Kim in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.

New US Press Secretary Grisham scuffles with North Korean security

In this segment, Political Analyst, DR. Robert Edwin Kelly speaks to WION on Trump-Kim Jong-un meet.

Dr. Robert Edwin Kelly speaks to WION on Trump-Kim Jong-un meet

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed a weekend meeting with Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, an encounter North Korea said would be meaningful if it goes ahead.

Trump offers North Korea's Kim weekend meeting in demilitarized zone

United States President Donald Trump will travel to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-invitation-interesting-but-no-official-request-north-korea-231370">demilitarised zone</a> (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea on Sunday for a possible unplanned summit with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.

In tweets early on Sunday the US president did not mention Kim but said his schedule for the day would include a speech to US troops and a “long planned” visit to the DMZ.

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I am in South Korea now. President Moon and I have “toasted” our new Trade Deal, a far better one for us than that which it replaced. Today I will visit with, and speak to, our Troops - and also go to the the DMZ (long planned). My meeting with President Moon went very well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1145098417405923330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Trump also hailed the trade talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 in Japan on Saturday as “far better than expected” and vowed to hold off on further tariffs as negotiations continue while adding that there will be no reduction in the tariffs currently being charged.

“The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good!” Trump tweeted on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea after G20 Summit in Japan and met the South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

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....again with China as our relationship with them continues to be a very good one. The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good! There will be no reduction in the Tariffs currently being charged to China.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1145097779632627712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Trump is also expected to meet North <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-offers-to-meet-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-at-dmz-this-weekend-231334">Korea's Kim Jong-un</a> at the DMZ that divides North and South Korea.

North Korea said a meeting would be "meaningful" if it happened.

If Trump and Kim are to meet, it would be for the third time in just over a year, and four months since their second summit, in Vietnam. The Vietnam summit broke down with no progress on US efforts to press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

Trump's reported visit, however, won't be the first visit by a US president to the DMZ.

In the past, most presidents except George Bush Sr havd visited the DMZ.

Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, George Bush Jr, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter had visited the DMZ as an act of solidarity with Seoul.

United States President Donald Trump will travel to the demilitarised zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea on Sunday for a possible unplanned summit with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.

United States President Donald Trump will travel to the demilitarised zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea on Sunday for a possible unplanned summit with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un. In tweets early on Sunday the US president did not mention Kim but said his schedule for the day would include a speech to US troops and a “long planned” visit to the DMZ. I am in South Korea now. President Moon and I have “toasted” our new Trade Deal, a far better one for us than that which it replaced. Today I will visit with, and speak to, our Troops - and also go to the the DMZ (long planned). My meeting with President Moon went very well! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2019 × Trump also hailed the trade talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 in Japan on Saturday as “far better than expected” and vowed to hold off on further tariffs as negotiations continue while adding that there will be no reduction in the tariffs currently being charged. “The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good!” Trump tweeted on Sunday. US President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea after G20 Summit in Japan and met the South Korean president Moon Jae-in. ....again with China as our relationship with them continues to be a very good one. The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good! There will be no reduction in the Tariffs currently being charged to China. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2019 × Trump is also expected to meet North Korea's Kim Jong-un at the DMZ that divides North and South Korea. North Korea said a meeting would be "meaningful" if it happened. If Trump and Kim are to meet, it would be for the third time in just over a year, and four months since their second summit, in Vietnam. The Vietnam summit broke down with no progress on US efforts to press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Trump's reported visit, however, won't be the first visit by a US president to the DMZ. In the past, most presidents except George Bush Sr havd visited the DMZ. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, George Bush Jr, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter had visited the DMZ as an act of solidarity with Seoul.

Trump to travel to demilitarised zone for possible meeting with Kim Jong-un

Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to cross into North Korea after meeting Mr Kim at the demilitarised zone (DMZ). Critics have dismissed it as pure political theatre, but others say it could set the scene for future talks.

Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un makes history at Korean Border

Only four short months after President Donald Trump and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un parted on civil terms following a no-deal summit in Hanoi, Trump tweeted an invitation to Kim to shake hands at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea during Trump’s visit to South Korea.

Big diplomatic moment for US and North Korea

A historical handshake: Trump-kim meets at Korean border

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-may-talk-with-kim-jong-un-without-meeting-230718">like to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un</a> this weekend at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border of North and South Korea.

Trump, who is in Osaka, Japan, for the Group of 20 summit, is due to arrive in South Korea later on Saturday. He is scheduled to leave the country on Sunday and return to Washington.

"While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!" Trump said on Twitter.

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After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1144740178948493314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Trump told reporters on Saturday, "We'll be there and I just put out a feeler because I don't know where he is right now. He may not be in North Korea."

"If he's there, we'll see each other for two minutes, that's all we can, but that will be fine," he added. Trump said he and Kim "get along very well."

US special envoy Stephen Biegun said on Friday the United States was ready to hold constructive talks with North Korea to follow through on a denuclearization agreement reached by the two countries last year, South Korea's foreign ministry said.

Biegun told his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, that Washington wanted to make "simultaneous, parallel" progress on the agreement reached at a summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore last year, the ministry said in a statement.

Both sides agreed to establish new relations and work towards denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

But negotiations have stalled since a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed as the two sides failed to narrow differences between US calls for denuclearization and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit that Kim had told him in April security guarantees were key, and that corresponding measures were needed to realise denuclearisation, according to South Korea's presidential office on Saturday.

North Korea's nominal head of state Choe Ryong Hae said in a speech praising Kim's achievements on Friday that Kim Jong Un's "strategic decision and proactive external activities" brought about "the great June 12 event," or the Singapore summit with Trump, and "re-establish(ed) the relations between the DPRK and big powers," North Korea's state media KCNA on Saturday.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is North Korea's official name.

"The DPRK government will... work hard to develop the ties of friendship and cooperation with all the countries that respect the DPRK's sovereignty and are friendly to it," Choe said, according to KCNA.

Trump said before departing for the G20 Osaka Summit that he did not expect to meet with Kim during his trip.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim boosted hopes for a restart of talks, calling it a "very real possibility."

Trump told reporters on Saturday Kim had sent him a birthday card and Trump sent him a letter in return.

North Korea's official KCNA news agency said Trump's letter had "excellent content" and Kim would "seriously contemplate" it, without elaborating.

Trump has previously said publicly he had received a very warm "beautiful letter" from Kim. He has not divulged its contents, but the White House official, who did not want to be identified, described the letter as "very flowery."

"President Trump made his pitch for a short summit with Chairman Kim on Twitter as White House officials most likely have tried -- and failed -- to set up such a meeting through official diplomatic or South Korean channels," Harry J Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest said.

If the meeting happens, "while no major agreements will be signed, both sides can reaffirm their commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, essentially resetting the table for a future deal in the weeks and months to come," Kazianis added.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would like to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this weekend at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border of North and South Korea.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would like to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this weekend at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border of North and South Korea. Trump, who is in Osaka, Japan, for the Group of 20 summit, is due to arrive in South Korea later on Saturday. He is scheduled to leave the country on Sunday and return to Washington. "While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!" Trump said on Twitter. After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2019 × Trump told reporters on Saturday, "We'll be there and I just put out a feeler because I don't know where he is right now. He may not be in North Korea." "If he's there, we'll see each other for two minutes, that's all we can, but that will be fine," he added. Trump said he and Kim "get along very well." US special envoy Stephen Biegun said on Friday the United States was ready to hold constructive talks with North Korea to follow through on a denuclearization agreement reached by the two countries last year, South Korea's foreign ministry said. Biegun told his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, that Washington wanted to make "simultaneous, parallel" progress on the agreement reached at a summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore last year, the ministry said in a statement. Both sides agreed to establish new relations and work towards denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. But negotiations have stalled since a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed as the two sides failed to narrow differences between US calls for denuclearization and North Korean demands for sanctions relief. Russian President Vladimir Putin told South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit that Kim had told him in April security guarantees were key, and that corresponding measures were needed to realise denuclearisation, according to South Korea's presidential office on Saturday. North Korea's nominal head of state Choe Ryong Hae said in a speech praising Kim's achievements on Friday that Kim Jong Un's "strategic decision and proactive external activities" brought about "the great June 12 event," or the Singapore summit with Trump, and "re-establish(ed) the relations between the DPRK and big powers," North Korea's state media KCNA on Saturday. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is North Korea's official name. "The DPRK government will... work hard to develop the ties of friendship and cooperation with all the countries that respect the DPRK's sovereignty and are friendly to it," Choe said, according to KCNA. Trump said before departing for the G20 Osaka Summit that he did not expect to meet with Kim during his trip. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim boosted hopes for a restart of talks, calling it a "very real possibility." Trump told reporters on Saturday Kim had sent him a birthday card and Trump sent him a letter in return. North Korea's official KCNA news agency said Trump's letter had "excellent content" and Kim would "seriously contemplate" it, without elaborating. Trump has previously said publicly he had received a very warm "beautiful letter" from Kim. He has not divulged its contents, but the White House official, who did not want to be identified, described the letter as "very flowery." "President Trump made his pitch for a short summit with Chairman Kim on Twitter as White House officials most likely have tried -- and failed -- to set up such a meeting through official diplomatic or South Korean channels," Harry J Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest said. If the meeting happens, "while no major agreements will be signed, both sides can reaffirm their commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, essentially resetting the table for a future deal in the weeks and months to come," Kazianis added.

'I would meet Kim at demilitarised zone to shake hand, say hello', tweets Trump

The recent US extension of sanctions against North Korea was an act of hostility and an outright challenge to a historic summit between the two countries in Singapore last year, a spokesman for Pyongyang's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The White House last week extended six executive orders containing sanctions imposed over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes by one year.

The unidentified North Korean foreign ministry spokesman denounced US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks on Sunday that more than 80 per cent of the North Korean economy has been affected by sanctions.

The spokesman also accused Washington of "viciously slandering" Pyongyang in its latest reports on human trafficking and religious freedom around the world.

"This is ... a manifestation of the most extreme hostile acts by the United States," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency.

"All these speak clearly to the fact that the wild dream of the United States to bring us to our knees by means of sanctions and pressure has not changed at all but grows even more undisguised," he added.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held their first, groundbreaking summit in Singapore in June last year, agreeing to foster new relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed as both sides failed to bridge differences between US calls for denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

Since then, North Korea has complained of US sanctions and demanded Pompeo be replaced by someone "more mature", while lauding the rapport Kim built with Trump.

Pompeo, speaking to reporters on Sunday, raised hopes for a revival of nuclear talks after a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim.

The North Korean spokesman warned it would be difficult to achieve denuclearisation as long as US politics are dominated by policymakers who have an "inveterate antagonism" towards North Korea.

"We would not thirst for a lifting of sanctions," the spokesman said.

"Our state is not a country that will surrender to the US sanctions, nor are we a country which the US could attack whenever it desires to do so," he added.

The recent US extension of sanctions against North Korea was an act of hostility and an outright challenge to a historic summit between the two countries in Singapore last year, a spokesman for Pyongyang's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The recent US extension of sanctions against North Korea was an act of hostility and an outright challenge to a historic summit between the two countries in Singapore last year, a spokesman for Pyongyang's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The White House last week extended six executive orders containing sanctions imposed over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes by one year. The unidentified North Korean foreign ministry spokesman denounced US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks on Sunday that more than 80 per cent of the North Korean economy has been affected by sanctions. The spokesman also accused Washington of "viciously slandering" Pyongyang in its latest reports on human trafficking and religious freedom around the world. "This is ... a manifestation of the most extreme hostile acts by the United States," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. "All these speak clearly to the fact that the wild dream of the United States to bring us to our knees by means of sanctions and pressure has not changed at all but grows even more undisguised," he added. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held their first, groundbreaking summit in Singapore in June last year, agreeing to foster new relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed as both sides failed to bridge differences between US calls for denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief. Since then, North Korea has complained of US sanctions and demanded Pompeo be replaced by someone "more mature", while lauding the rapport Kim built with Trump. Pompeo, speaking to reporters on Sunday, raised hopes for a revival of nuclear talks after a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim. The North Korean spokesman warned it would be difficult to achieve denuclearisation as long as US politics are dominated by policymakers who have an "inveterate antagonism" towards North Korea. "We would not thirst for a lifting of sanctions," the spokesman said. "Our state is not a country that will surrender to the US sanctions, nor are we a country which the US could attack whenever it desires to do so," he added.

North Korea says US extension of sanctions 'a hostile act': Report

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un receives a personal letter from U.S. President Donald Trump. Watch this video to know more.

Kim Jong-un receives excellent letter from Trump

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a personal letter of "excellent content" from US President Donald Trump, the country's state news agency said Sunday.

Kim "said with satisfaction that the letter is of excellent content," Korean Central News Agency reported.

"Appreciating the political judging faculty and extraordinary courage of President Trump, Kim Jong-un said that he would seriously contemplate the interesting content," KCNA said.

The report gave no further detail about the content of the letter.

Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang are deadlocked after a second summit between Kim and Trump broke up in Hanoi in February with the two unable to reach a deal on sanctions relief and what the North might give up in return.

Before the collapse of the Hanoi summit, Trump had said that he and Kim had an excellent relationship, and had even "fallen in love."

Kim recently played host to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who wrapped up a highly symbolic visit to the nuclear-armed North on Friday.

Kim told the Chinese president that his visit was an opportunity to demonstrate "the immutability and invincibility of the DPRK-China friendship before the world", KCNA said, using the abbreviation of North Korea's official name.

Pyongyang pulled out all the stops to welcome Xi, the first Chinese president to visit in 14 years -- a period in which North Korea has carried out five nuclear tests and launched missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

Analysts say Xi intended to use the trip as a way of signalling to Trump his influence with Kim one week before the G20 summit in Japan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a personal letter of "excellent content" from US President Donald Trump, the country's state news agency said Sunday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a personal letter of "excellent content" from US President Donald Trump, the country's state news agency said Sunday. Kim "said with satisfaction that the letter is of excellent content," Korean Central News Agency reported. "Appreciating the political judging faculty and extraordinary courage of President Trump, Kim Jong-un said that he would seriously contemplate the interesting content," KCNA said. The report gave no further detail about the content of the letter. Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang are deadlocked after a second summit between Kim and Trump broke up in Hanoi in February with the two unable to reach a deal on sanctions relief and what the North might give up in return. Before the collapse of the Hanoi summit, Trump had said that he and Kim had an excellent relationship, and had even "fallen in love." Kim recently played host to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who wrapped up a highly symbolic visit to the nuclear-armed North on Friday. Kim told the Chinese president that his visit was an opportunity to demonstrate "the immutability and invincibility of the DPRK-China friendship before the world", KCNA said, using the abbreviation of North Korea's official name. Pyongyang pulled out all the stops to welcome Xi, the first Chinese president to visit in 14 years -- a period in which North Korea has carried out five nuclear tests and launched missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland. Analysts say Xi intended to use the trip as a way of signalling to Trump his influence with Kim one week before the G20 summit in Japan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un receives 'excellent' letter from Trump: Report

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and China's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-kim-say-boosting-china-north-korea-ties-good-for-regional-peace-report-229051"> President Xi Jinping</a> reached a consensus on "important issues," and agreed to build on their countries' friendly relations "whatever the international situation," North Korean state media reported.

Xi left the North Korean capital Pyongyang on Friday after a two-day visit, the first by a Chinese leader in 14 years. State-run news agency KCNA issued a report on Saturday of the results of the visit.

China is North Korea's only major ally and Xi's visit was aimed at bolstering the isolated country against pressure from United Nations sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes and stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States.

The visit comes a week before Xi and US President Donald Trump are due to meet at a Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan, amid a trade dispute that has rattled global financial markets.

KCNA reported that during a luncheon on the final day of Xi's visit the leaders discussed plans to strengthen collaboration, as well as their countries' "major internal and external policies", while exchanging views on domestic and international issues of mutual concern.

An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday warned that Xi's short visit to Pyongyang would not solve all the region's problems, but pledges to help develop the North Korean economy were the right way forward.

"The world may hope that the Chinese leader has the magic touch that can turn stone to gold, but it is unrealistic to expect that Xi can solve all the peninsula issues with a two-day visit — even if Beijing has always been the most reliable and considerate partner to Pyongyang," it said.

"Yet Xi has touched the right stone by focusing on economic cooperation to help bring the DPRK in from the cold," it added.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and China's President Xi Jinping reached a consensus on "important issues," and agreed to build on their countries' friendly relations "whatever the international situation," North Korean state media reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and China's President Xi Jinping reached a consensus on "important issues," and agreed to build on their countries' friendly relations "whatever the international situation," North Korean state media reported. Xi left the North Korean capital Pyongyang on Friday after a two-day visit, the first by a Chinese leader in 14 years. State-run news agency KCNA issued a report on Saturday of the results of the visit. China is North Korea's only major ally and Xi's visit was aimed at bolstering the isolated country against pressure from United Nations sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes and stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States. The visit comes a week before Xi and US President Donald Trump are due to meet at a Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan, amid a trade dispute that has rattled global financial markets. KCNA reported that during a luncheon on the final day of Xi's visit the leaders discussed plans to strengthen collaboration, as well as their countries' "major internal and external policies", while exchanging views on domestic and international issues of mutual concern. An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday warned that Xi's short visit to Pyongyang would not solve all the region's problems, but pledges to help develop the North Korean economy were the right way forward. "The world may hope that the Chinese leader has the magic touch that can turn stone to gold, but it is unrealistic to expect that Xi can solve all the peninsula issues with a two-day visit — even if Beijing has always been the most reliable and considerate partner to Pyongyang," it said. "Yet Xi has touched the right stone by focusing on economic cooperation to help bring the DPRK in from the cold," it added.

Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping agree to grow ties whatever external situation: Report

Here's All You Need To Know About Xi Jinping's Visit To North Korea

Gravitas: Xi Jinping's Two-Day visit to North Korea : What to expect?

Xi Jinping's North Korea visit comes days before G-20 Summit

Wion Dispatch: Xi Jinping Meets Kim in Pyongyang

Bruce Harrison, Wion Correspondent speaks on Xi's visit to North Korea

WION CHAT: Bruce Harrison, Wion Correspondent on Xi's visit to North Korea

President Xi Jinping of China plans to make his first state visit to North Korea this week, a surprise move that could rattle his relationship with President Trump, who has twice met the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and made his nuclear diplomacy with Mr. Kim a signature foreign policy project.

Xi Jinping Will Make First Visit to North Korea Ahead of Meeting With Trump

Xi Jinping will make the first trip to North Korea by a Chinese president in 14 years this week, state media said Monday, as Beijing tightens relations with Pyongyang amid tensions with the United States.

Xi will visit Pyongyang on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-he-received-a-beautiful-letter-from-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-226360">North Korean leader Kim Jong-un</a>, said Chinese broadcaster CCTV.

The timing is likely to raise eyebrows at the White House as it comes one week before the G20 summit in Japan, where US President Donald Trump expects to meet with Xi to discuss their trade war.

China and North Korea have worked to improve relations in the past year after they deteriorated as Beijing backed a series of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear activities.

The North's leader Kim Jong-un travelled to China -- his country's sole major ally -- four times in the past year to meet Xi.

But Xi had yet to reciprocate until now. It will be the first trip there by a Chinese president since Hu Jintao went in 2005.&nbsp;

With Beijing and Washington at loggerheads over trade, China is keen to remind Trump of its influence in Pyongyang, with whom his nuclear negotiations -- a point of pride for the US president, who faces an election next year -- are also at a deadlock.

"The signal would be that China remains a critical stakeholder," said Jingdong Yuan, a professor specialising in Asia-Pacific security and Chinese foreign policy at the University of Sydney.

"You cannot ignore China and China can play a very important role," he told AFP. Xi could thus use the trip as a "bargaining chip" in the US-China trade war, he added.

According to an informed source in Pyongyang, Beijing was keen to arrange a visit to North Korea ahead of any encounter between Xi and Trump at the G20 summit -- with trip logistics finalised only last month.

In recent days, hundreds of soldiers and workers have been sprucing up the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, pruning bushes and replanting flowerbeds on the approaches to the monument, which commemorates the millions of Chinese troops Mao Zedong sent to save the forces of Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung from defeat during the Korean War.

A detachment of soldiers in white jackets was also seen outside the Liberation War Museum -- which includes a section on the Chinese contribution -- potentially indicating that it may be on Xi's itinerary.

'Four to zero'

It will be Xi's first trip to North Korea since taking power in 2012, though he visited the country as vice president in 2008.

"China and the DPRK are friendly neighbours," CCTV said, adding that Xi and Kim have reached a "series of important consensus" in past meetings and that a new chapter of bilateral relations had begun.

In contrast, Kim Jong-un has gone to China multiple times over the past year -- an unbalanced exchange that has not gone unnoticed in Pyongyang.

According to diplomatic sources in the North Korean capital, after Kim's many trips to meet Xi, there were increasingly strong feelings in Pyongyang that the Chinese leader should reciprocate for reasons of saving face.

"From a North Korean perspective, it's time for Chairman Xi to visit," said John Delury, an expert on US-China relations and Korean Peninsula affairs at Yonsei University in Seoul.

"They do keep score and it's like four to zero," he recently told AFP. "So far, Xi has approached China-North Korea relations very much as a function of US-China relations and kind of calculated in terms of that."

The visit also comes as negotiations between Trump and Kim have soured after the second summit in February broke up without a deal, failing to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since then, Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach.

Still, the nuclear situation is "under control for now", said Delury.&nbsp;

"That creates a space, a window where Xi could make a visit without expecting like a missile test the day he leaves or something like that," he said.

Xi Jinping will make the first trip to North Korea by a Chinese president in 14 years this week, state media said Monday, as Beijing tightens relations with Pyongyang amid tensions with the United States.

Xi Jinping will make the first trip to North Korea by a Chinese president in 14 years this week, state media said Monday, as Beijing tightens relations with Pyongyang amid tensions with the United States. Xi will visit Pyongyang on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Chinese broadcaster CCTV. The timing is likely to raise eyebrows at the White House as it comes one week before the G20 summit in Japan, where US President Donald Trump expects to meet with Xi to discuss their trade war. China and North Korea have worked to improve relations in the past year after they deteriorated as Beijing backed a series of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear activities. The North's leader Kim Jong-un travelled to China -- his country's sole major ally -- four times in the past year to meet Xi. But Xi had yet to reciprocate until now. It will be the first trip there by a Chinese president since Hu Jintao went in 2005. With Beijing and Washington at loggerheads over trade, China is keen to remind Trump of its influence in Pyongyang, with whom his nuclear negotiations -- a point of pride for the US president, who faces an election next year -- are also at a deadlock. "The signal would be that China remains a critical stakeholder," said Jingdong Yuan, a professor specialising in Asia-Pacific security and Chinese foreign policy at the University of Sydney. "You cannot ignore China and China can play a very important role," he told AFP. Xi could thus use the trip as a "bargaining chip" in the US-China trade war, he added. According to an informed source in Pyongyang, Beijing was keen to arrange a visit to North Korea ahead of any encounter between Xi and Trump at the G20 summit -- with trip logistics finalised only last month. In recent days, hundreds of soldiers and workers have been sprucing up the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, pruning bushes and replanting flowerbeds on the approaches to the monument, which commemorates the millions of Chinese troops Mao Zedong sent to save the forces of Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung from defeat during the Korean War. A detachment of soldiers in white jackets was also seen outside the Liberation War Museum -- which includes a section on the Chinese contribution -- potentially indicating that it may be on Xi's itinerary. 'Four to zero' It will be Xi's first trip to North Korea since taking power in 2012, though he visited the country as vice president in 2008. "China and the DPRK are friendly neighbours," CCTV said, adding that Xi and Kim have reached a "series of important consensus" in past meetings and that a new chapter of bilateral relations had begun. In contrast, Kim Jong-un has gone to China multiple times over the past year -- an unbalanced exchange that has not gone unnoticed in Pyongyang. According to diplomatic sources in the North Korean capital, after Kim's many trips to meet Xi, there were increasingly strong feelings in Pyongyang that the Chinese leader should reciprocate for reasons of saving face. "From a North Korean perspective, it's time for Chairman Xi to visit," said John Delury, an expert on US-China relations and Korean Peninsula affairs at Yonsei University in Seoul. "They do keep score and it's like four to zero," he recently told AFP. "So far, Xi has approached China-North Korea relations very much as a function of US-China relations and kind of calculated in terms of that." The visit also comes as negotiations between Trump and Kim have soured after the second summit in February broke up without a deal, failing to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. Since then, Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach. Still, the nuclear situation is "under control for now", said Delury. "That creates a space, a window where Xi could make a visit without expecting like a missile test the day he leaves or something like that," he said.

China's Xi Jinping to visit North Korea this week ahead of G20

It's been a year since US President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in Singapore. What really has changed for the 2 countries and the world since then? Know what US, Russia, Japan have to say about it. Watch full video to know more.

Have North Korea-US relations improved in last one year?

White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday that a third summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is possible but the ball is in Pyongyang's court. Watch full video to know more.

Third Trump-Kim summit possible if North Korea wants, says Bolton

North Korea conducts public executions to incite fear among the public, a rights group said on Tuesday in a report pinpointing at least 323 sites used by the government for capital punishment.

The report by the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) is the result of four years of research and interviews with more than 600 North Korean defectors living outside the country.

"Public executions are to remind people of particular policy positions that the state has," said TJWG research director Sarah A. Son.

"But the second and more powerful reason is it instils a culture of fear among ordinary people."

Purged members of the elite have been among those executed in public, such as leader Kim Jong Un's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013.

But the most common charges levelled against the condemned ranged from "stealing copper and livestock" to, less commonly, "anti-state" activities and illegally crossing into China, the group said.

The survey of 610 North Korean defectors living in South Korea, included 19 reports of more than 10 people being executed at the same time.

Crowds, often of hundreds of people, and sometimes a 1,000 or more, would gather. The youngest person to witness a public execution was 7 years old, the group said.

The group found that 35 reports of public executions came from one particular river bank, with executions taking place at the unidentified location every decade since the 1960s.

Six of the executions were by hanging and 29 by firing squad, the group said.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm any of the accounts in the report.

The group said 83 per cent of a sample of 84 surveyed people had witnessed a public execution at some time, but it did not give specific data on how common such executions may be.

Nor did it say if they were getting more or less frequent.

The group warned that the survey sample based on the testimony of defectors was not necessarily representative.

For example, a disproportionate number of the respondents come from northern provinces with the greatest access to the Chinese border for people trying to defect.

Some reports of executions in North Korea have turned out to be untrue, with officials who had been reported as being executed later reappearing.

This month, there have been media reports about the execution of officials involved in nuclear talks with the United States, which collapsed in February at a summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

Trump last week appeared to cast doubt on the news reports about the executions.

"I don't know if the reports are correct," Trump said. "They like to blame Kim Jong Un immediately."

North Korean state media has made no comment.

North Korea conducts public executions to incite fear among the public, a rights group said on Tuesday in a report pinpointing at least 323 sites used by the government for capital punishment.

North Korea conducts public executions to incite fear among the public, a rights group said on Tuesday in a report pinpointing at least 323 sites used by the government for capital punishment. The report by the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) is the result of four years of research and interviews with more than 600 North Korean defectors living outside the country. "Public executions are to remind people of particular policy positions that the state has," said TJWG research director Sarah A. Son. "But the second and more powerful reason is it instils a culture of fear among ordinary people." Purged members of the elite have been among those executed in public, such as leader Kim Jong Un's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013. But the most common charges levelled against the condemned ranged from "stealing copper and livestock" to, less commonly, "anti-state" activities and illegally crossing into China, the group said. The survey of 610 North Korean defectors living in South Korea, included 19 reports of more than 10 people being executed at the same time. Crowds, often of hundreds of people, and sometimes a 1,000 or more, would gather. The youngest person to witness a public execution was 7 years old, the group said. The group found that 35 reports of public executions came from one particular river bank, with executions taking place at the unidentified location every decade since the 1960s. Six of the executions were by hanging and 29 by firing squad, the group said. Reuters was unable to independently confirm any of the accounts in the report. The group said 83 per cent of a sample of 84 surveyed people had witnessed a public execution at some time, but it did not give specific data on how common such executions may be. Nor did it say if they were getting more or less frequent. The group warned that the survey sample based on the testimony of defectors was not necessarily representative. For example, a disproportionate number of the respondents come from northern provinces with the greatest access to the Chinese border for people trying to defect. Some reports of executions in North Korea have turned out to be untrue, with officials who had been reported as being executed later reappearing. This month, there have been media reports about the execution of officials involved in nuclear talks with the United States, which collapsed in February at a summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Trump last week appeared to cast doubt on the news reports about the executions. "I don't know if the reports are correct," Trump said. "They like to blame Kim Jong Un immediately." North Korean state media has made no comment.

Hundreds of North Korean public execution sites identified: Report

North Koreans are forced to pay bribes to officials to survive in their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-blames-us-for-failed-summit-urges-new-calculation-221306">isolated country</a> where corruption is "endemic" and repression rife, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday in a report that Pyongyang dismissed as politically motivated.

The report said officials extorted money from a population struggling to make ends meet, threatening them with detention and prosecution - particularly those working in the informal economy.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the formal name for North Korea, rejected the report, saying it was "politically motivated for sinister purposes".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-korea-faces-food-crisis-after-worst-harvest-in-a-decade-un-says-215865/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Such reports are nothing more than fabrication ... as they are always based on the so-called testimonies of 'defectors' who provide fabricated information to earn their living or are compelled to do so under duress or enticement," its Geneva mission said in a statement to Reuters.

North Korea blames the dire humanitarian situation on U.N. sanctions imposed for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes since 2006. But the report said that the military receives priority funding amid "economic mismanagement".

"I am concerned that the constant focus on the nuclear issue continues to divert attention from the terrible state of human rights for many millions of North Koreans," Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.

"The rights to food, health, shelter, work, freedom of movement and liberty are universal and inalienable, but in North Korea, they depend primarily on the ability of individuals to bribe State officials," she said.

Four in 10 North Koreans, or 10.1 million people, are chronically short of food and further cuts to already minimal rations are expected after the worst harvest in a decade, a UN assessment said earlier this month.

"The threat of arrest, detention and prosecution provide State officials with a powerful means of extorting money from a population struggling to survive," the U.N. rights office report said.

Cash and cigarettes

Bribery is "an everyday feature of people's struggle to make ends meet", said the report, entitled "The price is rights". It denounced what it called a "vicious cycle of deprivation, corruption and repression".

It is based on 214 interviews with North Korean "escapees", mainly from the northeastern provinces of Ryanggang and North Hamgyong, bordering China. They were the first to be cut from the public distribution system that collapsed in 1994, leading to a famine estimated to have killed up to 1 million, it said.

"As my father still had to work at a state firm that could no longer afford giving rations, we survived by selling taffy and liquor my mom made," Ju Chan-yang, a 29-year-old defector, told a news conference hosted by the U.N. rights office in Seoul on Tuesday.

Ju, who defected to the South in 2011, said she also made a living by selling banned South Korean and U.S. products in the underground economy. Sometimes she had to bribe authorities.

"If you get caught and don't have bribes to pay, you could get executed, just like my relatives," she said.

Many North Koreans pay bribes of cash or cigarettes not to have to report to state-assigned jobs where they receive no salary, thus allowing them to earn income in rudimentary markets, the report said.

Others bribe border guards to cross into China, where women are vulnerable to trafficking into forced marriages or the sex trade, it added.

"North Korea is a society where all of its members are involved in corruption because they're forced to do illegal acts only to survive," said Lee Han-byeol, who came to the South in 2001 and now runs a group that helps defectors.

Bachelet urged North Korean authorities to stop prosecuting people for engaging in legitimate market activity and to allow them freedom of movement within the country and abroad. China should not forcibly repatriate North Koreans, she added.

The United States called on North Korea this month to "dismantle all political prison camps" and release all political prisoners, who it said numbered between 80,000 and 120,000. North Korea denies the existence of such camps.

North Koreans are forced to pay bribes to officials to survive in their isolated country where corruption is "endemic" and repression rife, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday in a report that Pyongyang dismissed as politically motivated.

North Koreans are forced to pay bribes to officials to survive in their isolated country where corruption is "endemic" and repression rife, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday in a report that Pyongyang dismissed as politically motivated. The report said officials extorted money from a population struggling to make ends meet, threatening them with detention and prosecution - particularly those working in the informal economy. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the formal name for North Korea, rejected the report, saying it was "politically motivated for sinister purposes". "Such reports are nothing more than fabrication ... as they are always based on the so-called testimonies of 'defectors' who provide fabricated information to earn their living or are compelled to do so under duress or enticement," its Geneva mission said in a statement to Reuters. North Korea blames the dire humanitarian situation on U.N. sanctions imposed for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes since 2006. But the report said that the military receives priority funding amid "economic mismanagement". "I am concerned that the constant focus on the nuclear issue continues to divert attention from the terrible state of human rights for many millions of North Koreans," Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement. "The rights to food, health, shelter, work, freedom of movement and liberty are universal and inalienable, but in North Korea, they depend primarily on the ability of individuals to bribe State officials," she said. Four in 10 North Koreans, or 10.1 million people, are chronically short of food and further cuts to already minimal rations are expected after the worst harvest in a decade, a UN assessment said earlier this month. "The threat of arrest, detention and prosecution provide State officials with a powerful means of extorting money from a population struggling to survive," the U.N. rights office report said. Cash and cigarettes Bribery is "an everyday feature of people's struggle to make ends meet", said the report, entitled "The price is rights". It denounced what it called a "vicious cycle of deprivation, corruption and repression". It is based on 214 interviews with North Korean "escapees", mainly from the northeastern provinces of Ryanggang and North Hamgyong, bordering China. They were the first to be cut from the public distribution system that collapsed in 1994, leading to a famine estimated to have killed up to 1 million, it said. "As my father still had to work at a state firm that could no longer afford giving rations, we survived by selling taffy and liquor my mom made," Ju Chan-yang, a 29-year-old defector, told a news conference hosted by the U.N. rights office in Seoul on Tuesday. Ju, who defected to the South in 2011, said she also made a living by selling banned South Korean and U.S. products in the underground economy. Sometimes she had to bribe authorities. "If you get caught and don't have bribes to pay, you could get executed, just like my relatives," she said. Many North Koreans pay bribes of cash or cigarettes not to have to report to state-assigned jobs where they receive no salary, thus allowing them to earn income in rudimentary markets, the report said. Others bribe border guards to cross into China, where women are vulnerable to trafficking into forced marriages or the sex trade, it added. "North Korea is a society where all of its members are involved in corruption because they're forced to do illegal acts only to survive," said Lee Han-byeol, who came to the South in 2001 and now runs a group that helps defectors. Bachelet urged North Korean authorities to stop prosecuting people for engaging in legitimate market activity and to allow them freedom of movement within the country and abroad. China should not forcibly repatriate North Koreans, she added. The United States called on North Korea this month to "dismantle all political prison camps" and release all political prisoners, who it said numbered between 80,000 and 120,000. North Korea denies the existence of such camps.

'Endemic' corruption in North Korea, people survive by paying bribes: UN report

North Korea slammed US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Monday, calling him a "human defect" that had to be banished, just as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/great-respect-between-us-and-north-korea-donald-trump-221859">President Donald Trump offered a positive outlook on relations with Pyongyang</a>.

Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been deadlocked since the collapse of a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi in February when they failed to agree a deal on denuclearisation.

The North has since sought to raise the pressure and carried out two short-range missile tests earlier this month.

Bolton said Saturday there was "no doubt" they violated UN Security Council resolutions against ballistic missile launches, but insisted Washington was still ready to resume talks.

A spokesman for the North's foreign ministry dismissed Bolton's remarks, saying Pyongyang had never accepted the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-missile-test-violated-un-resolution-john-bolton-221446">UN bans on ballistic technology</a>, which denied its "rights as a sovereign nation".

"Bolton said our regular military drills violated UNSC resolutions, which is beyond stupid," he said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Without referring to the weapons as missiles, the statement said the launches did not target or threaten any neighbouring countries.

"Banning launches using ballistic technology is equal to telling us to give up our right to self-defence," he added.

The spokesman went on to denounce Bolton, calling him a "war maniac" and accusing him of "whispering war" into Trump's ears, referring to Washington's approach towards the Middle East and South America.

Calling the hawkish official "structurally faulty", he added that Bolton was working to "destroy peace and security".

"Such human defect must go away as soon as possible," the spokesman said.

The statement came just minutes after Trump -- on a visit to Japan -- said there was "great respect" between the United States and North Korea and predicted "lots of good things".

Trump expressed confidence in his relationship with Kim at the weekend and downplayed Pyongyang's recent missile launches, calling them "small weapons" that "disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me".

Last week, KCNA launched a diatribe against Democratic former US vice president Joe Biden, calling him an "imbecile" and a "fool of low IQ", prompting White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders to say that Trump agreed with the assessment.

Watch: North Korea demands immediate return of Cargo Ship seized by US

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North Korea slammed US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Monday, calling him a "human defect" that had to be banished, just as President Donald Trump offered a positive outlook on relations with Pyongyang.

North Korea slammed US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Monday, calling him a "human defect" that had to be banished, just as President Donald Trump offered a positive outlook on relations with Pyongyang. Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been deadlocked since the collapse of a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi in February when they failed to agree a deal on denuclearisation. The North has since sought to raise the pressure and carried out two short-range missile tests earlier this month. Bolton said Saturday there was "no doubt" they violated UN Security Council resolutions against ballistic missile launches, but insisted Washington was still ready to resume talks. A spokesman for the North's foreign ministry dismissed Bolton's remarks, saying Pyongyang had never accepted the UN bans on ballistic technology, which denied its "rights as a sovereign nation". "Bolton said our regular military drills violated UNSC resolutions, which is beyond stupid," he said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Without referring to the weapons as missiles, the statement said the launches did not target or threaten any neighbouring countries. "Banning launches using ballistic technology is equal to telling us to give up our right to self-defence," he added. The spokesman went on to denounce Bolton, calling him a "war maniac" and accusing him of "whispering war" into Trump's ears, referring to Washington's approach towards the Middle East and South America. Calling the hawkish official "structurally faulty", he added that Bolton was working to "destroy peace and security". "Such human defect must go away as soon as possible," the spokesman said. The statement came just minutes after Trump -- on a visit to Japan -- said there was "great respect" between the United States and North Korea and predicted "lots of good things". Trump expressed confidence in his relationship with Kim at the weekend and downplayed Pyongyang's recent missile launches, calling them "small weapons" that "disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me". Last week, KCNA launched a diatribe against Democratic former US vice president Joe Biden, calling him an "imbecile" and a "fool of low IQ", prompting White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders to say that Trump agreed with the assessment. Watch: North Korea demands immediate return of Cargo Ship seized by US ×

North Korea calls US National Security Advisor John Bolton 'human defect'

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to express his "confidence" in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un despite Pyongyang's recent weapons tests and deadlocked nuclear talks.

Trump, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-urges-greater-japanese-investment-in-us-knocks-trade-advantage-221583">currently in Japan on a trip</a> aimed at improving ties with Washington's close Asian ally, also suggested that Kim was sending him a "signal" through a North Korean state media commentary on Joe Biden -- in which the former vice president was labelled an "imbecile" and a "fool of low IQ" for criticising Kim.

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently referring to weapons tests in early May.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, &amp; also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Bidan a low IQ individual, &amp; worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1132413516063870977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Hours before Trump landed on Saturday, his hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton told local media there was "no doubt" Pyongyang's recent missile tests had<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-missile-test-violated-un-resolution-john-bolton-221446"> violated UN Security Council resolutions</a> but insisted Washington is still ready to resume talks.

But Trump tweeted,&nbsp;"I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, &amp; also smiled when he called Swampman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-slams-joe-biden-for-criticising-leader-kim-jong-un-220519">Joe Biden [sic] a low IQ </a>individual, &amp; worse. Perhaps that's sending me a signal?"

North Korea is one of the top issues on the agenda as Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles on May 9 following an earlier drill on May 4 -- the first in 18 months.

The North had not launched any missiles since November 2017, shortly before once-reclusive Kim embarked on diplomatic overtures.

In a historic first, Trump met with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, and again in Hanoi in February at a meeting that ended abruptly with no deal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/all-ages-take-part-in-japanese-pillow-fighting-tournament-221589">Also read: All ages take part in Japanese pillow-fighting tournament</a>

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US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to express his "confidence" in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un despite Pyongyang's recent weapons tests and deadlocked nuclear talks.

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to express his "confidence" in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un despite Pyongyang's recent weapons tests and deadlocked nuclear talks. Trump, currently in Japan on a trip aimed at improving ties with Washington's close Asian ally, also suggested that Kim was sending him a "signal" through a North Korean state media commentary on Joe Biden -- in which the former vice president was labelled an "imbecile" and a "fool of low IQ" for criticising Kim. "North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently referring to weapons tests in early May. North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Bidan a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2019 × Hours before Trump landed on Saturday, his hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton told local media there was "no doubt" Pyongyang's recent missile tests had violated UN Security Council resolutions but insisted Washington is still ready to resume talks. But Trump tweeted, "I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden [sic] a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that's sending me a signal?" North Korea is one of the top issues on the agenda as Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles on May 9 following an earlier drill on May 4 -- the first in 18 months. The North had not launched any missiles since November 2017, shortly before once-reclusive Kim embarked on diplomatic overtures. In a historic first, Trump met with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, and again in Hanoi in February at a meeting that ended abruptly with no deal. Also read: All ages take part in Japanese pillow-fighting tournament ×

Donald Trump says still has 'confidence' in North Korea's Kim Jong-un

North Korea said on Tuesday the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seizes-north-korean-cargo-ship-accused-of-violating-sanctions-217341">seizure of one of its cargo ships</a> by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit pact between the two countries' leaders and demanded the return of the vessel.

In a statement, the North's foreign ministry said it rejected UN Security Council resolutions against it, which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty.

The US Justice Department last week said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship that it accused of illicit coal shipments in violations of sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia.

"Our office uncovered North Korea's scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest," US attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.

"This scheme not only allowed North Korea to evade sanctions, but the Wise Honest was also used to import heavy machinery to North Korea," Berman said.

The ship, which was first confiscated by other foreign maritime authorities in Indonesia in April 2018, is now in the possession of the United States, a Justice Department official had said.

The 17,061-ton ship, which also was used to deliver heavy machinery to North Korea, is one of the country's largest bulk carriers, the Justice Department said.

The case marks the first time the United States has seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating sanctions.

According to UN sanctions monitors, the Wise Honest was transporting 25,500 tons of coal when it was detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

The UN report estimated that the value of the ship's coal cargo was around $3 million.

North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit pact between the two countries' leaders and demanded the return of the vessel.

North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit pact between the two countries' leaders and demanded the return of the vessel. In a statement, the North's foreign ministry said it rejected UN Security Council resolutions against it, which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty. The US Justice Department last week said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship that it accused of illicit coal shipments in violations of sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia. "Our office uncovered North Korea's scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest," US attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement. "This scheme not only allowed North Korea to evade sanctions, but the Wise Honest was also used to import heavy machinery to North Korea," Berman said. The ship, which was first confiscated by other foreign maritime authorities in Indonesia in April 2018, is now in the possession of the United States, a Justice Department official had said. The 17,061-ton ship, which also was used to deliver heavy machinery to North Korea, is one of the country's largest bulk carriers, the Justice Department said. The case marks the first time the United States has seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating sanctions. According to UN sanctions monitors, the Wise Honest was transporting 25,500 tons of coal when it was detained by Indonesia in April 2018. The UN report estimated that the value of the ship's coal cargo was around $3 million.

North Korea says ship seizure by US violates spirit of Trump-Kim summit

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was studying<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seizes-north-korean-cargo-ship-accused-of-violating-sanctions-217341"> the situation in North Korea</a> "very seriously," after Pyongyang welcomed a US envoy's visit to Seoul by firing two missiles.

"We're looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles, short-range missiles -- nobody's happy about it," Trump told reporters.

"The relationship continues - but we'll see what happens," Trump added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating, but I don't think they are ready to negotiate."

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a "long-range strike" drill, the state news agency reported on Friday, a day after South Korea said the weapons fired were short-range missiles.

"At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

 
Thursday's launch was the North's second weapons test in less than a week, amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons.

The North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The new KCNA statement did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile.

"The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defense units... fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat," KCNA said.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was studying the situation in North Korea "very seriously," after Pyongyang welcomed a US envoy's visit to Seoul by firing two missiles.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was studying the situation in North Korea "very seriously," after Pyongyang welcomed a US envoy's visit to Seoul by firing two missiles. "We're looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles, short-range missiles -- nobody's happy about it," Trump told reporters. "The relationship continues - but we'll see what happens," Trump added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating, but I don't think they are ready to negotiate." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a "long-range strike" drill, the state news agency reported on Friday, a day after South Korea said the weapons fired were short-range missiles. "At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Thursday's launch was the North's second weapons test in less than a week, amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons. The North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday. The new KCNA statement did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile. "The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defense units... fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat," KCNA said.

Looking at North Korea situation very seriously, nobody's happy about it: Trump

North Korea fired a number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-recent-rocket-drill-was-regular-and-self-defensive-217093">unidentified projectiles</a> on Thursday, South Korea's military said.

"North Korea fired unidentified projectiles eastward" from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province, South Korea's&nbsp;Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said in a statement.

The projectile was fired at about 4:30pm&nbsp;(0730 GMT) from a location in North Korea's northwest toward the east, South Korea's&nbsp;JCS said in a statement.

Last week North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had overseen the launch of &nbsp;rockets and at least one short-range ballistic missile which the state media had said was "regular and self-defensive" in nature

The "drill" was the first test of a ballistic missile by North Korea since it had launched a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017. North Korea had maintained a freeze in nuclear and ballistic missiles testing in place since 2017.

(Inputs: Reuters, AFP)

North Korea fired a number of unidentified projectiles on Thursday, South Korea's military said. "North Korea fired unidentified projectiles eastward" from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said in a statement.

North Korea fired a number of unidentified projectiles on Thursday, South Korea's military said. "North Korea fired unidentified projectiles eastward" from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said in a statement. The projectile was fired at about 4:30pm (0730 GMT) from a location in North Korea's northwest toward the east, South Korea's JCS said in a statement. Last week North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had overseen the launch of rockets and at least one short-range ballistic missile which the state media had said was "regular and self-defensive" in nature The "drill" was the first test of a ballistic missile by North Korea since it had launched a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017. North Korea had maintained a freeze in nuclear and ballistic missiles testing in place since 2017. (Inputs: Reuters, AFP)

North Korea fires several unidentified projectiles eastward

A Vietnamese woman who stood trial for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-jong-nam-murder-the-mystery-that-gripped-the-world-215553">assassination of the North Korean leader's half-brother</a> arrived home Friday, bringing down the curtain on a dramatic and often bizarre two-year murder mystery.

Kim Jong Nam, the estranged relative of Kim Jong Un who was once seen as heir apparent to the North's leadership, died in agony after having his face smeared with a banned nerve agent as he waited at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017.&nbsp;

The sensational killing made headlines around the world and sparked a furious diplomatic row as Seoul accused Pyongyang of an elaborate plot to murder a figure who had spent years in exile and been critical of his family's rule.

Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Indonesian national Siti Aisyah were arrested after being spotted on CCTV approaching Kim, but they always denied murder.&nbsp;

The women instead insisted they were tricked into carrying out the hit by North Korean agents, who told them it was a reality TV show prank and fled Malaysia after the killing.

The Vietnamese suspect was met by throngs of reporters at Hanoi's Noi Bai airport Friday evening, saying she was relieved to be home and happy to start her next chapter.&nbsp;

"I am so happy to come back to my country," said Huong, wearing large sunglasses as she arrived home with her Malaysian lawyers. &nbsp;

"I don't know what I will do but I want to be on stage, like an actress -- that's what I want."&nbsp;

'I felt so lonely'

Huong and Aisyah were both on trial in Malaysia for the Cold War-style killing, but in March, prosecutors dropped the murder charge against Aisyah after diplomatic pressure and she flew home.

Last month, they withdrew murder charges against 30-year-old Huong, who pleaded guilty to a reduced count of "causing injury" and was told she would be released in May at the end of her sentence.

The Vietnamese former hair salon worker left her rice farming village after secondary school, raising eyebrows with her funky fashions and edgy hairstyles.&nbsp;

Clips of her on Vietnam Idol soon circulated online, along with unverified footage of her kissing the star of a popular Vietnam YouTube channel. &nbsp; &nbsp;

More than two years after her arrest, Huong was freed from a prison outside the Malaysian capital early Friday before her flight back home later in the day.

She recalled her days in jail and said she planned to go to church now that she is free. &nbsp;

"I felt so lonely and I missed my home so much -- that was my most fearful feeling. I cried all the time," she told reporters before being whisked away in a van.&nbsp;

'True killers escaped justice'

While there is a relief for the women, no one else is in custody over the murder and those behind the plot are unlikely to ever be punished.

"The assassins have not been brought to justice," said Huong's lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, adding the women's legal teams consistently argued that four North Koreans who fled Malaysia after the killing, and were charged in absentia, were the real murderers.&nbsp;

The women were arrested after they were captured on airport CCTV cameras walking up behind Kim as he waited for a flight. One was seen clasping her hands over his face.

Kim died quickly, his face smeared with poison.

The women, who faced death by hanging if convicted of murder, went on trial in October 2017 but the case was slow-moving due to the large number of witnesses and appeals from the defence teams.

The defence stage of the trial had been due to get underway in March before prosecutors suddenly dropped charges against Aisyah, 27, following intense diplomatic pressure from the Indonesian government.

Vietnam then stepped up pressure for Huong's murder charge to be dropped and at the start of April, prosecutors offered her the lesser charge, paving the way for her release.

Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang welcomed her return home, saying on Twitter she was "glad" Huong had been released and was "reunited with her family".&nbsp;

Pyongyang has never admitted to killing Kim Jong Nam -- it claims the dead man was a North Korean citizen named Kim Chol -- and that the accusations were a smear campaign.

The assassination sparked a furious row between North Korea and Malaysia, previously one of nuclear-armed Pyongyang's few allies, and prompted both countries to expel each other's ambassadors.

Ties have improved in recent times, however, with Malaysia saying it plans to reopen its embassy in Pyongyang, which was closed shortly after the murder.

A Vietnamese woman who stood trial for the assassination of the North Korean leader's half-brother arrived home Friday, bringing down the curtain on a dramatic and often bizarre two-year murder mystery.

A Vietnamese woman who stood trial for the assassination of the North Korean leader's half-brother arrived home Friday, bringing down the curtain on a dramatic and often bizarre two-year murder mystery. Kim Jong Nam, the estranged relative of Kim Jong Un who was once seen as heir apparent to the North's leadership, died in agony after having his face smeared with a banned nerve agent as he waited at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017. The sensational killing made headlines around the world and sparked a furious diplomatic row as Seoul accused Pyongyang of an elaborate plot to murder a figure who had spent years in exile and been critical of his family's rule. Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Indonesian national Siti Aisyah were arrested after being spotted on CCTV approaching Kim, but they always denied murder. The women instead insisted they were tricked into carrying out the hit by North Korean agents, who told them it was a reality TV show prank and fled Malaysia after the killing. The Vietnamese suspect was met by throngs of reporters at Hanoi's Noi Bai airport Friday evening, saying she was relieved to be home and happy to start her next chapter. "I am so happy to come back to my country," said Huong, wearing large sunglasses as she arrived home with her Malaysian lawyers. "I don't know what I will do but I want to be on stage, like an actress -- that's what I want." 'I felt so lonely' Huong and Aisyah were both on trial in Malaysia for the Cold War-style killing, but in March, prosecutors dropped the murder charge against Aisyah after diplomatic pressure and she flew home. Last month, they withdrew murder charges against 30-year-old Huong, who pleaded guilty to a reduced count of "causing injury" and was told she would be released in May at the end of her sentence. The Vietnamese former hair salon worker left her rice farming village after secondary school, raising eyebrows with her funky fashions and edgy hairstyles. Clips of her on Vietnam Idol soon circulated online, along with unverified footage of her kissing the star of a popular Vietnam YouTube channel. More than two years after her arrest, Huong was freed from a prison outside the Malaysian capital early Friday before her flight back home later in the day. She recalled her days in jail and said she planned to go to church now that she is free. "I felt so lonely and I missed my home so much -- that was my most fearful feeling. I cried all the time," she told reporters before being whisked away in a van. 'True killers escaped justice' While there is a relief for the women, no one else is in custody over the murder and those behind the plot are unlikely to ever be punished. "The assassins have not been brought to justice," said Huong's lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, adding the women's legal teams consistently argued that four North Koreans who fled Malaysia after the killing, and were charged in absentia, were the real murderers. The women were arrested after they were captured on airport CCTV cameras walking up behind Kim as he waited for a flight. One was seen clasping her hands over his face. Kim died quickly, his face smeared with poison. The women, who faced death by hanging if convicted of murder, went on trial in October 2017 but the case was slow-moving due to the large number of witnesses and appeals from the defence teams. The defence stage of the trial had been due to get underway in March before prosecutors suddenly dropped charges against Aisyah, 27, following intense diplomatic pressure from the Indonesian government. Vietnam then stepped up pressure for Huong's murder charge to be dropped and at the start of April, prosecutors offered her the lesser charge, paving the way for her release. Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang welcomed her return home, saying on Twitter she was "glad" Huong had been released and was "reunited with her family". Pyongyang has never admitted to killing Kim Jong Nam -- it claims the dead man was a North Korean citizen named Kim Chol -- and that the accusations were a smear campaign. The assassination sparked a furious row between North Korea and Malaysia, previously one of nuclear-armed Pyongyang's few allies, and prompted both countries to expel each other's ambassadors. Ties have improved in recent times, however, with Malaysia saying it plans to reopen its embassy in Pyongyang, which was closed shortly after the murder.

Vietnamese woman in Kim Jong Nam murder case arrives home

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