Downplaying North Korea`s warning that the United States must change the course of its negotiations before its patience runs out, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was of the view that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-agreement-was-reached-at-trump-kim-summit-white-house-200203">Pyongyang desires to make a deal with Washington</a>.

"I think they would like to make a deal and we would like to make a deal," Trump told reporters here, adding that he looks forward to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "at the appropriate time," CNN reports.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for North Korea`s foreign ministry had in a statement urged the US to "drop its current way of calculation" to keep alive the agreement they reached during their first summit in June last year."

Whether the June 12 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement will remain effective or turn out to be a mere blank sheet of paper will now be determined by how the US would respond to our fair and reasonable stand," Yonhap news agency quoted the spokesperson, as saying.

"The US should duly look back on the past one year and cogitate about which will be a correct strategic choice before it is too late. The US would be well-advised to change its current method of calculation and respond to our request as soon as possible. There is a limit to our patience," he added.

A similar call by North Korea was made in April when Kim had said that he would wait for Washington`s "courageous decision" until the end of this year.

Talks between the two countries hit a roadblock after the second summit in Vietnam ended abruptly with no joint statement being released. The two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers.

North Korea has since launched multiple projectiles as a sign of their apparent frustration regarding the stalled talks and continuing sanctions.

Tensions between the two countries briefly heightened recently after the US seized one of its cargo ships on the suspicion of shipping coal and other goods in violation of global sanctions on the regime.&nbsp;

Downplaying North Korea`s warning that the United States must change the course of its negotiations before its patience runs out, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was of the view that Pyongyang desires to make a deal with Washington.

Downplaying North Korea`s warning that the United States must change the course of its negotiations before its patience runs out, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was of the view that Pyongyang desires to make a deal with Washington. "I think they would like to make a deal and we would like to make a deal," Trump told reporters here, adding that he looks forward to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "at the appropriate time," CNN reports. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for North Korea`s foreign ministry had in a statement urged the US to "drop its current way of calculation" to keep alive the agreement they reached during their first summit in June last year." Whether the June 12 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement will remain effective or turn out to be a mere blank sheet of paper will now be determined by how the US would respond to our fair and reasonable stand," Yonhap news agency quoted the spokesperson, as saying. "The US should duly look back on the past one year and cogitate about which will be a correct strategic choice before it is too late. The US would be well-advised to change its current method of calculation and respond to our request as soon as possible. There is a limit to our patience," he added. A similar call by North Korea was made in April when Kim had said that he would wait for Washington`s "courageous decision" until the end of this year. Talks between the two countries hit a roadblock after the second summit in Vietnam ended abruptly with no joint statement being released. The two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers. North Korea has since launched multiple projectiles as a sign of their apparent frustration regarding the stalled talks and continuing sanctions. Tensions between the two countries briefly heightened recently after the US seized one of its cargo ships on the suspicion of shipping coal and other goods in violation of global sanctions on the regime.

Trump hopeful of deal with N Korea, hints at third summit with Kim

North Korea warned the United States that agreements made between the two countries' leaders in Singapore last year could be at risk, blaming the United States for undue pressure to denuclearise, state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday.

The statement comes as media reports indicated North Korea punished some members of its team that steered negotiations with the United States before a failed summit between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-execution-reports-north-koreas-ex-nuclear-envoy-seen-with-kim-jong-un-223735">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un</a> and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February.

Nearly a year after Trump and Kim first met in Singapore and signed a four-point joint statement pledging to work towards a new relationship, that agreement could be at risk if the United States does not drop its policy of “only insisting on our unilateral surrender of nuclear weapons”, an unnamed foreign ministry spokesman said in the statement.

Watch:&nbsp;North Korea executes nuclear envoy to US after failed Trump summit

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-korea-executes-nuclear-envoy-to-us-after-failed-trump-summit-223251/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

North Korea warned that if the United States does not come up with something new “before it is too late”, the joint statement would just turn out to be a "mere blank sheet of paper".

"The US would be well-advised to change its current method of calculation and respond to our request as soon as possible,” the official said in the statement. ''There is a limit to our patience."

The summit in Hanoi fell apart when Trump said Kim had failed to offer enough nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles in exchange for lifting international sanctions.

However, North Korea said it was willing to continue to abide by the joint statement as long as the United States finds a constructive approach.

North Korea warned the United States that agreements made between the two countries' leaders in Singapore last year could be at risk, blaming the United States for undue pressure to denuclearise, state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday.

North Korea warned the United States that agreements made between the two countries' leaders in Singapore last year could be at risk, blaming the United States for undue pressure to denuclearise, state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday. The statement comes as media reports indicated North Korea punished some members of its team that steered negotiations with the United States before a failed summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February. Nearly a year after Trump and Kim first met in Singapore and signed a four-point joint statement pledging to work towards a new relationship, that agreement could be at risk if the United States does not drop its policy of “only insisting on our unilateral surrender of nuclear weapons”, an unnamed foreign ministry spokesman said in the statement. Watch: North Korea executes nuclear envoy to US after failed Trump summit North Korea warned that if the United States does not come up with something new “before it is too late”, the joint statement would just turn out to be a "mere blank sheet of paper". "The US would be well-advised to change its current method of calculation and respond to our request as soon as possible,” the official said in the statement. ''There is a limit to our patience." The summit in Hanoi fell apart when Trump said Kim had failed to offer enough nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles in exchange for lifting international sanctions. However, North Korea said it was willing to continue to abide by the joint statement as long as the United States finds a constructive approach.

'There is a limit to our patience,' North Korea warns US a year after accord

A still photograph released Monday of former top nuclear envoy Kim Yong Chol with leader Kim Jong Un at an art performance, signaling that the former spymaster remains a force in North Korea's power structure.

North Korea's former spymaster reappears after 'forced labor' reports

The United States is attempting to check on&nbsp;reports&nbsp;that a senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-executes-its-special-envoy-to-us-after-hanoi-summit-collapse-223029">North&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;official involved in Pyongyang</a>'s non-proliferation talks with Washington has been executed, Secretary of State Mike&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;said on Friday.

"We've seen the reporting to which you are referring,"&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;told a news conference in Berlin in answer to a reporter's question. "We're doing our best to check it out. I don't have anything else to add to that today."

Earlier on Friday, a South&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;newspaper reported that nuclear envoy Kim Hyok Choi had been executed as part of a purge of officials who steered negotiations for a failed summit between leader Kim Jong Un and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-still-has-confidence-in-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-221636">US President Donald Trump</a>.

The United States is attempting to check on reports that a senior North Korean official involved in Pyongyang's non-proliferation talks with Washington has been executed, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

The United States is attempting to check on reports that a senior North Korean official involved in Pyongyang's non-proliferation talks with Washington has been executed, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. "We've seen the reporting to which you are referring," Pompeo told a news conference in Berlin in answer to a reporter's question. "We're doing our best to check it out. I don't have anything else to add to that today." Earlier on Friday, a South Korean newspaper reported that nuclear envoy Kim Hyok Choi had been executed as part of a purge of officials who steered negotiations for a failed summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.

US checking reports of North Korean envoy's execution: Pompeo

The United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-becomes-first-foreign-leader-to-meet-japans-new-emperor-221846">President Donald Trump </a>said Monday, as tensions between the two countries rise with Washington deploying troops to the region.

"I know so many people from Iran, these are great people, it has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership," Trump said at a press conference in Tokyo where he is on a state visit.

"We're not looking for regime change, I just want to make that clear. We're looking for no nuclear weapons."

"I'm not looking to hurt Iran at all," added Trump.

The United States on Friday said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Tehran, the latest step in a series of military escalations.

Tensions have been rising between Washington and Tehran since Trump's decision last year to withdraw from an international nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on the oil producer.

The US president reiterated Monday his criticism of that "horrible Iran deal" but said he was open to new negotiations.

"I think we'll make a deal," he said at the press conference alongside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-pm-shinzo-abe-calls-for-strengthing-ties-with-india-221913">Prime Minister Shinzo Abe</a>.

Hours earlier, Trump had insisted: "I do believe that Iran would like to talk, and if they'd like to talk, we'd like to talk also."

Trump sounded a similarly conciliatory tone on North Korea, a key topic of his discussions in Japan, which views Pyongyang as a major threat.

The US leader, who has had two rounds of talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, described him as a "very smart" man who knew he needed to denuclearise.

"He knows that with nuclear... only bad can happen. He is a very smart man, he gets it well," said Trump, who repeated that North Korea has "tremendous economic potential".

And he once again dismissed missile launches earlier this month by Pyongyang that National Security Advisor John Bolton has said were a violation of UN resolutions.

"My people think it could have been a violation... I view it as a man who perhaps wants to get attention," Trump said.

Abe reiterated his willingness to meet with Kim himself, in particular, to raise the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang, and said Trump backed his push to hold direct talks.

In addition to North Korea, Trump and Abe have been focused on trade, with Washington and Tokyo locked in negotiations to reduce what the US president calls an "unbelievably large trade imbalance".

Trump has said a final deal will not come until after Japan's upper house elections in July, but said he expected an agreement that would "benefit both of our economies".

He also said that Japan has "just announced its intent to purchase 105 brand new F35 stealth aircraft".

"This purchase would give Japan the largest F35 fleet of any US ally," Trump added.

The US president said he there was a "very good" chance of clinching a trade deal with China, despite recent retaliatory measures between the world's top economies.

"I think sometime in the future, China and the US will have a great trade deal and we look forward to that," Trump said.

The United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, President Donald Trump said Monday, as tensions between the two countries rise with Washington deploying troops to the region.

The United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, President Donald Trump said Monday, as tensions between the two countries rise with Washington deploying troops to the region. "I know so many people from Iran, these are great people, it has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership," Trump said at a press conference in Tokyo where he is on a state visit. "We're not looking for regime change, I just want to make that clear. We're looking for no nuclear weapons." "I'm not looking to hurt Iran at all," added Trump. The United States on Friday said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Tehran, the latest step in a series of military escalations. Tensions have been rising between Washington and Tehran since Trump's decision last year to withdraw from an international nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on the oil producer. The US president reiterated Monday his criticism of that "horrible Iran deal" but said he was open to new negotiations. "I think we'll make a deal," he said at the press conference alongside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hours earlier, Trump had insisted: "I do believe that Iran would like to talk, and if they'd like to talk, we'd like to talk also." Trump sounded a similarly conciliatory tone on North Korea, a key topic of his discussions in Japan, which views Pyongyang as a major threat. The US leader, who has had two rounds of talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, described him as a "very smart" man who knew he needed to denuclearise. "He knows that with nuclear... only bad can happen. He is a very smart man, he gets it well," said Trump, who repeated that North Korea has "tremendous economic potential". And he once again dismissed missile launches earlier this month by Pyongyang that National Security Advisor John Bolton has said were a violation of UN resolutions. "My people think it could have been a violation... I view it as a man who perhaps wants to get attention," Trump said. Abe reiterated his willingness to meet with Kim himself, in particular, to raise the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang, and said Trump backed his push to hold direct talks. In addition to North Korea, Trump and Abe have been focused on trade, with Washington and Tokyo locked in negotiations to reduce what the US president calls an "unbelievably large trade imbalance". Trump has said a final deal will not come until after Japan's upper house elections in July, but said he expected an agreement that would "benefit both of our economies". He also said that Japan has "just announced its intent to purchase 105 brand new F35 stealth aircraft". "This purchase would give Japan the largest F35 fleet of any US ally," Trump added. The US president said he there was a "very good" chance of clinching a trade deal with China, despite recent retaliatory measures between the world's top economies. "I think sometime in the future, China and the US will have a great trade deal and we look forward to that," Trump said.

United States 'not looking for regime change' in Iran: Trump

US President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Saturday for a four-day trip likely to be dominated by warm words and friendly images, but relatively light on substantive progress over trade.

Air Force One touched down in Japan just before 5pm local time (0800 GMT) on a sunny Tokyo afternoon.

Japanese and US officials hail as "unprecedented" the relationship between Trump and his "golf buddy", Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the pair will again find time for a round to cement their diplomatic bromance.

The official centrepiece is Trump's meeting on Monday with Japan's new Emperor Naruhito, who only ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne at the beginning of the month following his father's historic abdication for health reasons.

"With all the countries of the world, I'm the guest of honour at the biggest event that they've had in over 200 years," said Trump before his departure.

But the visual highlight is more likely to be Trump's visit on Sunday to the final day of the summer "basho" or sumo tournament where he is expected to present the cup to the winner.&nbsp;

Trump's appearance at the hallowed sumo hall has presented a logistical, security and protocol nightmare, ranging from where he sits to how he should be protected if the crowd start throwing pillows -- as tradition dictates when a Grand Champion (yokozuna) falls.

The leaders will play golf before going to the sumo and then repair with their wives to a restaurant in Tokyo's Roppongi entertainment district, where the menu features skewers of prime sirloin beef at 5,184 yen ($47) for two.

Abe has just recently returned from Washington and Trump himself will be returning to Japan in just over a month for the Group of 20 leaders' summit in the western city of Osaka.

"Three visits in both directions in a short amount of time is really emblematic of just how close the relationship is," said a senior Trump administration official, who asked not to be identified.&nbsp;

A Japanese diplomat said the frequency of contact "demonstrates the unprecedented level of close personal relations between the Japanese and US leaders".

'Smart move'

The formal diplomatic part of the trip is limited to a short bilateral meeting and a working lunch on Monday, after which the two leaders will brief the media.

They are also poised to meet families of people abducted by North Korea during the Cold War era to train Pyongyang's spies, an emotive issue in Japan that Abe has pressed Trump to raise in talks with the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump will also address troops at a US base in Japan, highlighting the military alliance between the two allies at a time when tensions are running higher with North Korea after the failure of the Hanoi summit in February.

Hours before Trump landed, hawkish National Security Advisory 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 analysts expect little progress on the main issue that divides Japan and the US: trade.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is expected to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the visit but with Abe facing upper house elections in the coming months and Trump battling China, both are likely to avoid concessions.

Some observers suspect Abe is rolling out the red carpet to present Japan as the most favourable of the countries currently engaged in trade disputes with Washington.

"Japan's strategy is to proceed with negotiations in a cool-headed manner," in contrast to the aggressive tit-for-tat tariff retaliations between the US and China, Shujiro Urata, a trade expert and professor at Tokyo's Waseda University, told AFP.

However, the trip is more likely to be about smiles and reaffirmations of a close alliance -- something Trump will doubtless welcome amid pre-2020 election turmoil at home and a bellicose Iran and China abroad.

"It's a smart move that shows he knows something about foreign policy and that he actually has a friend," said Robert Guttman, who lectures on foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University.

US President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Saturday for a four-day trip likely to be dominated by warm words and friendly images, but relatively light on substantive progress over trade.

US President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Saturday for a four-day trip likely to be dominated by warm words and friendly images, but relatively light on substantive progress over trade. Air Force One touched down in Japan just before 5pm local time (0800 GMT) on a sunny Tokyo afternoon. Japanese and US officials hail as "unprecedented" the relationship between Trump and his "golf buddy", Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the pair will again find time for a round to cement their diplomatic bromance. The official centrepiece is Trump's meeting on Monday with Japan's new Emperor Naruhito, who only ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne at the beginning of the month following his father's historic abdication for health reasons. "With all the countries of the world, I'm the guest of honour at the biggest event that they've had in over 200 years," said Trump before his departure. But the visual highlight is more likely to be Trump's visit on Sunday to the final day of the summer "basho" or sumo tournament where he is expected to present the cup to the winner. Trump's appearance at the hallowed sumo hall has presented a logistical, security and protocol nightmare, ranging from where he sits to how he should be protected if the crowd start throwing pillows -- as tradition dictates when a Grand Champion (yokozuna) falls. The leaders will play golf before going to the sumo and then repair with their wives to a restaurant in Tokyo's Roppongi entertainment district, where the menu features skewers of prime sirloin beef at 5,184 yen ($47) for two. Abe has just recently returned from Washington and Trump himself will be returning to Japan in just over a month for the Group of 20 leaders' summit in the western city of Osaka. "Three visits in both directions in a short amount of time is really emblematic of just how close the relationship is," said a senior Trump administration official, who asked not to be identified. A Japanese diplomat said the frequency of contact "demonstrates the unprecedented level of close personal relations between the Japanese and US leaders". 'Smart move' The formal diplomatic part of the trip is limited to a short bilateral meeting and a working lunch on Monday, after which the two leaders will brief the media. They are also poised to meet families of people abducted by North Korea during the Cold War era to train Pyongyang's spies, an emotive issue in Japan that Abe has pressed Trump to raise in talks with the North's leader Kim Jong Un. Trump will also address troops at a US base in Japan, highlighting the military alliance between the two allies at a time when tensions are running higher with North Korea after the failure of the Hanoi summit in February. Hours before Trump landed, hawkish National Security Advisory 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 analysts expect little progress on the main issue that divides Japan and the US: trade. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is expected to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the visit but with Abe facing upper house elections in the coming months and Trump battling China, both are likely to avoid concessions. Some observers suspect Abe is rolling out the red carpet to present Japan as the most favourable of the countries currently engaged in trade disputes with Washington. "Japan's strategy is to proceed with negotiations in a cool-headed manner," in contrast to the aggressive tit-for-tat tariff retaliations between the US and China, Shujiro Urata, a trade expert and professor at Tokyo's Waseda University, told AFP. However, the trip is more likely to be about smiles and reaffirmations of a close alliance -- something Trump will doubtless welcome amid pre-2020 election turmoil at home and a bellicose Iran and China abroad. "It's a smart move that shows he knows something about foreign policy and that he actually has a friend," said Robert Guttman, who lectures on foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University.

Trump arrives for sumo summit with Abe

The US&nbsp;seizure of a North Korean cargo ship is the biggest stumbling block to improving bilateral relations, a senior North Korean official said on Wednesday, warning Washington against using the "logic of strength" against Pyongyang.

The Trump administration must make a "big decision" on lifting sanctions before stalled nuclear negotiations can resume, Han Tae Song, North Korea`s ambassador to the UN&nbsp;in Geneva, added in an interview.

"It would be the greatest miscalculation if America thought my country is among the countries where American-style logic of strength or pressure might work," Han, who is also North Korea`s disarmament ambassador, told Reuters.

North Korea, under US&nbsp;and UN sanctions for its nuclear and missile programmes, has stepped up a campaign for the return of the ship, which Washington says it seized over accusations it was used for coal shipments in violation of the curbs.

The country has warned Washington that the impounding of the "Wise Honest" ship had violated its sovereignty and could affect "future developments" between the two countries.

"Yes, (it is) the biggest issue," Han said of the vessel, which US officials say is en route to American Samoa. "It is because it is the infringing upon the sovereignty of our country."

Han described the seizure as a "wanton violation of international law" and demanded its immediate return.

Han said he had no information on its cargo, but on the consequences of a US failure to return the ship, he said: "We don`t want, the Americans also don`t want and the international community don`t want the situation again worsening."

At their second summit meeting in February, talks broke down between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stalling moves toward denuclearisation.&nbsp;

Han said his country`s short-range missile tests carried out earlier in May were a "routine checking of our national defence capabilities", indicating that they would continue.

"WE ARE NOT OBSESSED" OVER MORE TALKS

The UN Security Council has unanimously strengthened sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products.

Asked whether North Korea was ready to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States, Han referred to Kim`s speech to the Supreme People`s Assembly in April.

"If they don`t change their minds, if they don`t make a big decision, we are not obsessed over another round of talks with the USA, out of (being) thirsty for lifting sanctions," Han said.

"That`s why our leader said that if they made a big decision, there will be another round of talks with America."

Han said that North Korean grain production was lower last year following drought, leading to a "shortage of food".

UN&nbsp;agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), are providing food assistance, from donor contributions, he said.

"If there is food aid, it`s ok. But if there is no food aid, then we have to manage ourselves."

Asked whether the food shortages were manageable, he replied: "It is manageable, but the problem is UN sanctions.

"We can`t transact for importing the food through banking systems, that is the main problem."&nbsp;

The US seizure of a North Korean cargo ship is the biggest stumbling block to improving bilateral relations, a senior North Korean official said on Wednesday, warning Washington against using the "logic of strength" against Pyongyang.

The US seizure of a North Korean cargo ship is the biggest stumbling block to improving bilateral relations, a senior North Korean official said on Wednesday, warning Washington against using the "logic of strength" against Pyongyang. The Trump administration must make a "big decision" on lifting sanctions before stalled nuclear negotiations can resume, Han Tae Song, North Korea`s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, added in an interview. "It would be the greatest miscalculation if America thought my country is among the countries where American-style logic of strength or pressure might work," Han, who is also North Korea`s disarmament ambassador, told Reuters. North Korea, under US and UN sanctions for its nuclear and missile programmes, has stepped up a campaign for the return of the ship, which Washington says it seized over accusations it was used for coal shipments in violation of the curbs. The country has warned Washington that the impounding of the "Wise Honest" ship had violated its sovereignty and could affect "future developments" between the two countries. "Yes, (it is) the biggest issue," Han said of the vessel, which US officials say is en route to American Samoa. "It is because it is the infringing upon the sovereignty of our country." Han described the seizure as a "wanton violation of international law" and demanded its immediate return. Han said he had no information on its cargo, but on the consequences of a US failure to return the ship, he said: "We don`t want, the Americans also don`t want and the international community don`t want the situation again worsening." At their second summit meeting in February, talks broke down between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stalling moves toward denuclearisation. Han said his country`s short-range missile tests carried out earlier in May were a "routine checking of our national defence capabilities", indicating that they would continue. "WE ARE NOT OBSESSED" OVER MORE TALKS The UN Security Council has unanimously strengthened sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. Asked whether North Korea was ready to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States, Han referred to Kim`s speech to the Supreme People`s Assembly in April. "If they don`t change their minds, if they don`t make a big decision, we are not obsessed over another round of talks with the USA, out of (being) thirsty for lifting sanctions," Han said. "That`s why our leader said that if they made a big decision, there will be another round of talks with America." Han said that North Korean grain production was lower last year following drought, leading to a "shortage of food". UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), are providing food assistance, from donor contributions, he said. "If there is food aid, it`s ok. But if there is no food aid, then we have to manage ourselves." Asked whether the food shortages were manageable, he replied: "It is manageable, but the problem is UN sanctions. "We can`t transact for importing the food through banking systems, that is the main problem."

North Korea says 'biggest issue' in US ties is impounded ship

North Korean state media slammed former US vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lets-stop-fighting-start-fixing-biden-offers-anti-trump-theme-219725">Joe Biden for criticising leader Kim Jong Un</a>, calling him "bereft of elementary quality as a human being".

The criticism contrasts with North Korea's repeated references to the good relationship between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Kim said in April his personal relationship with Trump was still good despite the collapse of their second summit in Vietnam in February.

According to Newsweek, Biden said at a campaign launch in Philadelphia on Saturday: "Are we a nation that embraces dictators and tyrants like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Kim Jong Un?"

State media the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) responded to criticism of the North's leadership in a commentary late on Tuesday.

"What he uttered is just sophism of an imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being, let alone a politician," it said.

KCNA listed previous controversies concerning Biden, including allegations of plagiarism and falling asleep during a speech by former President Barack Obama in 2011.

"We will never pardon anyone who dare provoke the supreme leadership of the DPRK but will certainly make them pay for it," KCNA said, using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Denuclearisation talks have stalled since the breakdown of the second meeting between Trump and Kim in February and North Korea conducted more weapons tests this month.

The tests were seen as a protest by Kim after Trump rejected his calls for sanctions relief at the Hanoi summit.

North Korean state media slammed former US vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden for criticising leader Kim Jong Un, calling him "bereft of elementary quality as a human being".

North Korean state media slammed former US vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden for criticising leader Kim Jong Un, calling him "bereft of elementary quality as a human being". The criticism contrasts with North Korea's repeated references to the good relationship between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Kim said in April his personal relationship with Trump was still good despite the collapse of their second summit in Vietnam in February. According to Newsweek, Biden said at a campaign launch in Philadelphia on Saturday: "Are we a nation that embraces dictators and tyrants like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Kim Jong Un?" State media the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) responded to criticism of the North's leadership in a commentary late on Tuesday. "What he uttered is just sophism of an imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being, let alone a politician," it said. KCNA listed previous controversies concerning Biden, including allegations of plagiarism and falling asleep during a speech by former President Barack Obama in 2011. "We will never pardon anyone who dare provoke the supreme leadership of the DPRK but will certainly make them pay for it," KCNA said, using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Denuclearisation talks have stalled since the breakdown of the second meeting between Trump and Kim in February and North Korea conducted more weapons tests this month. The tests were seen as a protest by Kim after Trump rejected his calls for sanctions relief at the Hanoi summit.

North Korea slams Joe Biden for criticising leader Kim Jong Un

North Korea fires more missiles, U.S. announces ship seizure as tensions rises. Watch this video to know more.

U.S announces seizure of North Korean cargo ship

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-recent-rocket-drill-was-regular-and-self-defensive-217093">North Korea`s second missile </a>test on Thursday signals it is serious about developing new, short-range weapons that could be used early and effectively in any war with South Korea and the United States, analysts studying images of the latest launches say.

Last week, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-confident-north-koreas-kim-wont-break-promise-215949&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwixxeDVu5DiAhWHro8KHe-tADYQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0LhzdUqfMCnUZdUBYQMyqN">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un </a>oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch, and manoeuvre in flight.&nbsp;

Photos released by state media on Friday showed Thursday`s test involved the same weapon.

The tests have increased tensions after the last US-North Korea summit collapsed in February in Hanoi with no agreement over Pyongyang`s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said late on Thursday the launches seemed like a protest over the failed summit, while North Korea has defended the tests as routine and self-defensive.

Some analysts say the multiple tests show the missiles aren`t only for political show.

"This second test solidifies that these launches are not just to stir the pot and elicit a US response to resume negotiations," said Grace Liu, one of a team of missile experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) in California. "They are developing a reliable, operable missile that can defeat missile defences and conduct a precision strike in South Korea."

DEFEATING MISSILE DEFENCES

The US&nbsp;and South Korean responses to the launches have been muted, with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and other officials emphasising the missiles are not the large, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the United States.

But analysts said the military applications of the new missiles should not be underestimated.

"The Trump administration keeps downplaying these missiles because they are not ICBMs, but even though they can’t reach the US mainland, it’s missiles like these that will start the war," said Melissa Hanham, a weapons expert at Datayo, which tracks international security threats.&nbsp;

"They are small, easy to hide, easy to manoeuvre and you can’t tell what kind of warhead they are carrying. They could carry a nuclear weapon."

In a preliminary report on Wednesday, the North Korea tracking website 38 North said the new missile looks similar to Russia`s SS-26 Iskander missile and could exploit gaps in South Korean and American missile defence coverage.

The United States and South Korea field Patriot and THAAD missile batteries designed to shoot down various ballistic and cruise missiles, but their capabilities have been disputed.&nbsp;

While the origin of the North Korean missile remains unclear, a team of analysts at CNS told Reuters that Thursday`s test confirmed the missile is capable of manoeuvring to elude defences and protect its launch crew from detection.

"You can tell from the low apogee that this missile manoeuvres a bit in a boost to defeat missile defences and aircraft hunting the launcher," said Jeffrey Lewis of CNS.&nbsp;

Michael Duitsman, a rocket propulsion expert with the team, said North Korean state media photos of the launch show likely thrust vanes and steerable fins that guide the missile with precision and allow it to manoeuvre through much of its flight.

While Saturday`s missile was fired from a transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicle with wheels, Thursday`s test featured a tracked vehicle.

Use of a tracked vehicle, which North Korea has more experience building, suggests it may plan to deploy a large number of the missiles and launchers, said Joshua Pollack, editor of The Nonproliferation Review.

"This seems to be their only mass-production option for highly capable TELs at the moment," he said.&nbsp;

The missile uses solid fuel, which allows the weapon to be easily moved and fired more quickly than those using liquid fuel, analysts said.

In the end, the new missiles add a new level of unpredictability to an already tense situation, Hanham said.&nbsp;

"If North Korea pulls out (an ICBM) everyone knows it’ll be launched with a nuke," she said. "These little missiles you don’t know, so it’s hard to be prepared."&nbsp;

POLITICAL SHOCKWAVES

The new weapon`s manoeuvrability and low flying have led some South Korean officials to hesitate to label the weapon a "ballistic missile," a weapon that would likely violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.

"Given its low altitude, more careful analysis is required," said ruling party lawmaker Ahn Gyu-baek, citing military officials. "One should also be careful to not aggravate the situation with hasty actions."&nbsp;

Ahn said South Korean military officials had assessed a number of potential political motives behind the missile launches. Those included increasing pressure for sanctions relief, and protesting Seoul`s military buildup including the purchase of new F-35 fighter aircraft as well as joint military drills by the United States and South Korea, which North Korea complained about in statements defending the tests.&nbsp;

The tests also likely held a message for domestic audiences designed to boost support for Kim`s government, he said.

"The Kim regime is determined to fight pressure with pressure," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. "It is threatening to raise regional tensions and create political problems for Moon and Trump if not offered economic concessions it failed to win in Hanoi."

While Kim may not return to launching ICBMs or testing nuclear weapons immediately, he may seek other provocative ways to break the stalemate, Pollack said.

"Kim Jong Un has given the United States until the end of the year to rethink its approach," he said. "But if they don’t get a meaningful response to these tests, maybe they’ll try to push the envelope further."

North Korea`s second missile test on Thursday signals it is serious about developing new, short-range weapons that could be used early and effectively in any war with South Korea and the United States, analysts studying images of the latest launches say.

North Korea`s second missile test on Thursday signals it is serious about developing new, short-range weapons that could be used early and effectively in any war with South Korea and the United States, analysts studying images of the latest launches say. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch, and manoeuvre in flight. Photos released by state media on Friday showed Thursday`s test involved the same weapon. The tests have increased tensions after the last US-North Korea summit collapsed in February in Hanoi with no agreement over Pyongyang`s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said late on Thursday the launches seemed like a protest over the failed summit, while North Korea has defended the tests as routine and self-defensive. Some analysts say the multiple tests show the missiles aren`t only for political show. "This second test solidifies that these launches are not just to stir the pot and elicit a US response to resume negotiations," said Grace Liu, one of a team of missile experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) in California. "They are developing a reliable, operable missile that can defeat missile defences and conduct a precision strike in South Korea." DEFEATING MISSILE DEFENCES The US and South Korean responses to the launches have been muted, with US President Donald Trump and other officials emphasising the missiles are not the large, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the United States. But analysts said the military applications of the new missiles should not be underestimated. "The Trump administration keeps downplaying these missiles because they are not ICBMs, but even though they can’t reach the US mainland, it’s missiles like these that will start the war," said Melissa Hanham, a weapons expert at Datayo, which tracks international security threats. "They are small, easy to hide, easy to manoeuvre and you can’t tell what kind of warhead they are carrying. They could carry a nuclear weapon." In a preliminary report on Wednesday, the North Korea tracking website 38 North said the new missile looks similar to Russia`s SS-26 Iskander missile and could exploit gaps in South Korean and American missile defence coverage. The United States and South Korea field Patriot and THAAD missile batteries designed to shoot down various ballistic and cruise missiles, but their capabilities have been disputed. While the origin of the North Korean missile remains unclear, a team of analysts at CNS told Reuters that Thursday`s test confirmed the missile is capable of manoeuvring to elude defences and protect its launch crew from detection. "You can tell from the low apogee that this missile manoeuvres a bit in a boost to defeat missile defences and aircraft hunting the launcher," said Jeffrey Lewis of CNS. Michael Duitsman, a rocket propulsion expert with the team, said North Korean state media photos of the launch show likely thrust vanes and steerable fins that guide the missile with precision and allow it to manoeuvre through much of its flight. While Saturday`s missile was fired from a transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicle with wheels, Thursday`s test featured a tracked vehicle. Use of a tracked vehicle, which North Korea has more experience building, suggests it may plan to deploy a large number of the missiles and launchers, said Joshua Pollack, editor of The Nonproliferation Review. "This seems to be their only mass-production option for highly capable TELs at the moment," he said. The missile uses solid fuel, which allows the weapon to be easily moved and fired more quickly than those using liquid fuel, analysts said. In the end, the new missiles add a new level of unpredictability to an already tense situation, Hanham said. "If North Korea pulls out (an ICBM) everyone knows it’ll be launched with a nuke," she said. "These little missiles you don’t know, so it’s hard to be prepared." POLITICAL SHOCKWAVES The new weapon`s manoeuvrability and low flying have led some South Korean officials to hesitate to label the weapon a "ballistic missile," a weapon that would likely violate United Nations Security Council resolutions. "Given its low altitude, more careful analysis is required," said ruling party lawmaker Ahn Gyu-baek, citing military officials. "One should also be careful to not aggravate the situation with hasty actions." Ahn said South Korean military officials had assessed a number of potential political motives behind the missile launches. Those included increasing pressure for sanctions relief, and protesting Seoul`s military buildup including the purchase of new F-35 fighter aircraft as well as joint military drills by the United States and South Korea, which North Korea complained about in statements defending the tests. The tests also likely held a message for domestic audiences designed to boost support for Kim`s government, he said. "The Kim regime is determined to fight pressure with pressure," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. "It is threatening to raise regional tensions and create political problems for Moon and Trump if not offered economic concessions it failed to win in Hanoi." While Kim may not return to launching ICBMs or testing nuclear weapons immediately, he may seek other provocative ways to break the stalemate, Pollack said. "Kim Jong Un has given the United States until the end of the year to rethink its approach," he said. "But if they don’t get a meaningful response to these tests, maybe they’ll try to push the envelope further."

'Missiles like these will start the war': North Korea tests showcase growing capability

North Korea has conducted a "strike drill" for multiple launchers, firing tactical guided weapons into the East Sea in a military drill supervised by leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday, the North's state media reported on Sunday.

The purpose of the drill was to test the performance of "large-calibre long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons by defence units," the Korean Central News Agency said.

Photographs released by KCNA showed the tactical guided weapons fired could be a short-range, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, according to Kim Dong-yub, a military expert at Korea's Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies.

While such a missile launch would be in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions, at least it would not involve long-range ballistic missiles that have been seen as a threat to the United States.

"What was sobering for me was that unexpectedly, there was a photo of a short-range, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, otherwise known as the North's version of Iskander," said IFE's Kim.

The new, solid fuel ballistic missiles can fly as far as 500 kilometres, putting the entire Korean Peninsula within its range and are capable of neutralizing the advanced US anti-missile defence system (THAAD) deployed in South Korea, the military analyst said.

The South Korean defence ministry, however, put the range of weapons fired on Saturday at between 70 to 240 kilometres.

Giving orders on Saturday for the test firing, North Korean leader Kim stressed the need to "increase the combat ability so as to defend the political sovereignty and economic self-sustenance" of North Korea in the face of threats and invasions, the report said.

The statement came a day after the test firing, which analysts interpreted as an attempt to exert pressure on Washington to give ground in negotiations to end the North's nuclear programme after a summit in February ended in failure.

North Korea had maintained a freeze in nuclear and ballistic missiles testing in place since 2017, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pointed out as an important achievement from his engagement with Pyongyang.

"With North Korea never promising to completely stop all missile testing — it only promised a self-imposed moratorium of testing long-range missiles such as ICBMs that can hit the US homeland — we should not be shocked by North Korea’s short-range launch," said Harry Kazianis, director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest.

The latest test firing prompted Seoul to call on its communist neighbour to "stop acts that escalate military tension on the Korean Peninsula" on Saturday, while Trump said in a Twitter post that he was still confident he could have a deal with Kim.

"I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, &amp; will do nothing to interfere or end it," Trump wrote. "He also knows that I am with him &amp; does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!"

The projectiles, fired from the east coast city of Wonsan around 9 am flew about 70 to 200 kilometres in a north-easterly direction, South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Saturday.

The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a vaguer description and said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches.

"Yes, the tests were the most serious since the end of 2017, but this is largely a warning to Trump that he could lose the talks unless Washington takes partial denuclearisation steps offered by Kim," said Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "A resumption of long-range test could be next unless Kim gets what he wants soon."

Talks stalled after a second summit between Kim and Trump in Hanoi in February failed to produce a deal to end Pyongyang’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.

North Korea demanded Washington to lift the US-led sanctions in return for a partial dismantling of its nuclear weapons programme, while the United States wanted the quick rollback of the North’s entire nuclear weapons programme.

The North's last missile launch was in November 2017, when it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. Soon after that missile test, the North declared that its nuclear force was complete, after which Pyongyang extended an olive branch to the South and the United States.

North Korea has conducted a "strike drill" for multiple launchers, firing tactical guided weapons into the East Sea in a military drill supervised by leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday, the North's state media reported on Sunday.

North Korea has conducted a "strike drill" for multiple launchers, firing tactical guided weapons into the East Sea in a military drill supervised by leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday, the North's state media reported on Sunday. The purpose of the drill was to test the performance of "large-calibre long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons by defence units," the Korean Central News Agency said. Photographs released by KCNA showed the tactical guided weapons fired could be a short-range, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, according to Kim Dong-yub, a military expert at Korea's Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies. While such a missile launch would be in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions, at least it would not involve long-range ballistic missiles that have been seen as a threat to the United States. "What was sobering for me was that unexpectedly, there was a photo of a short-range, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, otherwise known as the North's version of Iskander," said IFE's Kim. The new, solid fuel ballistic missiles can fly as far as 500 kilometres, putting the entire Korean Peninsula within its range and are capable of neutralizing the advanced US anti-missile defence system (THAAD) deployed in South Korea, the military analyst said. The South Korean defence ministry, however, put the range of weapons fired on Saturday at between 70 to 240 kilometres. Giving orders on Saturday for the test firing, North Korean leader Kim stressed the need to "increase the combat ability so as to defend the political sovereignty and economic self-sustenance" of North Korea in the face of threats and invasions, the report said. The statement came a day after the test firing, which analysts interpreted as an attempt to exert pressure on Washington to give ground in negotiations to end the North's nuclear programme after a summit in February ended in failure. North Korea had maintained a freeze in nuclear and ballistic missiles testing in place since 2017, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pointed out as an important achievement from his engagement with Pyongyang. "With North Korea never promising to completely stop all missile testing — it only promised a self-imposed moratorium of testing long-range missiles such as ICBMs that can hit the US homeland — we should not be shocked by North Korea’s short-range launch," said Harry Kazianis, director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest. The latest test firing prompted Seoul to call on its communist neighbour to "stop acts that escalate military tension on the Korean Peninsula" on Saturday, while Trump said in a Twitter post that he was still confident he could have a deal with Kim. "I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it," Trump wrote. "He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!" The projectiles, fired from the east coast city of Wonsan around 9 am flew about 70 to 200 kilometres in a north-easterly direction, South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Saturday. The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a vaguer description and said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches. "Yes, the tests were the most serious since the end of 2017, but this is largely a warning to Trump that he could lose the talks unless Washington takes partial denuclearisation steps offered by Kim," said Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "A resumption of long-range test could be next unless Kim gets what he wants soon." Talks stalled after a second summit between Kim and Trump in Hanoi in February failed to produce a deal to end Pyongyang’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. North Korea demanded Washington to lift the US-led sanctions in return for a partial dismantling of its nuclear weapons programme, while the United States wanted the quick rollback of the North’s entire nuclear weapons programme. The North's last missile launch was in November 2017, when it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. Soon after that missile test, the North declared that its nuclear force was complete, after which Pyongyang extended an olive branch to the South and the United States.

North Korean leader Kim oversaw testing of multiple rocket launchers: State media

US President Donald Trump on Sunday stated that he was confident over Kim Jong-un's promise and hoped that the North Korean leader would not "break his promise".

In a tweet on Saturday, Trump said, "Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realises the great economic potential of North Korea, and&nbsp;will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him &amp; does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!".

Trump's reaction comes amid reports of North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-projectiles-into-sea-seoul-215790">launching unidentified projectiles into the sea</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Saturday&nbsp;that North Korea "fired a number of short-range projectiles from its Hodo peninsula near the east coast town of Wonsan to the northeastern direction from 9:06 am (0006 GMT) to 09:27 am today".

The projectiles travelled from 70 to 200 kilometres (45 to 125 miles) towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, the JCS added.

In an earlier statement, it had said Pyongyang had launched an unidentified short-range missile.

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Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, &amp; will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him &amp; does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!
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The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-signals-shift-in-nuclear-diplomacy-kims-right-hand-man-sidelined-213629">United States and North Korea have been at loggerheads</a>&nbsp;since the collapse of Hanoi Summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump in February, where the two sides clashed over sanctions and the extent of Pyongyang's concessions on its atomic arsenal.

The last North Korean missile launch was in November 2017.

The latest firing comes just a day after South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Pyongyang should show "visible, concrete and substantial" denuclearisation action if it wants sanctions relief.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump on Sunday stated that he was confident over Kim Jong-un's promise and hoped that the North Korean leader would not "break his promise".

US President Donald Trump on Sunday stated that he was confident over Kim Jong-un's promise and hoped that the North Korean leader would not "break his promise". In a tweet on Saturday, Trump said, "Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realises the great economic potential of North Korea, and will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!". Trump's reaction comes amid reports of North Korea launching unidentified projectiles into the sea on Saturday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Saturday that North Korea "fired a number of short-range projectiles from its Hodo peninsula near the east coast town of Wonsan to the northeastern direction from 9:06 am (0006 GMT) to 09:27 am today". The projectiles travelled from 70 to 200 kilometres (45 to 125 miles) towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, the JCS added. In an earlier statement, it had said Pyongyang had launched an unidentified short-range missile. Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2019 × The United States and North Korea have been at loggerheads since the collapse of Hanoi Summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump in February, where the two sides clashed over sanctions and the extent of Pyongyang's concessions on its atomic arsenal. The last North Korean missile launch was in November 2017. The latest firing comes just a day after South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Pyongyang should show "visible, concrete and substantial" denuclearisation action if it wants sanctions relief. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un won't 'break promise' after projectiles launch

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South Korea reopened the Joint Security Area (JSA) of the truce village of Panmunjom to the public on Wednesday, a year after a historic summit was held there between the two Korean leaders, Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un.

Guns out, cameras in: Korean truce village lets tourists back in

North and South Korea Saturday struck different notes as they marked the first anniversary of a summit between their leaders that fuelled a whirlwind of diplomacy which has died down amid deadlock over Pyongyang's denuclearisation.

Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae-in held their first meeting on April 27 last year in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula amid a rapid diplomatic thaw, paving the way for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June.

But one year later, little progress has been made on North Korea's nuclear weapons, with Pyongyang and Washington deadlocked since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without a deal.

Moon, who brokered the first meeting between the two mercurial leaders, has tried to salvage the diplomacy although the North has remained largely unresponsive.

Since Hanoi, the North has not attended any of the weekly meetings of the heads of their joint liaison office in Kaesong, and has not taken part in other joint projects.

North Korea did not respond to the South's invitation this week for a ceremony later Saturday at Panmunjom -- where Moon and Kim exchanged warm smiles and hugs -- to commemorate their landmark meeting last year.

Instead, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, which handles inter-Korean relations, urged Seoul Saturday to take "more active measures" to improve ties.

The Kim-Moon summit a year ago had restarted the "ticking of the reunification clock", it said, but the US was pressuring Seoul to lock steps in their approach towards the nuclear-armed North.

"A grave situation is being created that may see a return to the past of reaching catastrophe in the thickening dangers of war," it said in a lengthy statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

'Dream and reality'

Moon and Kim met three times last year -- including a second impromptu encounter after Trump threatened to cancel the Singapore summit just weeks before it was due.

But exchanges between Seoul and Pyongyang have significantly decreased since the failure to reach agreement in Hanoi.

A commentary carried by the South's conservative Dong-A Ilbo newspaper Saturday noted that inter-Korean relations have returned to the "old pattern" where Seoul unilaterally tries to engage Pyongyang despite being repeatedly snubbed by its neighbour.

"A year ago, the North Korean leader appeared to listen attentively to the words of President Moon on the footbridge (at Panmunjom), but now he is blatantly ignoring the South," the paper said.

"The celebration event held only by South Korea today presents both dream and reality of the first anniversary," it added.

Kim slammed the South in a speech to his country's rubber-stamp legislature earlier this month, saying it should not "pose as a meddlesome 'mediator' and 'facilitator'" between the US and the North.

At his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, Kim accused the US of acting in "bad faith" in Hanoi and warned the situation "may return to its original state".

North and South Korea Saturday struck different notes as they marked the first anniversary of a summit between their leaders that fuelled a whirlwind of diplomacy which has died down amid deadlock over Pyongyang's denuclearisation.

North and South Korea Saturday struck different notes as they marked the first anniversary of a summit between their leaders that fuelled a whirlwind of diplomacy which has died down amid deadlock over Pyongyang's denuclearisation. Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae-in held their first meeting on April 27 last year in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula amid a rapid diplomatic thaw, paving the way for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June. But one year later, little progress has been made on North Korea's nuclear weapons, with Pyongyang and Washington deadlocked since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without a deal. Moon, who brokered the first meeting between the two mercurial leaders, has tried to salvage the diplomacy although the North has remained largely unresponsive. Since Hanoi, the North has not attended any of the weekly meetings of the heads of their joint liaison office in Kaesong, and has not taken part in other joint projects. North Korea did not respond to the South's invitation this week for a ceremony later Saturday at Panmunjom -- where Moon and Kim exchanged warm smiles and hugs -- to commemorate their landmark meeting last year. Instead, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, which handles inter-Korean relations, urged Seoul Saturday to take "more active measures" to improve ties. The Kim-Moon summit a year ago had restarted the "ticking of the reunification clock", it said, but the US was pressuring Seoul to lock steps in their approach towards the nuclear-armed North. "A grave situation is being created that may see a return to the past of reaching catastrophe in the thickening dangers of war," it said in a lengthy statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). 'Dream and reality' Moon and Kim met three times last year -- including a second impromptu encounter after Trump threatened to cancel the Singapore summit just weeks before it was due. But exchanges between Seoul and Pyongyang have significantly decreased since the failure to reach agreement in Hanoi. A commentary carried by the South's conservative Dong-A Ilbo newspaper Saturday noted that inter-Korean relations have returned to the "old pattern" where Seoul unilaterally tries to engage Pyongyang despite being repeatedly snubbed by its neighbour. "A year ago, the North Korean leader appeared to listen attentively to the words of President Moon on the footbridge (at Panmunjom), but now he is blatantly ignoring the South," the paper said. "The celebration event held only by South Korea today presents both dream and reality of the first anniversary," it added. Kim slammed the South in a speech to his country's rubber-stamp legislature earlier this month, saying it should not "pose as a meddlesome 'mediator' and 'facilitator'" between the US and the North. At his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, Kim accused the US of acting in "bad faith" in Hanoi and warned the situation "may return to its original state".

Two Koreas mark Moon-Kim summit anniversary with different tones

North Korean leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-needs-security-guarantees-in-exchange-for-denuclearisation-says-putin-after-meeting-kim-213419">Kim Jong-un said during his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a> peace and security on the Korean peninsula depend entirely on the future US attitude, North Korean state media KCNA said on Friday.

Kim's remarks were seen as keeping pressure on the United States to be more flexible in accepting Pyongyang's demands to ease sanctions, compared to the US stance during his unsuccessful second summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February.

The North Korean leader said at the time he would wait until the end of the year for the United States to become more flexible.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula and the region is now at a standstill and has reached a critical point where it may return to its original state as the US took a unilateral attitude in bad faith at the recent second DPRK-US summit talks," KCNA reported Kim as saying, using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The DPRK will gird itself for every possible situation." Kim said.

Kim invited Putin to North Korea at a convenient time and Putin accepted, KCNA said.

There was no immediate comment on the summit from the US State Department but William Hagerty, the US ambassador to Japan, told a Washington think tank Kim’s contact with Russia and China was part of an effort to seek relief from international sanctions.

"The fact you see Kim Jong-un meeting with Vladimir Putin underscores the fact that the sanctions are working and the sanctions are putting extreme economic pressure on the North Korean regime," Hagerty said.

"What we see is an outreach to try to find a way to deal with it. There is a much simpler way to deal with it and that is to denuclearise," he said.

He said it was important the international community enforced UN sanctions against North Korea that were imposed because of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.

The first face-to-face talks between Putin and Kim, held on an island off the Russian Pacific city of Vladivostok on Thursday, did not appear to yield any major breakthrough.

The two leaders had an in-depth discussion on ways for their countries to promote strategic communication and tactical collaboration in the course of ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region, KCNA said.

Putin said he thought a deal on Pyongyang's nuclear programme was possible and that the way to get there was to move forward step by step in order to build trust.

But any US guarantees might need to be supported by the other nations involved in previous six-way talks on the nuclear issue, Putin said, which was seen as a way to use the summit to strengthen Russia's diplomatic clout as a global player.

Russia and North Korea agreed to take measures to further cooperate in trade, economy, science and technology, KCNA said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said during his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin peace and security on the Korean peninsula depend entirely on the future US attitude, North Korean state media KCNA said on Friday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said during his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin peace and security on the Korean peninsula depend entirely on the future US attitude, North Korean state media KCNA said on Friday. Kim's remarks were seen as keeping pressure on the United States to be more flexible in accepting Pyongyang's demands to ease sanctions, compared to the US stance during his unsuccessful second summit with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February. The North Korean leader said at the time he would wait until the end of the year for the United States to become more flexible. "The situation on the Korean peninsula and the region is now at a standstill and has reached a critical point where it may return to its original state as the US took a unilateral attitude in bad faith at the recent second DPRK-US summit talks," KCNA reported Kim as saying, using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The DPRK will gird itself for every possible situation." Kim said. Kim invited Putin to North Korea at a convenient time and Putin accepted, KCNA said. There was no immediate comment on the summit from the US State Department but William Hagerty, the US ambassador to Japan, told a Washington think tank Kim’s contact with Russia and China was part of an effort to seek relief from international sanctions. "The fact you see Kim Jong-un meeting with Vladimir Putin underscores the fact that the sanctions are working and the sanctions are putting extreme economic pressure on the North Korean regime," Hagerty said. "What we see is an outreach to try to find a way to deal with it. There is a much simpler way to deal with it and that is to denuclearise," he said. He said it was important the international community enforced UN sanctions against North Korea that were imposed because of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes. The first face-to-face talks between Putin and Kim, held on an island off the Russian Pacific city of Vladivostok on Thursday, did not appear to yield any major breakthrough. The two leaders had an in-depth discussion on ways for their countries to promote strategic communication and tactical collaboration in the course of ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region, KCNA said. Putin said he thought a deal on Pyongyang's nuclear programme was possible and that the way to get there was to move forward step by step in order to build trust. But any US guarantees might need to be supported by the other nations involved in previous six-way talks on the nuclear issue, Putin said, which was seen as a way to use the summit to strengthen Russia's diplomatic clout as a global player. Russia and North Korea agreed to take measures to further cooperate in trade, economy, science and technology, KCNA said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says peace on Korean peninsula depends on US attitude: State media

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-signals-shift-in-nuclear-diplomacy-kims-right-hand-man-sidelined-213629">demotion of Kim Yong Chol</a>, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's point man for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-leader-says-peace-on-korean-peninsula-depends-on-us-attitude-state-media-213549">nuclear talks with the United States</a>, signals that long-time diplomats who had been sidelined from the process will return to centre-stage, diplomatic sources in Seoul and regional experts said.

The hawkish former general and spymaster was recently removed from a key party post, taking the fall for the failed Hanoi summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

Kim Yong Chol remains a formidable force in Pyongyang but there is no word whether he has been given a new role in the ultra-secretive North Korean power structure.&nbsp;

He did not accompany Kim Jong Un to Russia this week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, the North Korean leader`s first international foray since his Hanoi meeting with Trump in February ended in disarray.

Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and his deputy, Choe Son Hui, flanked the North Korean leader at the meeting in Vladivostok, including riding in his car, a highly unusual display of proximity.&nbsp;

"The Hanoi summit damaged the North`s long-held principle that its leader never makes an error, so they have to shift the blame," said Kim Hyun-wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul, referring to Kim Yong Chol`s demotion.&nbsp;

"This may not mean an immediate shift in their US&nbsp;strategy, but the diplomats will likely take the initiative to contain the fallout from Hanoi and promote diplomacy with various countries."&nbsp;

Kim Yong Chol was beside Kim through the last 12 months, including for his three meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, two with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two Trump summits, in Singapore and Hanoi.

But for those who have known him as a hardline military general, Kim Yong Chol never seemed comfortable with the art of negotiating the roll back of his country`s nuclear programme in exchange for concessions from the United States.

Kim avoided getting into details at negotiating sessions, instead leaving it to diplomats to build strategy, two diplomatic sources in Seoul familiar with the North`s diplomatic engagements said.&nbsp;

Even then, he refused to yield control, one of the sources said.&nbsp;

"Whether or not he understood the issues, he kept a tight grip on the negotiations. It seemed like: `Over my dead body I`m going to let Ri Yong Ho take over,`" the source said, referring to the North`s foreign minister.

'REAL SPOKESWOMAN'

The collapse of the Hanoi summit was a major setback for Kim Jong Un, who, several sources said, was led to believe by hawkish aides like Kim Yong Chol that he was about to win sought-after sanctions relief in return for a promise to partially scrap nuclear facilities.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at South Korea`s Sejong Institute, said the demands Kim made of Trump in Hanoi had the hallmarks of the "best scenario" strategy advocated by hawks like Kim Yong Chol.&nbsp;

"But it turned out to be a scenario that the United States could never accept," Cheong said. "Kim Jong Un cutting his reliance on Kim Yong Chol is a positive sign for the negotiations."

While Ri has gradually been promoted under Kim, the influence of Vice Foreign Minister Choe has surged since the Hanoi summit, officials and North Korea experts said.

She was a junior player on the North`s US&nbsp;diplomacy team in the 1990s and became the first vice foreign minister and a member of the powerful State Affairs Commission this month.

She held several news conferences after the collapse of the Hanoi summit, playing the rare role of conveying Kim Jong Un`s thinking.

Thae Yong Ho, former North Korean deputy ambassador in London who defected to the South in 2016, said Choe has joined an inner circle of women close to Kim Jong Un, including his sister and his wife.&nbsp;

"Now she`s the real spokeswoman for Kim Jong Un," Thae told a forum hosted by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies on Wednesday in Seoul. "How can Choe read his mind? Because she has access."

A diplomatic source also said Choe appears to have built rapport with Kim Yo Jong, Kim`s sister who is also a senior party official, which contributed to her recent promotion.

"We have to remember that (Foreign Minister) Ri and Choe are not only North Korea`s best people for the job of dealing with the US," said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at the US-based Stimson Center.

"But they both have known the leader since he was a small boy so there is a dynamic of their wanting to see Kim Jong Un thrive and succeed."

The demotion of Kim Yong Chol, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's point man for nuclear talks with the United States, signals that long-time diplomats who had been sidelined from the process will return to centre-stage, diplomatic sources in Seoul and regional experts said.

The demotion of Kim Yong Chol, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's point man for nuclear talks with the United States, signals that long-time diplomats who had been sidelined from the process will return to centre-stage, diplomatic sources in Seoul and regional experts said. The hawkish former general and spymaster was recently removed from a key party post, taking the fall for the failed Hanoi summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Kim Yong Chol remains a formidable force in Pyongyang but there is no word whether he has been given a new role in the ultra-secretive North Korean power structure. He did not accompany Kim Jong Un to Russia this week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, the North Korean leader`s first international foray since his Hanoi meeting with Trump in February ended in disarray. Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and his deputy, Choe Son Hui, flanked the North Korean leader at the meeting in Vladivostok, including riding in his car, a highly unusual display of proximity. "The Hanoi summit damaged the North`s long-held principle that its leader never makes an error, so they have to shift the blame," said Kim Hyun-wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul, referring to Kim Yong Chol`s demotion. "This may not mean an immediate shift in their US strategy, but the diplomats will likely take the initiative to contain the fallout from Hanoi and promote diplomacy with various countries." Kim Yong Chol was beside Kim through the last 12 months, including for his three meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, two with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two Trump summits, in Singapore and Hanoi. But for those who have known him as a hardline military general, Kim Yong Chol never seemed comfortable with the art of negotiating the roll back of his country`s nuclear programme in exchange for concessions from the United States. Kim avoided getting into details at negotiating sessions, instead leaving it to diplomats to build strategy, two diplomatic sources in Seoul familiar with the North`s diplomatic engagements said. Even then, he refused to yield control, one of the sources said. "Whether or not he understood the issues, he kept a tight grip on the negotiations. It seemed like: `Over my dead body I`m going to let Ri Yong Ho take over,`" the source said, referring to the North`s foreign minister. 'REAL SPOKESWOMAN' The collapse of the Hanoi summit was a major setback for Kim Jong Un, who, several sources said, was led to believe by hawkish aides like Kim Yong Chol that he was about to win sought-after sanctions relief in return for a promise to partially scrap nuclear facilities. Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at South Korea`s Sejong Institute, said the demands Kim made of Trump in Hanoi had the hallmarks of the "best scenario" strategy advocated by hawks like Kim Yong Chol. "But it turned out to be a scenario that the United States could never accept," Cheong said. "Kim Jong Un cutting his reliance on Kim Yong Chol is a positive sign for the negotiations." While Ri has gradually been promoted under Kim, the influence of Vice Foreign Minister Choe has surged since the Hanoi summit, officials and North Korea experts said. She was a junior player on the North`s US diplomacy team in the 1990s and became the first vice foreign minister and a member of the powerful State Affairs Commission this month. She held several news conferences after the collapse of the Hanoi summit, playing the rare role of conveying Kim Jong Un`s thinking. Thae Yong Ho, former North Korean deputy ambassador in London who defected to the South in 2016, said Choe has joined an inner circle of women close to Kim Jong Un, including his sister and his wife. "Now she`s the real spokeswoman for Kim Jong Un," Thae told a forum hosted by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies on Wednesday in Seoul. "How can Choe read his mind? Because she has access." A diplomatic source also said Choe appears to have built rapport with Kim Yo Jong, Kim`s sister who is also a senior party official, which contributed to her recent promotion. "We have to remember that (Foreign Minister) Ri and Choe are not only North Korea`s best people for the job of dealing with the US," said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at the US-based Stimson Center. "But they both have known the leader since he was a small boy so there is a dynamic of their wanting to see Kim Jong Un thrive and succeed."

North Korea turns to diplomats after Kim sidelines point man in nuclear talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday he expected his visit to Russia would help the two countries understand how to reach settlement over the Korean peninsula and develop bilateral ties.

N.Korea's Kim says he will coordinate views on peninsula issues with Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at a summit on Thursday intended to show Washington is not the only power with enough clout to engage with Pyongyang on its nuclear programme.

WION Gravitas: What did the Kim Jong Un-Vladimir Putin Summit achieve?

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, April 24th 2019

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed the border into Russia Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks closer ties with its traditional ally amid a nuclear deadlock with the United States.

The meeting on Thursday in the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok will be Kim's first face-to-face talks with another head of state since returning from talks with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi that collapsed in February.

Earlier the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported his departure by train, naming among his entourage foreign minister Ri Yong Ho -- who told journalists after the summit in Vietnam that the country's stance would "never change".

Kim's private armoured train crossed the Tumen river Wednesday and arrived in the Russian border town of Khasan, Russian media reports said, where women in folk costumes welcomed him with bread and salt in a traditional greeting.

Kim's predecessors as leader, his father and grandfather, also stopped there on their trips, and at the station a small wooden building known as the House of Kim Il Sung commemorates Russian-Korean friendship.

Russian and North Korean flags were already flying on lamp posts Tuesday on Vladivostok's Russky island, where the summit is expected to take place at a university campus.&nbsp;

The talks follow repeated invitations from Putin since Kim embarked on his diplomatic overtures last year.

Since March 2018, the formerly reclusive North Korean leader has held four meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, three with the South's Moon Jae-in, two with Trump and one with Vietnam's president.

Analysts say he is now looking for wider international support in his standoff with Washington.

At the same time, Western diplomats say that with Moscow's global role a shadow of what it once was, Russian foreign policy is driven by the "search for relevance".

In Hanoi, the cash-strapped North demanded immediate relief from the sanctions imposed on it over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, but the talks broke down in disagreement over what Pyongyang was prepared to give up in return.

Cold War ties

North Korea last week launched a blistering attack on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, insisting he be removed from the negotiations just hours after announcing it had carried out a new weapons test.

Moscow has already called for the sanctions to be eased, while the US has accused it of trying to help Pyongyang evade some of the measures -- accusations Russia denies.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told a briefing on Tuesday: "The focus will be on a political and diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula."&nbsp;

"Russia intends to help consolidate positive trends in every way," he said, but added that no joint statement or signing of agreements was planned.

KCNA did not mention whether Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju or his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong were accompanying him.

Moscow was a crucial backer of Pyongyang for decades and their ties go back to the founding of North Korea, when the Soviet Union installed Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung as leader.

But their relations have often shifted between hot and cold and during the Cold War, Kim Il Sung was adept at exploiting the Communist rivalry between Beijing and Moscow to extract concessions from both.

The Soviet Union reduced funding to the North as it began to seek reconciliation with Seoul in the 1980s, but Pyongyang was hit hard by its demise in 1991.

Soon after his first election as Russian president, Putin sought to normalise relations and met Kim Jong Il -- the current leader's father and predecessor -- three times, the first of those meetings in Pyongyang in 2000, when he became the first Russian leader to visit the North.

China has since cemented its role as the isolated North's most important ally, its largest trading partner and crucial fuel supplier, and analysts say Kim could be looking to balance Beijing's influence.

"It's part of the North's Juche -- self-reliance -- ideology not to rely on a single ally," said Jeong Young-tae, an analyst at the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

"Pyongyang has a group of experts on diplomacy who have been in their post for decades. They'll know how to play the game if it ever becomes necessary for Pyongyang to play off its allies against each other."

While ties between Russia and the North have remained cordial, the last meeting between their leaders came in 2011, when Kim Jong Il told then-president Dmitry Medvedev that he was prepared to renounce nuclear testing.

His son has since overseen by far the country's most powerful blast to date, and the launch of missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed the border into Russia Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks closer ties with its traditional ally amid a nuclear deadlock with the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed the border into Russia Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks closer ties with its traditional ally amid a nuclear deadlock with the United States. The meeting on Thursday in the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok will be Kim's first face-to-face talks with another head of state since returning from talks with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi that collapsed in February. Earlier the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported his departure by train, naming among his entourage foreign minister Ri Yong Ho -- who told journalists after the summit in Vietnam that the country's stance would "never change". Kim's private armoured train crossed the Tumen river Wednesday and arrived in the Russian border town of Khasan, Russian media reports said, where women in folk costumes welcomed him with bread and salt in a traditional greeting. Kim's predecessors as leader, his father and grandfather, also stopped there on their trips, and at the station a small wooden building known as the House of Kim Il Sung commemorates Russian-Korean friendship. Russian and North Korean flags were already flying on lamp posts Tuesday on Vladivostok's Russky island, where the summit is expected to take place at a university campus. The talks follow repeated invitations from Putin since Kim embarked on his diplomatic overtures last year. Since March 2018, the formerly reclusive North Korean leader has held four meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, three with the South's Moon Jae-in, two with Trump and one with Vietnam's president. Analysts say he is now looking for wider international support in his standoff with Washington. At the same time, Western diplomats say that with Moscow's global role a shadow of what it once was, Russian foreign policy is driven by the "search for relevance". In Hanoi, the cash-strapped North demanded immediate relief from the sanctions imposed on it over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, but the talks broke down in disagreement over what Pyongyang was prepared to give up in return. Cold War ties North Korea last week launched a blistering attack on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, insisting he be removed from the negotiations just hours after announcing it had carried out a new weapons test. Moscow has already called for the sanctions to be eased, while the US has accused it of trying to help Pyongyang evade some of the measures -- accusations Russia denies. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told a briefing on Tuesday: "The focus will be on a political and diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula." "Russia intends to help consolidate positive trends in every way," he said, but added that no joint statement or signing of agreements was planned. KCNA did not mention whether Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju or his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong were accompanying him. Moscow was a crucial backer of Pyongyang for decades and their ties go back to the founding of North Korea, when the Soviet Union installed Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung as leader. But their relations have often shifted between hot and cold and during the Cold War, Kim Il Sung was adept at exploiting the Communist rivalry between Beijing and Moscow to extract concessions from both. The Soviet Union reduced funding to the North as it began to seek reconciliation with Seoul in the 1980s, but Pyongyang was hit hard by its demise in 1991. Soon after his first election as Russian president, Putin sought to normalise relations and met Kim Jong Il -- the current leader's father and predecessor -- three times, the first of those meetings in Pyongyang in 2000, when he became the first Russian leader to visit the North. China has since cemented its role as the isolated North's most important ally, its largest trading partner and crucial fuel supplier, and analysts say Kim could be looking to balance Beijing's influence. "It's part of the North's Juche -- self-reliance -- ideology not to rely on a single ally," said Jeong Young-tae, an analyst at the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul. "Pyongyang has a group of experts on diplomacy who have been in their post for decades. They'll know how to play the game if it ever becomes necessary for Pyongyang to play off its allies against each other." While ties between Russia and the North have remained cordial, the last meeting between their leaders came in 2011, when Kim Jong Il told then-president Dmitry Medvedev that he was prepared to renounce nuclear testing. His son has since overseen by far the country's most powerful blast to date, and the launch of missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

North Korea's Kim arrives in Russia for summit with Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia's Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks support in its nuclear deadlock with the United States.

The talks, organised in secret and announced at the last minute, will be Kim's first face-to-face meeting with another head of state since negotiations with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi collapsed in February.

Kim's armoured train arrived in the afternoon at the Tsarist-era train station in Vladivostok and he stepped out onto a red carpet before making his way outside to be received by an honour guard.&nbsp;

"I hope that this visit will be successful and useful," Kim told Russian television in the Russian town of Khasan where his train crossed the border.

"I hope that during the talks... I will be able to have concrete discussions on resolving situations on the Korean Peninsula and on the development of our bilateral relationship," Kim said.

Putin was due to arrive in Vladivostok on Thursday, then fly on after the talks for another summit in Beijing.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) earlier reported Kim's departure by train, naming among his entourage foreign minister Ri Yong Ho.

The train crossed the Tumen river Wednesday and arrived in Khasan, where women in folk costumes welcomed Kim with bread and salt in a traditional greeting.

Kim's predecessors as leader, his father and grandfather, also stopped there on their trips to neighbouring Russia.&nbsp;

At Khasan station a small wooden building known as the House of Kim Il Sung commemorates Russian-Korean friendship.

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North Korean flags flying

Russian and North Korean flags were already flying on lamp posts Tuesday on Vladivostok's Russky island, where the summit is expected to take place at a university campus.&nbsp;

Kim plans to stay on in Vladivostok on Friday for a series of cultural events, including a ballet and a visit to the city's aquarium, Russian media reported.

The talks follow repeated invitations from Putin since Kim embarked on his diplomatic overtures last year.

Since March 2018, the formerly reclusive North Korean leader has held four meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, three with the South's Moon Jae-in, two with Trump and one with Vietnam's president.

Analysts say he is now looking for wider international support in his standoff with Washington, while Moscow is keen to inject itself into another global flashpoint. &nbsp;

In Hanoi, the cash-strapped North demanded immediate relief from the sanctions imposed on it over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, but the talks broke down in disagreement over what Pyongyang was prepared to give up in return.

North Korea last week launched a blistering attack on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, insisting he be removed from the negotiations just hours after announcing it had carried out a new weapons test.

Moscow has already called for the sanctions to be eased, while the US has accused it of trying to help Pyongyang evade some of the measures -- accusations Russia denies.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told a briefing on Tuesday: "The focus will be on a political and diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula."&nbsp;

"Russia intends to help consolidate positive trends in every way," he said, but added that no joint statement or signing of agreements was planned.

KCNA did not mention whether Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju or his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong were accompanying him.

Cold War ties

Moscow was a crucial backer of Pyongyang for decades and their ties go back to the founding of North Korea, when the Soviet Union installed Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung as leader.

The Soviet Union reduced funding to the North as it began to seek reconciliation with Seoul in the 1980s, but Pyongyang was hit hard by its demise in 1991.

Soon after his first election as Russian president, Putin sought to normalise relations and met Kim Jong Il -- the current leader's father and predecessor -- three times.&nbsp;

The first of those meetings was in Pyongyang in 2000, when Putin became the first Russian leader to visit the North.

China has since cemented its role as the isolated North's most important ally, its largest trading partner and crucial fuel supplier, and analysts say Kim could be looking to balance Beijing's influence.

While ties between Russia and the North have remained cordial, the last meeting between their leaders came in 2011, when Kim Jong Il told then-president Dmitry Medvedev that he was prepared to renounce nuclear testing.

His son has since overseen by far the country's most powerful blast to date, and the launch of missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia's Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks support in its nuclear deadlock with the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia's Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Wednesday for the first summit with Vladimir Putin, as Pyongyang seeks support in its nuclear deadlock with the United States. The talks, organised in secret and announced at the last minute, will be Kim's first face-to-face meeting with another head of state since negotiations with US President Donald Trump in Hanoi collapsed in February. Kim's armoured train arrived in the afternoon at the Tsarist-era train station in Vladivostok and he stepped out onto a red carpet before making his way outside to be received by an honour guard. "I hope that this visit will be successful and useful," Kim told Russian television in the Russian town of Khasan where his train crossed the border. "I hope that during the talks... I will be able to have concrete discussions on resolving situations on the Korean Peninsula and on the development of our bilateral relationship," Kim said. Putin was due to arrive in Vladivostok on Thursday, then fly on after the talks for another summit in Beijing. The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) earlier reported Kim's departure by train, naming among his entourage foreign minister Ri Yong Ho. The train crossed the Tumen river Wednesday and arrived in Khasan, where women in folk costumes welcomed Kim with bread and salt in a traditional greeting. Kim's predecessors as leader, his father and grandfather, also stopped there on their trips to neighbouring Russia. At Khasan station a small wooden building known as the House of Kim Il Sung commemorates Russian-Korean friendship. × North Korean flags flying Russian and North Korean flags were already flying on lamp posts Tuesday on Vladivostok's Russky island, where the summit is expected to take place at a university campus. Kim plans to stay on in Vladivostok on Friday for a series of cultural events, including a ballet and a visit to the city's aquarium, Russian media reported. The talks follow repeated invitations from Putin since Kim embarked on his diplomatic overtures last year. Since March 2018, the formerly reclusive North Korean leader has held four meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, three with the South's Moon Jae-in, two with Trump and one with Vietnam's president. Analysts say he is now looking for wider international support in his standoff with Washington, while Moscow is keen to inject itself into another global flashpoint. In Hanoi, the cash-strapped North demanded immediate relief from the sanctions imposed on it over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, but the talks broke down in disagreement over what Pyongyang was prepared to give up in return. North Korea last week launched a blistering attack on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, insisting he be removed from the negotiations just hours after announcing it had carried out a new weapons test. Moscow has already called for the sanctions to be eased, while the US has accused it of trying to help Pyongyang evade some of the measures -- accusations Russia denies. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told a briefing on Tuesday: "The focus will be on a political and diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula." "Russia intends to help consolidate positive trends in every way," he said, but added that no joint statement or signing of agreements was planned. KCNA did not mention whether Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju or his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong were accompanying him. Cold War ties Moscow was a crucial backer of Pyongyang for decades and their ties go back to the founding of North Korea, when the Soviet Union installed Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung as leader. The Soviet Union reduced funding to the North as it began to seek reconciliation with Seoul in the 1980s, but Pyongyang was hit hard by its demise in 1991. Soon after his first election as Russian president, Putin sought to normalise relations and met Kim Jong Il -- the current leader's father and predecessor -- three times. The first of those meetings was in Pyongyang in 2000, when Putin became the first Russian leader to visit the North. China has since cemented its role as the isolated North's most important ally, its largest trading partner and crucial fuel supplier, and analysts say Kim could be looking to balance Beijing's influence. While ties between Russia and the North have remained cordial, the last meeting between their leaders came in 2011, when Kim Jong Il told then-president Dmitry Medvedev that he was prepared to renounce nuclear testing. His son has since overseen by far the country's most powerful blast to date, and the launch of missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

North Korea's Kim arrives in Russia's Vladivostok for summit with Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un arrived in Vladivostok on Wednesday in advance of a summit later this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Watch this video to know more.

Kim Jong-Un in Russia for talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received a military welcome on Wednesday after arriving in the Russian Pacific city of Vladivostok ahead of a summit later this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

NKorea's Kim receives military honours ahead of summit with Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon visit Russia to hold his first summit with President Vladimir Putin, a state media reported on Tuesday, confirming Russia's annoucemnet.

Kim "will soon pay a visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation" of Putin, North Korea's official KCNA news service said.

"They will have talks during this visit," the brief dispatch added.

However, the venue was not disclosed by the state media.

They are expected to meet in the eastern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-vladivostok-could-be-possible-host-city-for-putin-kim-summit-211814">Russian port of Vladivostok</a>.

Last week, Russia said that Kim has accepted Putin's invitation and will Rusia in the second half of the April.

Putin has long expressed his readiness to meet with Kim.

The last summit between a Russian and North Korean head of state came in 2011, when Kim's father Kim Jong Il travelled to Siberia to meet Dmitry Medvedev, then Russia's president.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon visit Russia to hold his first summit with President Vladimir Putin, a state media reported on Tuesday, confirming Russia's annoucemnet.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon visit Russia to hold his first summit with President Vladimir Putin, a state media reported on Tuesday, confirming Russia's annoucemnet. Kim "will soon pay a visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation" of Putin, North Korea's official KCNA news service said. "They will have talks during this visit," the brief dispatch added. However, the venue was not disclosed by the state media. They are expected to meet in the eastern Russian port of Vladivostok. Last week, Russia said that Kim has accepted Putin's invitation and will Rusia in the second half of the April. Putin has long expressed his readiness to meet with Kim. The last summit between a Russian and North Korean head of state came in 2011, when Kim's father Kim Jong Il travelled to Siberia to meet Dmitry Medvedev, then Russia's president.

North Korea confirms Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia to meet Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon visit Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin, the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency confirmed Tuesday without releasing a set date or location for the meeting.

North Korea leader Kim to meet with Viladimir Putin in Russia

South Korea will this week celebrate the first anniversary of a landmark summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- but Pyongyang may not take part, Seoul said Monday.

The pair held their first meeting on April 27 last year in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula amid a rapid diplomatic thaw, paving the way for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June.

But one year later, little progress has been made on North Korea's denuclearisation, with Pyongyang and Washington deadlocked since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without a deal.

Moon, who brokered the first meeting between the two mercurial leaders, has tried to salvage the diplomacy although the North has remained largely unresponsive.

Since Hanoi, the North has not attended any of the eight regular weekly meetings of the heads of their joint liaison office in Kaesong and has not taken part in other joint projects, such as excavations in the DMZ.

Seoul will hold a ceremony on Saturday at Panmunjom -- where Moon and Kim exchanged warm smiles and brotherly hugs -- the unification ministry said, but whether Pyongyang would attend remained unclear.

"Our side notified (the North) about the April 27 anniversary ceremony" on Monday, the ministry said without giving further detail.

Moon and Kim met three times last year -- including a second impromptu encounter after Trump threatened to cancel the Singapore summit just weeks before it was due.

But exchanges between Seoul and Pyongyang have significantly decreased since the failure to reach agreement in Hanoi.

Kim slammed the South in a speech to his country's rubber-stamp legislature earlier this month, saying it should not "pose as a meddlesome 'mediator' and 'facilitator'" between the US and the North.

South Korea will this week celebrate the first anniversary of a landmark summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- but Pyongyang may not take part, Seoul said Monday.

South Korea will this week celebrate the first anniversary of a landmark summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- but Pyongyang may not take part, Seoul said Monday. The pair held their first meeting on April 27 last year in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula amid a rapid diplomatic thaw, paving the way for a historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June. But one year later, little progress has been made on North Korea's denuclearisation, with Pyongyang and Washington deadlocked since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without a deal. Moon, who brokered the first meeting between the two mercurial leaders, has tried to salvage the diplomacy although the North has remained largely unresponsive. Since Hanoi, the North has not attended any of the eight regular weekly meetings of the heads of their joint liaison office in Kaesong and has not taken part in other joint projects, such as excavations in the DMZ. Seoul will hold a ceremony on Saturday at Panmunjom -- where Moon and Kim exchanged warm smiles and brotherly hugs -- the unification ministry said, but whether Pyongyang would attend remained unclear. "Our side notified (the North) about the April 27 anniversary ceremony" on Monday, the ministry said without giving further detail. Moon and Kim met three times last year -- including a second impromptu encounter after Trump threatened to cancel the Singapore summit just weeks before it was due. But exchanges between Seoul and Pyongyang have significantly decreased since the failure to reach agreement in Hanoi. Kim slammed the South in a speech to his country's rubber-stamp legislature earlier this month, saying it should not "pose as a meddlesome 'mediator' and 'facilitator'" between the US and the North.

South Korea to mark first summit anniversary, with or without North

Russia's Vladivostok was named as the possible host city for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-to-meet-putin-in-russia-in-late-april-211539">Russia-Noth Korea summit</a>, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

However, due to security reasons, the Russian authorities did not confirm the venue, where President Vladimir Putin will hold the upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.&nbsp;

The summit was announced on Thursday when Kremlin said that Kim has accepted Putin's invitation.

Kim will visit Russia in the second half of April.

This comes after North Korea recently announced that it had tested a new tactical weapon with a "powerful warhead" as denuclearisation talks with Washington appear to stall.&nbsp;

The last summit between a Russian and North Korean head of state came in 2011 when Kim's father Kim Jong Il travelled to Siberia to meet Dmitry Medvedev, then Russia's president.

Russia's Vladivostok was named as the possible host city for Russia-Noth Korea summit, news agency Reuters reported. However, due to security reasons, the Russian authorities did not confirm the venue, where President Vladimir Putin will hold the upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Russia's Vladivostok was named as the possible host city for Russia-Noth Korea summit, news agency Reuters reported. However, due to security reasons, the Russian authorities did not confirm the venue, where President Vladimir Putin will hold the upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The summit was announced on Thursday when Kremlin said that Kim has accepted Putin's invitation. Kim will visit Russia in the second half of April. This comes after North Korea recently announced that it had tested a new tactical weapon with a "powerful warhead" as denuclearisation talks with Washington appear to stall. The last summit between a Russian and North Korean head of state came in 2011 when Kim's father Kim Jong Il travelled to Siberia to meet Dmitry Medvedev, then Russia's president.

Russia's Vladivostok could be possible host city for Putin-Kim summit

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that he is still in charge of the team negotiating with North Korea over its banned nuclear programme.

"Nothing has changed," Pompeo told a news conference after a meeting with Japan's foreign and defence ministers. "We continue to work."

"Still in charge of the team," he added.

North Korea on Thursday described <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-demands-pompeos-removal-from-us-nuclear-talks-211470">Pompeo as 'reckless' and immature</a> and demanded his removal from the talks.

"I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled," Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the ministry's Department of American Affairs said, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Pompeo has travelled to Pyongyang for four times in the last year.

US President Donald Trump has talked&nbsp;fondly about his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Since the beginning of the thaw in relations between the US and North Korea, Pyongyang has been far happier to deal directly with Trump, who critics fear is too soft on the regime and is not sufficiently versed in diplomacy.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that he is still in charge of the team negotiating with North Korea over its banned nuclear programme. "Nothing has changed," Pompeo told a news conference after a meeting with Japan's foreign and defence ministers.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that he is still in charge of the team negotiating with North Korea over its banned nuclear programme. "Nothing has changed," Pompeo told a news conference after a meeting with Japan's foreign and defence ministers. "We continue to work." "Still in charge of the team," he added. North Korea on Thursday described Pompeo as 'reckless' and immature and demanded his removal from the talks. "I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled," Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the ministry's Department of American Affairs said, according to the official KCNA news agency. Pompeo has travelled to Pyongyang for four times in the last year. US President Donald Trump has talked fondly about his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Since the beginning of the thaw in relations between the US and North Korea, Pyongyang has been far happier to deal directly with Trump, who critics fear is too soft on the regime and is not sufficiently versed in diplomacy.

Still in charge of North Korea negotiations: Pompeo

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-2019-phase-2-voting-on-april-18-211287">Lok Sabha polls 2019 live: EVM glitches delay voting in Tamil Nadu, 61% turnout recorded till 6 pm</a>

West Bengal went to polls braving violence.

Isolated incidents of violence, road blockades, bombings and police firing marred the second phase of polling at a few place in the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal with 76 per cent of voter turnout till 6pm on Thursday, officials said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-of-india-suspends-loc-trade-with-pakistan-says-route-being-misused-211563">Government of India suspends LoC trade with Pakistan, says route being misused</a>

In a blow to Pakistan, India on Thursday called off trade between J&amp;K and POK(Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) along the line of control(LoC).

The ministry of home affairs letter, procured by WION and dated April 18, 2019, said the trade is being misused by the Pakistan-based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency and called for a "stricter regulatory regime".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/another-bangladeshi-actor-asked-to-leave-india-for-participating-in-political-rally-in-west-bengal-mha-211516">Another Bangladeshi actor asked to leave India for participating in political rally in West Bengal: MHA</a>

The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked another Bangladeshi actor Ghazi Abdul Noor to leave India immediately for taking part in a political rally in West Bengal, news agencies reported on Thursday.&nbsp;

As per reports, Noor attended a political rally in Dumdum, West Bengal. His visa had also expired.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/local-insurgent-group-claims-responsibility-for-balochistan-bus-attack-211475">Local insurgent group claims responsibility for Balochistan bus attack</a>

A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-to-meet-putin-in-russia-in-late-april-211539">North Korea's Kim to meet Putin in Russia in late April</a>

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia in late April for his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Moscow said Thursday.

"Following an invitation from Vladimir Putin... Kim Jong Un will visit Russia in the second half of April," the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

Lok Sabha polls 2019 live: EVM glitches delay voting in Tamil Nadu, 61% turnout recorded till 6 pm West Bengal went to polls braving violence. Isolated incidents of violence, road blockades, bombings and police firing marred the second phase of polling at a few place in the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal with 76 per cent of voter turnout till 6pm on Thursday, officials said.

Lok Sabha polls 2019 live: EVM glitches delay voting in Tamil Nadu, 61% turnout recorded till 6 pm West Bengal went to polls braving violence. Isolated incidents of violence, road blockades, bombings and police firing marred the second phase of polling at a few place in the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal with 76 per cent of voter turnout till 6pm on Thursday, officials said. Government of India suspends LoC trade with Pakistan, says route being misused In a blow to Pakistan, India on Thursday called off trade between J&K and POK(Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) along the line of control(LoC). The ministry of home affairs letter, procured by WION and dated April 18, 2019, said the trade is being misused by the Pakistan-based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency and called for a "stricter regulatory regime". Another Bangladeshi actor asked to leave India for participating in political rally in West Bengal: MHA The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked another Bangladeshi actor Ghazi Abdul Noor to leave India immediately for taking part in a political rally in West Bengal, news agencies reported on Thursday. As per reports, Noor attended a political rally in Dumdum, West Bengal. His visa had also expired. Local insurgent group claims responsibility for Balochistan bus attack A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices. North Korea's Kim to meet Putin in Russia in late April North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia in late April for his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Moscow said Thursday. "Following an invitation from Vladimir Putin... Kim Jong Un will visit Russia in the second half of April," the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

News brief: Big stories of the day

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will visit Moscow this week to discuss Pyongyang's denuclearisation, the US&nbsp;State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Biegun will meet with Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday "to discuss efforts to advance the final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea," the department said, but gave no further details.

The Trump administration is still seeking to reach a denuclearisation deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un following two summits between Kim and US President Donald Trump that have so far failed to solidify an agreement. Trump administration officials have floated the possibility of a third summit.

Meanwhile, RIA news agency last month reported that Kim planned to visit Russia for talks this spring or summer. Earlier on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported that plans were underway for a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The United States in March also imposed a new round of sanctions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, following the collapse of talks between Trump and Kim in February.

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will visit Moscow this week to discuss Pyongyang's denuclearisation, the US State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will visit Moscow this week to discuss Pyongyang's denuclearisation, the US State Department said in a statement on Tuesday. Biegun will meet with Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday "to discuss efforts to advance the final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea," the department said, but gave no further details. The Trump administration is still seeking to reach a denuclearisation deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un following two summits between Kim and US President Donald Trump that have so far failed to solidify an agreement. Trump administration officials have floated the possibility of a third summit. Meanwhile, RIA news agency last month reported that Kim planned to visit Russia for talks this spring or summer. Earlier on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported that plans were underway for a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The United States in March also imposed a new round of sanctions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, following the collapse of talks between Trump and Kim in February.

US envoy to North Korea to visit Moscow, discuss denuclearisation

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