North&nbsp;Korean leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-and-trump-have-special-relationship-state-media-257802">Kim Jong Un</a> has opened a flagship construction project close to Mount Paektu, a symbol of the Korean nation and the supposed birthplace of his father and predecessor, state media reported Tuesday.

The North has poured huge resources into the rebuilding of Samjiyon, the closest town to the dormant volcano that straddles the border with China.

The project is on a vast scale and includes a museum of revolutionary activities, a winter sports training complex, processing plants for blueberries and potatoes, and 10,000 apartments.

Kim is closely associated with the scheme and has visited the area several times, reportedly riding a white horse to the mountain's summit in October.

Kim had "worked heart and soul to turn Samjiyon County, the sacred place of the revolution, into the utopia town under socialism", the North's official KCNA news agency said.

The North is subject to multiple sets of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and KCNA portrayed Samjiyon as a demonstration of resilience.

The Korean people were, it said, "advancing along the straight road chosen by themselves without any vacillation despite the worst trials".

The opening comes with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-and-kim-jong-un-hail-immortal-china-north-korea-relationship-254034">nuclear negotiations with the US deadlocked</a> since the Hanoi summit broke up in February.

Pyongyang has set Washington an end-of-year deadline to offer it new concessions and has&nbsp;issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as time runs out.

KCNA released a picture of Kim,&nbsp;in a black leather trenchcoat and surrounded by fur-hatted officials,&nbsp;cutting a red ribbon at an inaugural ceremony,&nbsp;with a statue of his father Kim Jong Il in the background.

According to North Korean propaganda the elder Kim was born at the nearby Mount Paektu Secret Camp where his own father Kim Il Sung was fighting the Japanese,&nbsp;although independent historians and Soviet records say he was actually born in Russia, where the North's founder was in exile.

The official story plays a central role in Pyongyang's teachings about the Kim family, who have led the country for three generations, and every year 100,000&nbsp;students and workers or more are taken on study trips to the area.

The scale of the Samjiyon project is immense: thousands of workers swarmed over the site during construction, AFP saw, many of them soldiers. Much of the North's army is devoted to construction.

Students have been sent to work on the scheme during university holidays, KCNA reported previously, while diplomats say children have also been deployed.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has opened a flagship construction project close to Mount Paektu, a symbol of the Korean nation and the supposed birthplace of his father and predecessor, state media reported Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has opened a flagship construction project close to Mount Paektu, a symbol of the Korean nation and the supposed birthplace of his father and predecessor, state media reported Tuesday. The North has poured huge resources into the rebuilding of Samjiyon, the closest town to the dormant volcano that straddles the border with China. The project is on a vast scale and includes a museum of revolutionary activities, a winter sports training complex, processing plants for blueberries and potatoes, and 10,000 apartments. Kim is closely associated with the scheme and has visited the area several times, reportedly riding a white horse to the mountain's summit in October. Kim had "worked heart and soul to turn Samjiyon County, the sacred place of the revolution, into the utopia town under socialism", the North's official KCNA news agency said. The North is subject to multiple sets of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and KCNA portrayed Samjiyon as a demonstration of resilience. The Korean people were, it said, "advancing along the straight road chosen by themselves without any vacillation despite the worst trials". The opening comes with nuclear negotiations with the US deadlocked since the Hanoi summit broke up in February. Pyongyang has set Washington an end-of-year deadline to offer it new concessions and has issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as time runs out. KCNA released a picture of Kim, in a black leather trenchcoat and surrounded by fur-hatted officials, cutting a red ribbon at an inaugural ceremony, with a statue of his father Kim Jong Il in the background. According to North Korean propaganda the elder Kim was born at the nearby Mount Paektu Secret Camp where his own father Kim Il Sung was fighting the Japanese, although independent historians and Soviet records say he was actually born in Russia, where the North's founder was in exile. The official story plays a central role in Pyongyang's teachings about the Kim family, who have led the country for three generations, and every year 100,000 students and workers or more are taken on study trips to the area. The scale of the Samjiyon project is immense: thousands of workers swarmed over the site during construction, AFP saw, many of them soldiers. Much of the North's army is devoted to construction. Students have been sent to work on the scheme during university holidays, KCNA reported previously, while diplomats say children have also been deployed.

Kim Jong Un opens a flagship construction project close to Mount Paektu

A year after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trump-kim-jong-un-summits-other-aim-was-to-sell-vietnam-model-to-north-korea-208086">President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un</a> met for the first time, they appear committed to a personal bond upon which hopes for peace appear to rest, despite a stalemate in efforts to get Kim to abandon nuclear weapons.

Trump and Kim agreed at the first US-North Korea summit in Singapore to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, easing fears of war between their countries.

But there has been little progress since then and tension has again been rising recently with North Korea resuming some limited testing of weapons and warning of "truly undesired consequences" if the United States was not more flexible.

But Trump said on Tuesday he had received a "beautiful letter" from Kim.

"I can’t show you the letter obviously, but it was a very personal, very warm, very nice letter," Trump told reporters outside the White House.

Trump, who has tried to convert what he feels is a warm personal relationship with Kim into a diplomatic breakthrough, gave no details, but repeated that he believed North Korea had "tremendous potential".

"I think that something will happen that’s going to be very positive," he said.

North Korea's state media has not mentioned any letter.

The optimism that the two leaders generated in Singapore all but evaporated in February when a second summit, in Vietnam, dramatically fell apart without even a recommitment to the general goals outlined in a statement signed in Singapore.

Since then, North Korea has complained of US sanctions and Kim said he would wait until the end of the year before deciding on whether to take a "new path".

Both sides have said they are open to talks but that the other side needs to change their policy.

The United States says North Korea needs to make verifiable progress toward giving up its nuclear weapons before any sanctions are eased, while North Korea says the United States has done nothing to reward steps already taken.

In the weeks ahead of Wednesday's anniversary of the Singapore summit, North Korean state media has repeatedly warned that the statement signed there was in danger of being rendered meaningless if the United States did not drop demands for North Korea to unilaterally dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

Ups and Downs

According to the Singapore foreign ministry, North Korea's embassy there had been planning an event to commemorate the summit anniversary and invited Singapore officials. But it later cancelled the event.

Still, North Korea has said it "remains unchanged in its stand and will to cherish and implement in good faith" the Singapore statement, which included vague promises to improve relations and eventually pursue the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

The third summit between Trump and Kim was possible but the ball was in Pyongyang's court, White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday.

Bolton said the United States was continuing its "maximum pressure campaign" because Kim still appeared not to have made "a strategic decision to give up the pursuit of deliverable nuclear weapons."

In a briefing on Monday, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said North Korea is "one of the toughest national security challenges" but that US officials are working "diligently" to follow up on North Korea's promise to denuclearise.

"There’s always ups and downs, and we remain confident that Kim Jong Un and his government will see a path for a brighter future for the North Korean people," she told reporters.

"And one year later, that’s what we are still aspiring to and still hoping for while noting, of course, that economic sanctions do remain."

Those sanctions remain a key sticking point, with North Korea calling them illegal after the United States announced it had seized a North Korean cargo ship accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of sanctions.

This month, acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan gave Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe a 32-page book of photographs and satellite images showing North Korean ships evading sanctions of China's coasts, in a bid to secure more sanctions enforcement by Beijing.

In May, Kim oversaw the test launch of new, short-range missiles while giving a cold shoulder to projects planned with South Korea.

The North's leader has maintained his efforts to build diplomatic ties with other countries, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in April.

Kim sent Putin a congratulatory message on Wednesday saying he believed that "the common understanding and agreements made at our first significant meeting will bear rich fruits".

A year after President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un met for the first time, they appear committed to a personal bond upon which hopes for peace appear to rest, despite a stalemate in efforts to get Kim to abandon nuclear weapons.

A year after President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un met for the first time, they appear committed to a personal bond upon which hopes for peace appear to rest, despite a stalemate in efforts to get Kim to abandon nuclear weapons. Trump and Kim agreed at the first US-North Korea summit in Singapore to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, easing fears of war between their countries. But there has been little progress since then and tension has again been rising recently with North Korea resuming some limited testing of weapons and warning of "truly undesired consequences" if the United States was not more flexible. But Trump said on Tuesday he had received a "beautiful letter" from Kim. "I can’t show you the letter obviously, but it was a very personal, very warm, very nice letter," Trump told reporters outside the White House. Trump, who has tried to convert what he feels is a warm personal relationship with Kim into a diplomatic breakthrough, gave no details, but repeated that he believed North Korea had "tremendous potential". "I think that something will happen that’s going to be very positive," he said. North Korea's state media has not mentioned any letter. The optimism that the two leaders generated in Singapore all but evaporated in February when a second summit, in Vietnam, dramatically fell apart without even a recommitment to the general goals outlined in a statement signed in Singapore. Since then, North Korea has complained of US sanctions and Kim said he would wait until the end of the year before deciding on whether to take a "new path". Both sides have said they are open to talks but that the other side needs to change their policy. The United States says North Korea needs to make verifiable progress toward giving up its nuclear weapons before any sanctions are eased, while North Korea says the United States has done nothing to reward steps already taken. In the weeks ahead of Wednesday's anniversary of the Singapore summit, North Korean state media has repeatedly warned that the statement signed there was in danger of being rendered meaningless if the United States did not drop demands for North Korea to unilaterally dismantle its nuclear arsenal. Ups and Downs According to the Singapore foreign ministry, North Korea's embassy there had been planning an event to commemorate the summit anniversary and invited Singapore officials. But it later cancelled the event. Still, North Korea has said it "remains unchanged in its stand and will to cherish and implement in good faith" the Singapore statement, which included vague promises to improve relations and eventually pursue the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The third summit between Trump and Kim was possible but the ball was in Pyongyang's court, White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday. Bolton said the United States was continuing its "maximum pressure campaign" because Kim still appeared not to have made "a strategic decision to give up the pursuit of deliverable nuclear weapons." In a briefing on Monday, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said North Korea is "one of the toughest national security challenges" but that US officials are working "diligently" to follow up on North Korea's promise to denuclearise. "There’s always ups and downs, and we remain confident that Kim Jong Un and his government will see a path for a brighter future for the North Korean people," she told reporters. "And one year later, that’s what we are still aspiring to and still hoping for while noting, of course, that economic sanctions do remain." Those sanctions remain a key sticking point, with North Korea calling them illegal after the United States announced it had seized a North Korean cargo ship accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of sanctions. This month, acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan gave Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe a 32-page book of photographs and satellite images showing North Korean ships evading sanctions of China's coasts, in a bid to secure more sanctions enforcement by Beijing. In May, Kim oversaw the test launch of new, short-range missiles while giving a cold shoulder to projects planned with South Korea. The North's leader has maintained his efforts to build diplomatic ties with other countries, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in April. Kim sent Putin a congratulatory message on Wednesday saying he believed that "the common understanding and agreements made at our first significant meeting will bear rich fruits".

Trump and Kim one year on: A 'beautiful letter', stalled diplomacy

Malaysia's attorney-general on Thursday rejected Vietnam's request to free a woman accused of the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, and a court set April 1 for her trial to resume. 
 
Vietnam's call had followed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-court-frees-indonesian-in-kim-jong-nam-murder-case-202483">Monday's release, at Indonesia's request</a>, of an Indonesian woman, who had been accused along with the Vietnamese, Doan Thi Huong. 
 
Huong and Siti Aisyah were charged with killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with VX poison, a banned chemical weapon, at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017. 
 
"It's our complaint that the public prosecution has not acted fairly and justly to Doan Thi Huong," her lawyer Hisyam Teh, who asked for an adjournment on the grounds that his client was unwell. 
 
The told the court the rejection of Vietnam's request was "perverse", and a case of discrimination, as the attorney-general had favoured one party over another since the court had ordered both to enter their defence. 
 
Vietnam's ministers of justice and foreign affairs are communicating with their Malaysian counterparts to secure his client's release, The added. 
 
Vietnam's foreign ministry said it regretted the Malaysian court's decision not to immediately free Huong. 
 
"Vietnam has mentioned this case in all its exchanges with Malaysia and we have also requested that Malaysia conduct a fair trial," foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told a news conference in Hanoi, the capital. 
 
Prosecutors had sprung a surprise on Monday by asking the court to drop the charge against Siti Aisyah and free her. The Indonesian embassy flew her to Jakarta the same day. 
 
The trial featured airport video recordings of two women allegedly assaulting Kim Jong Nam while he prepared to check in for a flight. 
 
In one, a woman identified as Huong puts her hands on Kim's face, while a blurry image shows someone the prosecution identified as Siti Aisyah hurrying away. 
 
The rejected speculation that Siti Aisyah's release was due to a lack of video evidence against her, saying the court had already established a case against both. 
'So it makes no difference whatsoever if Doan's image was caught on the CCTV camera, none at all,'&nbsp;he said after the hearing 
. 
Defence lawyers have maintained the women were pawns in an assassination orchestrated by North Korean agents. The North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur was defaced with graffiti just hours before the trial was to resume. 
 
Interpol had issued a red notice for four North Koreans identified as suspects by Malaysian police who had left the country hours after the murder. 
 
After the ruling, Huong was seen sobbing as she spoke with Vietnamese embassy officials, before being whisked away by police. 
 
In Vietnam, Huong’s stepmother, Nguyen Thi Vy, said the decision saddened her. 
 
"I don’t understand why the other girl was released, but not my daughter," Vy told Reuters after the decision. "They were charged with the same thing, it’s such an injustice." 
 
Kim Jong Nam was living in exile in Macau before the killing, having fled his homeland after his half-brother Kim Jong Un became North Korea's leader in 2011 following their father's death. 
 
Some South Korean lawmakers said the North Korean regime had ordered the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, who had been critical of his family's dynastic rule. Pyongyang has denied this.

Malaysia's attorney-general on Thursday rejected Vietnam's request to free a woman accused of the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, and a court set April 1 for her trial to resume.

Malaysia's attorney-general on Thursday rejected Vietnam's request to free a woman accused of the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, and a court set April 1 for her trial to resume. Vietnam's call had followed Monday's release, at Indonesia's request, of an Indonesian woman, who had been accused along with the Vietnamese, Doan Thi Huong. Huong and Siti Aisyah were charged with killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with VX poison, a banned chemical weapon, at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017. "It's our complaint that the public prosecution has not acted fairly and justly to Doan Thi Huong," her lawyer Hisyam Teh, who asked for an adjournment on the grounds that his client was unwell. The told the court the rejection of Vietnam's request was "perverse", and a case of discrimination, as the attorney-general had favoured one party over another since the court had ordered both to enter their defence. Vietnam's ministers of justice and foreign affairs are communicating with their Malaysian counterparts to secure his client's release, The added. Vietnam's foreign ministry said it regretted the Malaysian court's decision not to immediately free Huong. "Vietnam has mentioned this case in all its exchanges with Malaysia and we have also requested that Malaysia conduct a fair trial," foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told a news conference in Hanoi, the capital. Prosecutors had sprung a surprise on Monday by asking the court to drop the charge against Siti Aisyah and free her. The Indonesian embassy flew her to Jakarta the same day. The trial featured airport video recordings of two women allegedly assaulting Kim Jong Nam while he prepared to check in for a flight. In one, a woman identified as Huong puts her hands on Kim's face, while a blurry image shows someone the prosecution identified as Siti Aisyah hurrying away. The rejected speculation that Siti Aisyah's release was due to a lack of video evidence against her, saying the court had already established a case against both. 'So it makes no difference whatsoever if Doan's image was caught on the CCTV camera, none at all,' he said after the hearing . Defence lawyers have maintained the women were pawns in an assassination orchestrated by North Korean agents. The North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur was defaced with graffiti just hours before the trial was to resume. Interpol had issued a red notice for four North Koreans identified as suspects by Malaysian police who had left the country hours after the murder. After the ruling, Huong was seen sobbing as she spoke with Vietnamese embassy officials, before being whisked away by police. In Vietnam, Huong’s stepmother, Nguyen Thi Vy, said the decision saddened her. "I don’t understand why the other girl was released, but not my daughter," Vy told Reuters after the decision. "They were charged with the same thing, it’s such an injustice." Kim Jong Nam was living in exile in Macau before the killing, having fled his homeland after his half-brother Kim Jong Un became North Korea's leader in 2011 following their father's death. Some South Korean lawmakers said the North Korean regime had ordered the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, who had been critical of his family's dynastic rule. Pyongyang has denied this.

Malaysia rejects call to free Vietnamese accused in Kim Jong Nam killing

Kim Jong-un and Roderigo Duterte look-alikes take Hong Kong by storm

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un plans to invite experts and journalists from the United States and South Korea when the country closes its nuclear test site in May, Seoul officials said on Sunday, as US&nbsp;President Trump pressed for total denuclearisation ahead of his own unprecedented meeting with Kim.

On Friday, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula in the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade, but the declaration did not include concrete steps to reach that goal.

North Korea's state media had said before the summit that Pyongyang would immediately suspend nuclear and missile tests, scrap its nuclear test site and instead pursue economic growth and peace.

Kim told Moon that he would soon invite the experts and journalists to "open to the international community" the dismantling of the facilities, the Blue House said.

"The United States, though inherently hostile to North Korea, will get to know once our talk begins that I am not the kind of person who will use nuclear weapons against the South or the United States across the Pacific," Moon's press secretary Yoon Young-chan quoted Kim as saying.

"There is no reason for us to possess nuclear weapons while suffering difficulties if mutual trust with the United States is built through frequent meetings from now on, and an end to the war and non-aggression are promised."

Kim said there were two additional, larger tunnels that remain "in a very good condition" at the Punggye-ri test site beyond the existing one, which experts have said had collapsed after repeated explosions, rendering much of the site useless.

Kim's promise shows his willingness to "preemptively and actively" respond to inspection efforts to be made as part of the denuclearisation process, Yoon said.

To facilitate future cross-border cooperation, Kim pledged to scrap the unique time zone Pyongyang created in 2015. He said the North would move its clocks forward 30 minutes to be in sync with the South, nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Kim also reaffirmed that he would not use military force against the South and raised the need for an institutional mechanism to prevent unintended escalations, Yoon said.

NEXT STEPS

Late Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump told Moon in a phone call that he was pleased the leaders of the two Koreas reaffirmed the goal of complete denuclearisation during their summit, Seoul officials said on Sunday.

Moon and Trump agreed on the need for an early summit between Trump and Kim, and explored two to three potential locations, one of which Moon suggested, the Blue House said.

The candidates for the venue did not include North Korea, the United States or the demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreas, a Blue House official told reporters, declining to elaborate.

A senior U.S. official has said Singapore is being considered as a possible venue for the Trump-Kim summit.

"Trump said it was good news for not only the two Koreas but the whole world that they affirmed the goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula through a complete denuclearisation," Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told a separate briefing.

"Moon told Trump that Kim said he and Trump would get along with each other, ... and Trump was looking forward to talks with Kim and there would be a very good result."

Trump, who called the 75-minute chat "a long and very good talk" on Twitter, said his summit with Kim would take place sometime in the next three to four weeks.

"It's going be a very important meeting, the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," he said at a campaign rally in Washington, Michigan, on Saturday.

The White House said Trump and Moon during the call "emphasized that a peaceful and prosperous future for North Korea is contingent upon its complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation."

Trump had informed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he would urge North Korea to promptly resolve its abductions of Japanese citizens, the White House said.

Abe's office said on Sunday that Trump and Abe highlighted the significance of Pyongyang's taking concrete steps towards denuclearisation.

Moon also had a phone call with Abe on Sunday and said he had discussed the abduction issue with Kim during the summit "in substantial detail," the Blue House spokesman said.

Pyongyang admitted in 2002 to kidnapping 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies. Five of them returned to Japan, but Tokyo suspects that hundreds more may have been taken.

"Moon relayed Abe's wish for a normalisation of bilateral ties to Kim based on the clearing of historical legacy issues, and that Kim expressed his willingness to talk to Japan at any time," the official said.

Most of the specific commitments outlined in the official declaration signed by Kim and Moon focused on inter-Korean relations and did not clear up the question of whether Pyongyang is willing to give up its arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

North Korea's state media on Saturday released the joint statement as part of a multi-page spread with more than 60 photos from the visit, lauding Friday's summit as a turning point for the peninsula.

It made rare mentions of the denuclearisation discussion but did not go into detail, instead highlighting the broad themes of peace, prosperity, and Korean unity.

'AMICABLE ATMOSPHERE'

"At the talks both sides had a candid and open-hearted exchange of views on the matters of mutual concern including the issues of improving the North-South relations, ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearisation of the peninsula," KCNA said.

It added that the night wrapped up with a dinner that had an "amicable atmosphere overflowing with feelings of blood relatives."

The declaration earned guarded but optimistic praise from world leaders, including Trump, who said on Friday that only time would tell, but that he did not think Kim was "playing."

"It's never gone this far. This enthusiasm for them wanting to make a deal ... We are going to hopefully make a deal."

Still, Trump said he would maintain pressure on North Korea and "not repeat the mistakes of past administrations."

In Sydney on Saturday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull praised Trump's negotiations on North Korea and said he helped bring the two Korean leaders together.

"I have given him that credit because Donald Trump has taken a very, very strong, hard line on the denuclearisation issue and he has been able to bring in the support of the global community and, in particular, China," Turnbull told a televised news conference, referring to "overwhelming" economic ties between China and North Korea.

"What we've now got to do is not relent on the economic pressure until that goal is achieved," he said.

Australia will send a military aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring illicit goods in defiance of U.N. sanctions, he said.

Iran, facing a possible U.S. exit from its nuclear deal with world powers, welcomed the inter-Korean summit, but said Washington was not a "qualified" partner in the negotiations.

"Iran sees (the summit) as an important step in the right direction that can contribute to lasting regional and global peace and security," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media.

"The U.S. government is not a credible actor, doesn't comply with its international obligations and doesn't qualify to take part in arrangements between countries," Qasemi added.

An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday said denuclearisation could end hostilities between the two sides and "usher in a new era of development" on the peninsula, but noted Friday's declaration lacked a plan for achieving the goal.

"The denuclearisation of the peninsula, written into the Panmunjom Declaration, is only a prospect with no specific plan. That is because such specifics can be reached only between the US and North Korea, and South Korea has only limited authority to bargain," it said.

On Friday, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula in the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade, but the declaration did not include concrete steps to reach that goal

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un plans to invite experts and journalists from the United States and South Korea when the country closes its nuclear test site in May, Seoul officials said on Sunday, as US President Trump pressed for total denuclearisation ahead of his own unprecedented meeting with Kim. On Friday, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula in the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade, but the declaration did not include concrete steps to reach that goal. North Korea's state media had said before the summit that Pyongyang would immediately suspend nuclear and missile tests, scrap its nuclear test site and instead pursue economic growth and peace. Kim told Moon that he would soon invite the experts and journalists to "open to the international community" the dismantling of the facilities, the Blue House said. "The United States, though inherently hostile to North Korea, will get to know once our talk begins that I am not the kind of person who will use nuclear weapons against the South or the United States across the Pacific," Moon's press secretary Yoon Young-chan quoted Kim as saying. "There is no reason for us to possess nuclear weapons while suffering difficulties if mutual trust with the United States is built through frequent meetings from now on, and an end to the war and non-aggression are promised." Kim said there were two additional, larger tunnels that remain "in a very good condition" at the Punggye-ri test site beyond the existing one, which experts have said had collapsed after repeated explosions, rendering much of the site useless. Kim's promise shows his willingness to "preemptively and actively" respond to inspection efforts to be made as part of the denuclearisation process, Yoon said. To facilitate future cross-border cooperation, Kim pledged to scrap the unique time zone Pyongyang created in 2015. He said the North would move its clocks forward 30 minutes to be in sync with the South, nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Kim also reaffirmed that he would not use military force against the South and raised the need for an institutional mechanism to prevent unintended escalations, Yoon said. NEXT STEPS Late Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump told Moon in a phone call that he was pleased the leaders of the two Koreas reaffirmed the goal of complete denuclearisation during their summit, Seoul officials said on Sunday. Moon and Trump agreed on the need for an early summit between Trump and Kim, and explored two to three potential locations, one of which Moon suggested, the Blue House said. The candidates for the venue did not include North Korea, the United States or the demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreas, a Blue House official told reporters, declining to elaborate. A senior U.S. official has said Singapore is being considered as a possible venue for the Trump-Kim summit. "Trump said it was good news for not only the two Koreas but the whole world that they affirmed the goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula through a complete denuclearisation," Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told a separate briefing. "Moon told Trump that Kim said he and Trump would get along with each other, ... and Trump was looking forward to talks with Kim and there would be a very good result." Trump, who called the 75-minute chat "a long and very good talk" on Twitter, said his summit with Kim would take place sometime in the next three to four weeks. "It's going be a very important meeting, the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," he said at a campaign rally in Washington, Michigan, on Saturday. The White House said Trump and Moon during the call "emphasized that a peaceful and prosperous future for North Korea is contingent upon its complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation." Trump had informed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he would urge North Korea to promptly resolve its abductions of Japanese citizens, the White House said. Abe's office said on Sunday that Trump and Abe highlighted the significance of Pyongyang's taking concrete steps towards denuclearisation. Moon also had a phone call with Abe on Sunday and said he had discussed the abduction issue with Kim during the summit "in substantial detail," the Blue House spokesman said. Pyongyang admitted in 2002 to kidnapping 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies. Five of them returned to Japan, but Tokyo suspects that hundreds more may have been taken. "Moon relayed Abe's wish for a normalisation of bilateral ties to Kim based on the clearing of historical legacy issues, and that Kim expressed his willingness to talk to Japan at any time," the official said. Most of the specific commitments outlined in the official declaration signed by Kim and Moon focused on inter-Korean relations and did not clear up the question of whether Pyongyang is willing to give up its arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. North Korea's state media on Saturday released the joint statement as part of a multi-page spread with more than 60 photos from the visit, lauding Friday's summit as a turning point for the peninsula. It made rare mentions of the denuclearisation discussion but did not go into detail, instead highlighting the broad themes of peace, prosperity, and Korean unity. 'AMICABLE ATMOSPHERE' "At the talks both sides had a candid and open-hearted exchange of views on the matters of mutual concern including the issues of improving the North-South relations, ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearisation of the peninsula," KCNA said. It added that the night wrapped up with a dinner that had an "amicable atmosphere overflowing with feelings of blood relatives." The declaration earned guarded but optimistic praise from world leaders, including Trump, who said on Friday that only time would tell, but that he did not think Kim was "playing." "It's never gone this far. This enthusiasm for them wanting to make a deal ... We are going to hopefully make a deal." Still, Trump said he would maintain pressure on North Korea and "not repeat the mistakes of past administrations." In Sydney on Saturday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull praised Trump's negotiations on North Korea and said he helped bring the two Korean leaders together. "I have given him that credit because Donald Trump has taken a very, very strong, hard line on the denuclearisation issue and he has been able to bring in the support of the global community and, in particular, China," Turnbull told a televised news conference, referring to "overwhelming" economic ties between China and North Korea. "What we've now got to do is not relent on the economic pressure until that goal is achieved," he said. Australia will send a military aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring illicit goods in defiance of U.N. sanctions, he said. Iran, facing a possible U.S. exit from its nuclear deal with world powers, welcomed the inter-Korean summit, but said Washington was not a "qualified" partner in the negotiations. "Iran sees (the summit) as an important step in the right direction that can contribute to lasting regional and global peace and security," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media. "The U.S. government is not a credible actor, doesn't comply with its international obligations and doesn't qualify to take part in arrangements between countries," Qasemi added. An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday said denuclearisation could end hostilities between the two sides and "usher in a new era of development" on the peninsula, but noted Friday's declaration lacked a plan for achieving the goal. "The denuclearisation of the peninsula, written into the Panmunjom Declaration, is only a prospect with no specific plan. That is because such specifics can be reached only between the US and North Korea, and South Korea has only limited authority to bargain," it said.

Kim to invite US experts for nuclear site shutdown as Trump presses for full denuclearisation

By&nbsp;Nicholas John Wheeler*,&nbsp;Marcus Holmes**

President Donald Trump&rsquo;s recent announcement that he would meet with Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People&rsquo;s Republic of Korea (DPRK), took the world by surprise. Never before has a sitting US president met with his North Korean counterpart.

The potential consequences of a meeting depend upon your point of view.

Either Trump has walked into a carefully laid trap laid by Kim, in which the North Korean leader will pocket this great concession on the part of his US counterpart and Trump will leave the summit with nothing to show for his bold and impulsive gamble. Or, the US leader has made a bold and daring move that opens the door to the possibility of transforming the conflict on the Korean peninsula &ndash; a conflict frozen in stone since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

The reality will depend on the expectations heaped upon the summit &ndash; and a recognition that the personal chemistry of leaders can sometimes lead to the most surprising of diplomatic breakthroughs. A promise of full denuclearisation is unlikely, but a first step towards reassurance and a meeting that signals both Kim and Trump&rsquo;s peaceful intentions is possible.&nbsp;

Prize of recognition

In agreeing to hold a summit with the North Korean leader, Trump has given Kim the great prize of diplomatic normalisation and legitimacy, sought by his predecessors. This was denied them by presidents George W. Bush and Obama, who saw a summit as a reward that had to be earned by the North Koreans after they had taken concrete and verifiable steps towards nuclear disarmament.

Some have suggested that Kim has already &ldquo;won&rdquo;: even if nothing comes out of the summit, the DPRK will be treated as an equal. The &ldquo;supreme leader&rdquo; of North Korea is dangling the juicy carrot of ultimate denuclearisation in the way his father and grandfather did, but like them, he has made any such disarmament conditional on security guarantees.

The question remains whether there is a non-nuclear path to North Korea&rsquo;s security that is acceptable to its leader. This was an issue that bedevilled, and ultimately derailed, the &ldquo;six party talks&rdquo; of the 2000s. If the North Korean leadership believes all that stands between it and US-led regime change is the DPRK&rsquo;s possession of nuclear weapons, then it would be unwise to stake the success of the summit on how far it achieves the goal of denuclearisation. The fates of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya are clear reminders of what happens to leaders who decide to give up nuclear weapons.

But the litmus test of success for the summit should not be judged in terms of whether it achieves an agreement on the DPRK&rsquo;s denuclearisation. Instead, its success should be judged in terms of how far it promotes reassurance between the two leaders that each is committed to achieving a de-escalation of the conflict that recognises the other has legitimate security concerns.&nbsp;

Reagan and Gorbachev: building trust

As we argue in our recent research, face-to-face interaction at the highest levels of diplomacy opens up new possibilities for two leaders to gain a better understanding of each other&rsquo;s intentions, and even to develop a personal relationship of trust. The most successful case of this kind of interpersonal trust-building and reassurance was the diplomatic summitry between US and Soviet leaders Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.&nbsp;

To be sure, Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev. As critics have pointed out, the level of diplomatic preparation at lower levels, as well as the absence of a history of summits between the two parties makes for an imperfect analogy. However, the basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful.

Its aims were relatively modest: both sides sought and reached agreement that a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. But what was equally important and ultimately transformational to ending US-Soviet enmity was the personal bond that developed between Reagan and Gorbachev, and the trust that this made possible between these two leaders of formerly enemy states.

If a summit between Trump and Kim could begin a similar process of bonding and trust formation, where each leader recognised that the only security between their two countries was mutual security, then it really could be a game-changer in de-escalating tension on the Korean peninsula. In the end, the lesson of the Reagan-Gorbachev encounters is that neither leader should go into a summit believing that they know what the other&rsquo;s bottom line is. The whole point of face-to-face diplomacy is to try and reshape each side&rsquo;s understanding of the other&rsquo;s intentions in ways that promote trust and mutual security.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

*Nicholas John Wheeler is a professor of International Relations Director of the The Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security.&nbsp; 
**Marcus Holmes is an assistant professor of Government, College of William &amp; Mary.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful. It needs to be assured that Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev.

By Nicholas John Wheeler*, Marcus Holmes** President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he would meet with Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), took the world by surprise. Never before has a sitting US president met with his North Korean counterpart. The potential consequences of a meeting depend upon your point of view. Either Trump has walked into a carefully laid trap laid by Kim, in which the North Korean leader will pocket this great concession on the part of his US counterpart and Trump will leave the summit with nothing to show for his bold and impulsive gamble. Or, the US leader has made a bold and daring move that opens the door to the possibility of transforming the conflict on the Korean peninsula – a conflict frozen in stone since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The reality will depend on the expectations heaped upon the summit – and a recognition that the personal chemistry of leaders can sometimes lead to the most surprising of diplomatic breakthroughs. A promise of full denuclearisation is unlikely, but a first step towards reassurance and a meeting that signals both Kim and Trump’s peaceful intentions is possible. Prize of recognition In agreeing to hold a summit with the North Korean leader, Trump has given Kim the great prize of diplomatic normalisation and legitimacy, sought by his predecessors. This was denied them by presidents George W. Bush and Obama, who saw a summit as a reward that had to be earned by the North Koreans after they had taken concrete and verifiable steps towards nuclear disarmament. Some have suggested that Kim has already “won”: even if nothing comes out of the summit, the DPRK will be treated as an equal. The “supreme leader” of North Korea is dangling the juicy carrot of ultimate denuclearisation in the way his father and grandfather did, but like them, he has made any such disarmament conditional on security guarantees. The question remains whether there is a non-nuclear path to North Korea’s security that is acceptable to its leader. This was an issue that bedevilled, and ultimately derailed, the “six party talks” of the 2000s. If the North Korean leadership believes all that stands between it and US-led regime change is the DPRK’s possession of nuclear weapons, then it would be unwise to stake the success of the summit on how far it achieves the goal of denuclearisation. The fates of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya are clear reminders of what happens to leaders who decide to give up nuclear weapons. But the litmus test of success for the summit should not be judged in terms of whether it achieves an agreement on the DPRK’s denuclearisation. Instead, its success should be judged in terms of how far it promotes reassurance between the two leaders that each is committed to achieving a de-escalation of the conflict that recognises the other has legitimate security concerns. Reagan and Gorbachev: building trust As we argue in our recent research, face-to-face interaction at the highest levels of diplomacy opens up new possibilities for two leaders to gain a better understanding of each other’s intentions, and even to develop a personal relationship of trust. The most successful case of this kind of interpersonal trust-building and reassurance was the diplomatic summitry between US and Soviet leaders Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. To be sure, Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev. As critics have pointed out, the level of diplomatic preparation at lower levels, as well as the absence of a history of summits between the two parties makes for an imperfect analogy. However, the basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful. Its aims were relatively modest: both sides sought and reached agreement that a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. But what was equally important and ultimately transformational to ending US-Soviet enmity was the personal bond that developed between Reagan and Gorbachev, and the trust that this made possible between these two leaders of formerly enemy states. If a summit between Trump and Kim could begin a similar process of bonding and trust formation, where each leader recognised that the only security between their two countries was mutual security, then it really could be a game-changer in de-escalating tension on the Korean peninsula. In the end, the lesson of the Reagan-Gorbachev encounters is that neither leader should go into a summit believing that they know what the other’s bottom line is. The whole point of face-to-face diplomacy is to try and reshape each side’s understanding of the other’s intentions in ways that promote trust and mutual security. *Nicholas John Wheeler is a professor of International Relations Director of the The Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security. **Marcus Holmes is an assistant professor of Government, College of William & Mary. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Lessons for Trump-Kim summit from Reagan, Gorbachev over denuclearisation

The dramatic developments in the Korean Peninsula, over the last few weeks, read like pages of a racy thriller. In a span of just two months, the breeze of d&eacute;tente instead bugle of conflict, has begun to blow. Gone are the threats of death and destruction, replaced by the soothing sound of dialogue, peace and reason. No wonder the Korean theatre has always had observers rivetted.

Consider the following. Out of the blue on January 1, Kim Jong-un (KJU) offered to South Korea (ROK) talks and participation in PyeongChang winter Olympics. The latter acted with equal alacrity and, within weeks, the North and South teams were seen marching together under a common unification flag.&nbsp;

Next, in a deft move, KJU despatched his younger sister Kim Yo-jong with a personal letter of invite to President Moon, for a summit meeting. In the process, she became the first member of the Kim clan to set foot on the South Korean soil. In no time, she had South Koreans swooning over her &lsquo;poise, smile, simplicity, dignity&rsquo; and numerous other accolades that the smitten media showered on her. She did not utter a word in public, shook hands with Vice President Pence and held a luncheon meeting with President Moon. It was a PR coup for Pyongyang.

No sooner had she gone back and the winter games ended that a return visit of ROK special envoys was announced. A five-member delegation led by NSA Chung Eui-yong and including the head of Korean CIA Suh Hoon, arrived in Pyongyang on 5th March.&nbsp;

They met the portly and reclusive North Korean leader over dinner. Hitherto, during his six-year rule, KJU had never emerged for a meeting with a visiting foreign leader or delegation. Setting aside protocol (as the guests were without their spouse) and contrary to Korean custom, KJU also had his wife participate in the dinner. He was clearly on a charm offensive towards his southern neighbour. An enigma herself, she has been a subject of unrelenting speculation in ROK. &nbsp;

The sides have since announced a summit at the end of April at the peace village in DMZ. North Korea (DPRK) now &lsquo;understands&rsquo; that the forthcoming US-ROK annual joint military exercise will take place. The visitors were assured that there would be no further provocations by DPRK, for the time being. And what&rsquo;s more, KJU agreed to unconditional talks with the US and even dangled the carrot of denuclearisation if his regime&rsquo;s security is guaranteed.&nbsp;

President Trump was prompt to tweet &ndash;&lsquo;Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! Maybe false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!&rsquo; USA and ROK have been trying to present a united facade, but they are far from being on the same page. Trump has little patience for diplomacy and Moon is wary of his temperamental American counterpart.&nbsp;

It may be recalled that quite recently North&rsquo;s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun had thundered &ndash; &lsquo;Hoping that the DPRK would abandon its nuclear programs is as foolish an act as trying to wish seas to get dried up&rsquo;. (Japan Times, March 5, 2018).&nbsp; KJU trusts no one and no nation, other than his WMD arsenal and own instincts, honed by three generations of Kims during their 65-year-long uninterrupted reign.&nbsp;

Pyongyang has also drawn the requisite lessons from the fate that had befallen Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi, one of which is that WMD is the insurance for survival. Thus, no security guarantee would be good enough for him.&nbsp;

Then why this huge climbdown? The noose of sanctions had begun to tighten. The squeeze had begun hurting DPRK&rsquo;s fragile economy. The nation&rsquo;s diplomatic isolation was growing. A number of countries had downgraded ties. The Chinese lifeline was becoming tenuous. Hence, there was an urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance. Somehow a wedge had to be driven between ROK and USA. And what better way than to offer a summit to President Moon, as no ROK leader can resist the temptation of making history.

All this sounds surreal? Yes, because it is indeed too good to be true. The only imponderable is whether the deceptive thaw will last weeks or months. Nevertheless, this round squarely goes to Kim Jong-un.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kim Jong came up with an effective response to North Korea's urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance.

The dramatic developments in the Korean Peninsula, over the last few weeks, read like pages of a racy thriller. In a span of just two months, the breeze of détente instead bugle of conflict, has begun to blow. Gone are the threats of death and destruction, replaced by the soothing sound of dialogue, peace and reason. No wonder the Korean theatre has always had observers rivetted. Consider the following. Out of the blue on January 1, Kim Jong-un (KJU) offered to South Korea (ROK) talks and participation in PyeongChang winter Olympics. The latter acted with equal alacrity and, within weeks, the North and South teams were seen marching together under a common unification flag. Next, in a deft move, KJU despatched his younger sister Kim Yo-jong with a personal letter of invite to President Moon, for a summit meeting. In the process, she became the first member of the Kim clan to set foot on the South Korean soil. In no time, she had South Koreans swooning over her ‘poise, smile, simplicity, dignity’ and numerous other accolades that the smitten media showered on her. She did not utter a word in public, shook hands with Vice President Pence and held a luncheon meeting with President Moon. It was a PR coup for Pyongyang. No sooner had she gone back and the winter games ended that a return visit of ROK special envoys was announced. A five-member delegation led by NSA Chung Eui-yong and including the head of Korean CIA Suh Hoon, arrived in Pyongyang on 5th March. They met the portly and reclusive North Korean leader over dinner. Hitherto, during his six-year rule, KJU had never emerged for a meeting with a visiting foreign leader or delegation. Setting aside protocol (as the guests were without their spouse) and contrary to Korean custom, KJU also had his wife participate in the dinner. He was clearly on a charm offensive towards his southern neighbour. An enigma herself, she has been a subject of unrelenting speculation in ROK. The sides have since announced a summit at the end of April at the peace village in DMZ. North Korea (DPRK) now ‘understands’ that the forthcoming US-ROK annual joint military exercise will take place. The visitors were assured that there would be no further provocations by DPRK, for the time being. And what’s more, KJU agreed to unconditional talks with the US and even dangled the carrot of denuclearisation if his regime’s security is guaranteed. President Trump was prompt to tweet –‘Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! Maybe false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!’ USA and ROK have been trying to present a united facade, but they are far from being on the same page. Trump has little patience for diplomacy and Moon is wary of his temperamental American counterpart. It may be recalled that quite recently North’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun had thundered – ‘Hoping that the DPRK would abandon its nuclear programs is as foolish an act as trying to wish seas to get dried up’. (Japan Times, March 5, 2018). KJU trusts no one and no nation, other than his WMD arsenal and own instincts, honed by three generations of Kims during their 65-year-long uninterrupted reign. Pyongyang has also drawn the requisite lessons from the fate that had befallen Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi, one of which is that WMD is the insurance for survival. Thus, no security guarantee would be good enough for him. Then why this huge climbdown? The noose of sanctions had begun to tighten. The squeeze had begun hurting DPRK’s fragile economy. The nation’s diplomatic isolation was growing. A number of countries had downgraded ties. The Chinese lifeline was becoming tenuous. Hence, there was an urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance. Somehow a wedge had to be driven between ROK and USA. And what better way than to offer a summit to President Moon, as no ROK leader can resist the temptation of making history. All this sounds surreal? Yes, because it is indeed too good to be true. The only imponderable is whether the deceptive thaw will last weeks or months. Nevertheless, this round squarely goes to Kim Jong-un. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Kim Jong wins the first round against US, South Korea

Russia urged &quot;hot heads&quot; to calm down on Friday as the United States admitted it felt &quot;challenged&quot; by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/may-test-hydrogen-bomb-over-pacific-north-korea-20504">North Korea&#39;s warning that it could test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific</a> and President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un traded more insults.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-calls-trump-deranged-as-korean-peninsula-simmers-20538">Trump called the North Korean leader a &quot;madman&quot; on Friday</a>, a day after Kim dubbed him a &quot;mentally deranged US&nbsp;dotard&quot; who would face the &quot;highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history&quot; in retaliation for Trump saying the US&nbsp;would &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea if it threatened the US&nbsp;or its allies.

&quot;We have to calm down the hot heads,&quot; Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters at the United Nations, where world leaders gathered this week for the annual U.N. General Assembly. &quot;We continue to strive for the reasonable and not the emotional approach...of the kindergarten fight between children.&quot;

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed hope in an interview with ABC that sanctions and &quot;voices from every corner of the world&quot; could lead North Korea back to talks, but admitted intensifying rhetoric had left Washington &quot;quite challenged.&quot;

North Korea&#39;s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, warned on Thursday that Kim could consider a hydrogen bomb test of an unprecedented scale over the Pacific. Ri, who is due to speak to the United Nations on Saturday, added that he did not know Kim&#39;s exact thoughts.

In response, Tillerson said US diplomatic efforts would continue but all military options were still on the table.

North Korea&#39;s six nuclear tests to date have all been underground, and experts say an atmospheric test, which would be the first since one by China in 1980, would be proof of the success of its weapons program.

A senior US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was taking Kim&#39;s threat seriously and added that any atmospheric test would be a &quot;game-changer.&quot;

But he said there were questions about North Korea&#39;s technical capabilities and Washington did not give &quot;too much credence&quot; to Pyongyang taking such action. &quot;There&#39;s a certain amount of bluster that&#39;s taken for granted when you&#39;re dealing with North Korea,&quot; the official told Reuters.

Pyongyang conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched dozens of missiles this year as it accelerates a program aimed at enabling it to target the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile.

Lavrov on Friday again pushed a proposal by Moscow and Beijing for a dual suspension of North Korean weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korean military drills to kick-start talks. Lavrov suggested that a neutral European country could mediate.

He described the exchange of insults between the US&nbsp;and North Korean leaders was &quot;quite bad, unacceptable.&quot;

US Treasury and gold prices rose while the Japanese yen strengthened on Friday as the exchange of barbs fuelled geopolitical jitters and drove investors into assets considered safer during times of turmoil.

The latest round of rhetoric began on Tuesday when Trump, in his first address to the United Nations, made the threat to destroy North Korea, a country of 26 million people. He also called Kim a &quot;rocket man&quot; on a suicide mission.

Trump will pay dearly for his speech: Kim Jong

&quot;His remarks ... have convinced me, rather than frightening or stopping me, that the path I chose is correct and that it is the one I have to follow to the last,&quot; Kim said in the statement carried by the North&#39;s official KCNA news agency on Friday, promising to make Trump &quot;pay dearly for his speech.&quot;

South Korea said it was the first direct statement of its kind by a North Korean leader. Japan, the only country to suffer an atomic attack, called the North Korean threat to conduct an atmospheric test &quot;totally unacceptable&quot;.

Kim Jong a madman: Trump

Trump on Friday tweeted: &quot;Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn&#39;t mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before.&quot;

The White House said on Friday that Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had agreed to Seoul&#39;s &quot;acquisition and development of highly advanced military assets&quot; and to increased deployment of US&nbsp;strategic assets in and around South Korea on a rotational basis.&quot; It did not name specific weapons systems.

On Thursday Trump announced new US&nbsp;sanctions that he said allows the targeting of companies and institutions that finance and facilitate trade with North Korea. Then when asked if diplomacy was still&nbsp;possible, he said: &quot;Why not?&quot;

The additional sanctions on Pyongyang, including on its shipping and trade networks, showed Trump was giving more time for economic pressure to weigh on North Korea. US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said banks doing business in North Korea would not be allowed to operate in the United States.

KCNA also published rare criticism of official Chinese media, saying comments on North Korea&#39;s nuclear program had damaged ties and suggested Beijing, its neighbour and only major ally, had sided with Washington.

KCNA said Chinese media was &quot;openly resorting to interference in the internal affairs of another country&quot; and driving a wedge between the two countries.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: &quot;All relevant sides should exercise restraint and dedicate themselves to easing the situation rather than irritating each other.&quot;

The rhetoric has started to rattle some in other countries. French Sports Minister Laura Flessel said France&#39;s team would not travel to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea if its security could not be guaranteed.

The 2018 Games are to be staged in Pyeongchang, just 80 km (50 miles) from the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the world&#39;s most heavily armed border.

 
&nbsp;

Trump called the Kim Jong a 'madman' on Friday, a day after Kim dubbed him a 'mentally deranged US?dotard' who would face the 'highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history'

Russia urged "hot heads" to calm down on Friday as the United States admitted it felt "challenged" by North Korea's warning that it could test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific and President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un traded more insults. Trump called the North Korean leader a "madman" on Friday, a day after Kim dubbed him a "mentally deranged US dotard" who would face the "highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history" in retaliation for Trump saying the US would "totally destroy" North Korea if it threatened the US or its allies. "We have to calm down the hot heads," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters at the United Nations, where world leaders gathered this week for the annual U.N. General Assembly. "We continue to strive for the reasonable and not the emotional approach...of the kindergarten fight between children." US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed hope in an interview with ABC that sanctions and "voices from every corner of the world" could lead North Korea back to talks, but admitted intensifying rhetoric had left Washington "quite challenged." North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, warned on Thursday that Kim could consider a hydrogen bomb test of an unprecedented scale over the Pacific. Ri, who is due to speak to the United Nations on Saturday, added that he did not know Kim's exact thoughts. In response, Tillerson said US diplomatic efforts would continue but all military options were still on the table. North Korea's six nuclear tests to date have all been underground, and experts say an atmospheric test, which would be the first since one by China in 1980, would be proof of the success of its weapons program. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was taking Kim's threat seriously and added that any atmospheric test would be a "game-changer." But he said there were questions about North Korea's technical capabilities and Washington did not give "too much credence" to Pyongyang taking such action. "There's a certain amount of bluster that's taken for granted when you're dealing with North Korea," the official told Reuters. Pyongyang conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3 and has launched dozens of missiles this year as it accelerates a program aimed at enabling it to target the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile. Lavrov on Friday again pushed a proposal by Moscow and Beijing for a dual suspension of North Korean weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korean military drills to kick-start talks. Lavrov suggested that a neutral European country could mediate. He described the exchange of insults between the US and North Korean leaders was "quite bad, unacceptable." US Treasury and gold prices rose while the Japanese yen strengthened on Friday as the exchange of barbs fuelled geopolitical jitters and drove investors into assets considered safer during times of turmoil. The latest round of rhetoric began on Tuesday when Trump, in his first address to the United Nations, made the threat to destroy North Korea, a country of 26 million people. He also called Kim a "rocket man" on a suicide mission. Trump will pay dearly for his speech: Kim Jong "His remarks ... have convinced me, rather than frightening or stopping me, that the path I chose is correct and that it is the one I have to follow to the last," Kim said in the statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency on Friday, promising to make Trump "pay dearly for his speech." South Korea said it was the first direct statement of its kind by a North Korean leader. Japan, the only country to suffer an atomic attack, called the North Korean threat to conduct an atmospheric test "totally unacceptable". Kim Jong a madman: Trump Trump on Friday tweeted: "Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before." The White House said on Friday that Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had agreed to Seoul's "acquisition and development of highly advanced military assets" and to increased deployment of US strategic assets in and around South Korea on a rotational basis." It did not name specific weapons systems. On Thursday Trump announced new US sanctions that he said allows the targeting of companies and institutions that finance and facilitate trade with North Korea. Then when asked if diplomacy was still possible, he said: "Why not?" The additional sanctions on Pyongyang, including on its shipping and trade networks, showed Trump was giving more time for economic pressure to weigh on North Korea. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said banks doing business in North Korea would not be allowed to operate in the United States. KCNA also published rare criticism of official Chinese media, saying comments on North Korea's nuclear program had damaged ties and suggested Beijing, its neighbour and only major ally, had sided with Washington. KCNA said Chinese media was "openly resorting to interference in the internal affairs of another country" and driving a wedge between the two countries. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "All relevant sides should exercise restraint and dedicate themselves to easing the situation rather than irritating each other." The rhetoric has started to rattle some in other countries. French Sports Minister Laura Flessel said France's team would not travel to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea if its security could not be guaranteed. The 2018 Games are to be staged in Pyeongchang, just 80 km (50 miles) from the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the world's most heavily armed border.

Have to calm down the hotheads: Russia on Trump, Kim Jong trading threats

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