North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to promote cooperative relations with China in a letter to President Xi Jinping, the North's state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

The letter was in response to congratulations Xi sent for the North's founding anniversary this month where the Chinese president had expressed his willingness to strengthen strategic communication and working-level cooperation.

"I believe ... the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations would steadily develop in conformity with the requirements of the new era and the desire of the two peoples in the future," Kim said in the letter sent on Thursday.

DPRK is the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to promote cooperative relations with China in a letter to President Xi Jinping, the North's state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to promote cooperative relations with China in a letter to President Xi Jinping, the North's state media KCNA reported on Sunday. The letter was in response to congratulations Xi sent for the North's founding anniversary this month where the Chinese president had expressed his willingness to strengthen strategic communication and working-level cooperation. "I believe ... the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations would steadily develop in conformity with the requirements of the new era and the desire of the two peoples in the future," Kim said in the letter sent on Thursday. DPRK is the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Kim Jong Un's letter to Xi Jinping expresses hope for cooperation

In pics | North Korea marks 75 years of the troops' founding, Kim's daughter joins celebrations

Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, has said North Korea will consider ending the war and participating in an inter-Korean summit only if South Korea shows ‘respect’.

Kim Yo-jong is North Korea’s key advisor and has been actively helping her brother shape country’s appearance in the public eye.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-bans-mullet-haircuts-nose-piercings-and-skinny-jeans-in-the-fight-against-capitalism-387760">North Korea bans mullet haircuts, nose piercings, and skinny jeans in the fight against capitalism</a>

Her statement comes a little after Seoul said it would like to now put an end to the never-ending war. The unification ministry said it hopes the two countries can restore and resume hotline link and put an end to this cold war between the two sides.

"For these discussions, the inter-Korean communication line must first be restored swiftly, as smooth and stable communication is important," the minister said.

The two Koreas had paused the 1950-53 war by signing a truce instead of a treaty. Due to that, the two countries are technically still at war.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-leaders-sister-kim-yo-jong-demands-south-drop-hostile-policies-415613">North Korea leader's sister Kim Yo Jong demands South drop 'hostile policies'</a>

However, Kim Jong Un’s sister said that an inter-Korean summit between the two leaders of the Koreas will only take place “only when impartiality and the attitude of respecting each other" is guaranteed from Seoul.

She has also proposed that the Summit be held on the earliest date as "there is no need for the North and the South to waste time faulting each other and engaging in a war of words".

"I felt that the atmosphere of the South Korean public desiring to recover the inter-Korean relations from a deadlock and achieve peaceful stability as soon as possible is irresistibly strong," she said. "We, too, have the same desire."

(With inputs from agencies)

Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, has said North Korea will consider ending the war and participating in an inter-Korean summit only if South Korea shows ‘respect’.

Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, has said North Korea will consider ending the war and participating in an inter-Korean summit only if South Korea shows ‘respect’. Kim Yo-jong is North Korea’s key advisor and has been actively helping her brother shape country’s appearance in the public eye. Also read | North Korea bans mullet haircuts, nose piercings, and skinny jeans in the fight against capitalism Her statement comes a little after Seoul said it would like to now put an end to the never-ending war. The unification ministry said it hopes the two countries can restore and resume hotline link and put an end to this cold war between the two sides. "For these discussions, the inter-Korean communication line must first be restored swiftly, as smooth and stable communication is important," the minister said. The two Koreas had paused the 1950-53 war by signing a truce instead of a treaty. Due to that, the two countries are technically still at war. Also read | North Korea leader's sister Kim Yo Jong demands South drop 'hostile policies' However, Kim Jong Un’s sister said that an inter-Korean summit between the two leaders of the Koreas will only take place “only when impartiality and the attitude of respecting each other" is guaranteed from Seoul. She has also proposed that the Summit be held on the earliest date as "there is no need for the North and the South to waste time faulting each other and engaging in a war of words". "I felt that the atmosphere of the South Korean public desiring to recover the inter-Korean relations from a deadlock and achieve peaceful stability as soon as possible is irresistibly strong," she said. "We, too, have the same desire." (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea's Kim Yo-jong says peace will come only if South shows 'respect'

&nbsp;

The tour agency that took US student Otto Warmbier to Pyongyang said Tuesday it would stop taking Americans to the reclusive state after the 22-year-old died following 18 months in North Korean detention.

Warmbier was medically evacuated to the United States last week, suffering from severe brain damage. He died six days later in his home town of Cincinnati, Ohio, with US President Donald Trump blaming Pyongyang&#39;s &quot;brutal regime&quot; for his plight.

Young Pioneer Tours, the China-based agency that took Warmbier to North Korea posted a message concerning this on their Facebook page.&nbsp;

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The University of Virginia student was arrested at the airport as he was leaving Pyongyang in January last year and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour at a show trial for stealing a political poster from a hotel.

&quot;There had not been any previous detainment in North Korea that has ended with such tragic finality,&quot; the company said, adding that Warmbier&#39;s death had made it &quot;reconsider&quot; its position on accepting American tourists.

&quot;Now, the assessment of risk for Americans visiting North Korea has become too high,&quot; it said, adding, &quot;we will no longer be organising tours for US citizens to North Korea.&quot;

The agency based in the Chinese city of Xian was founded in 2008 by a British expat with a motto of taking adventurous travellers to &quot;the places your mother wants you to stay away from&quot; including the North and Iran.

One of a few tour agencies that visit the North, the firm offers trips that include scuba diving and cycling in one of the world&#39;s most impoverished countries.

&nbsp;

Severe brain injury

The company, which advertised the North as &quot;probably one of the safest places on Earth to visit,&quot; came under fire after Warmbier was medically evacuated to the US in a coma after a flurry of secret diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

The North claimed Warmbier fell into a coma soon after he was sentenced last year, saying he had contracted botulism and been given a sleeping pill.

Medical tests carried out last week in the United States offered no conclusive evidence as to the cause of his neurological injuries, and no evidence of a prior botulism infection. Warmbier&#39;s doctors said he had suffered extensive tissue loss in all regions of his brain, but showed no signs of physical trauma.

They said Warmbier&#39;s severe brain injury was most likely -- given his young age -- to have been caused by cardiopulmonary arrest cutting the blood supply to the brain.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In has sent a letter of condolences to Warmbier&#39;s family. &quot;It is deplorable that North Korea does not respect human rights,&quot; Moon said, according to his spokesman Park Soo-Hyun.

US rights group Human Rights Watch said Warmbier&#39;s death highlights the North&#39;s position as &quot;one of the worst rights abusing governments in the world&quot;.

His death &quot;reflects a reality that the North Korean people know all too well: The Kim family leadership... will not hesitate to brutalise and kill to maintain their hold on power,&quot; it said in a statement.

Warmbier&#39;s death came amid high tension over the North&#39;s recent series of missile tests, with Pentagon chief Jim Mattis describing the nuclear-armed state as &quot;a clear and present danger to all&quot;.

It also drew attention to the dire human rights records of the country ruled by the young leader Kim Jong-Un, who took over after the death in 2011 of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in a third-generation power transfer.

Three more US citizens are being held by the North. Two were teachers at a Pyongyang university funded by overseas Christian groups, and the third is a Korean-American pastor who was accused of espionage for the South.

The North has customarily released US detainees after visits by high-profile political figures including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

&nbsp;

The agency was started by a British expat with a motto of taking adventurous travellers to 'the places your mother wants you to stay away from'

The tour agency that took US student Otto Warmbier to Pyongyang said Tuesday it would stop taking Americans to the reclusive state after the 22-year-old died following 18 months in North Korean detention. Warmbier was medically evacuated to the United States last week, suffering from severe brain damage. He died six days later in his home town of Cincinnati, Ohio, with US President Donald Trump blaming Pyongyang's "brutal regime" for his plight. Young Pioneer Tours, the China-based agency that took Warmbier to North Korea posted a message concerning this on their Facebook page. The University of Virginia student was arrested at the airport as he was leaving Pyongyang in January last year and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour at a show trial for stealing a political poster from a hotel. "There had not been any previous detainment in North Korea that has ended with such tragic finality," the company said, adding that Warmbier's death had made it "reconsider" its position on accepting American tourists. "Now, the assessment of risk for Americans visiting North Korea has become too high," it said, adding, "we will no longer be organising tours for US citizens to North Korea." The agency based in the Chinese city of Xian was founded in 2008 by a British expat with a motto of taking adventurous travellers to "the places your mother wants you to stay away from" including the North and Iran. One of a few tour agencies that visit the North, the firm offers trips that include scuba diving and cycling in one of the world's most impoverished countries. Severe brain injury The company, which advertised the North as "probably one of the safest places on Earth to visit," came under fire after Warmbier was medically evacuated to the US in a coma after a flurry of secret diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. The North claimed Warmbier fell into a coma soon after he was sentenced last year, saying he had contracted botulism and been given a sleeping pill. Medical tests carried out last week in the United States offered no conclusive evidence as to the cause of his neurological injuries, and no evidence of a prior botulism infection. Warmbier's doctors said he had suffered extensive tissue loss in all regions of his brain, but showed no signs of physical trauma. They said Warmbier's severe brain injury was most likely -- given his young age -- to have been caused by cardiopulmonary arrest cutting the blood supply to the brain. South Korean President Moon Jae-In has sent a letter of condolences to Warmbier's family. "It is deplorable that North Korea does not respect human rights," Moon said, according to his spokesman Park Soo-Hyun. US rights group Human Rights Watch said Warmbier's death highlights the North's position as "one of the worst rights abusing governments in the world". His death "reflects a reality that the North Korean people know all too well: The Kim family leadership... will not hesitate to brutalise and kill to maintain their hold on power," it said in a statement. Warmbier's death came amid high tension over the North's recent series of missile tests, with Pentagon chief Jim Mattis describing the nuclear-armed state as "a clear and present danger to all". It also drew attention to the dire human rights records of the country ruled by the young leader Kim Jong-Un, who took over after the death in 2011 of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in a third-generation power transfer. Three more US citizens are being held by the North. Two were teachers at a Pyongyang university funded by overseas Christian groups, and the third is a Korean-American pastor who was accused of espionage for the South. The North has customarily released US detainees after visits by high-profile political figures including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

Travel agency Warmbier used to no longer bring Americans to North Korea

Former National Basketball Association star Dennis Rodman is expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday for a trip the State Department said was not an official US&nbsp;visit, CNN reported on Monday.

Rodman, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on previous trips to Pyongyang and has called him &quot;an awesome kid,&quot; declined to answer questions when he was seen by CNN reporters at Beijing International Airport, the network said.

Tensions have heightened on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile tests and its vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US&nbsp;mainland.

Four Americans are also being held in North Korea, including 22-year-old student Otto Warmbier, who was detained in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years&#39; hard labour for attempting to steal a propaganda banner.

Representatives for Rodman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rodman has defended his travels, saying in an interview with CNN in 2014 they would help &quot;open the door&quot; to the reclusive state.

CNN, citing two unnamed North Korean officials, said Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday, but gave no additional details on the purpose of the trip.

Fox News, citing a senior Trump administration official, reported that Rodman was travelling to North Korea as a &quot;private citizen&quot;.

The White House and State Department did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Here is video footage from North Korean&nbsp;TV of Rodman during his last trip in the totalitarian communist country. In it, he meets Kim Jung Un, and sings a strange rendition of Happy Birthday.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ViRdxGjEu2Y" width="560"></iframe>

The basketball Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some US&nbsp;politicians and activists view as serving only as fodder for North Korean propaganda.

Rodman, 56, nicknamed &quot;The Worm&quot; during his playing career and known for his tattoos, body piercings and multi-coloured hair, is considered one of the best defensive players and rebounders in NBA history.

He won five league championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some feel serves only as fodder for North Korean propaganda

Former National Basketball Association star Dennis Rodman is expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday for a trip the State Department said was not an official US visit, CNN reported on Monday. Rodman, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on previous trips to Pyongyang and has called him "an awesome kid," declined to answer questions when he was seen by CNN reporters at Beijing International Airport, the network said. Tensions have heightened on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests and its vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland. Four Americans are also being held in North Korea, including 22-year-old student Otto Warmbier, who was detained in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years' hard labour for attempting to steal a propaganda banner. Representatives for Rodman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rodman has defended his travels, saying in an interview with CNN in 2014 they would help "open the door" to the reclusive state. CNN, citing two unnamed North Korean officials, said Rodman was expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday, but gave no additional details on the purpose of the trip. Fox News, citing a senior Trump administration official, reported that Rodman was travelling to North Korea as a "private citizen". The White House and State Department did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Here is video footage from North Korean TV of Rodman during his last trip in the totalitarian communist country. In it, he meets Kim Jung Un, and sings a strange rendition of Happy Birthday. The basketball Hall of Famer has faced ridicule and criticism for his trips to North Korea, which some US politicians and activists view as serving only as fodder for North Korean propaganda. Rodman, 56, nicknamed "The Worm" during his playing career and known for his tattoos, body piercings and multi-coloured hair, is considered one of the best defensive players and rebounders in NBA history. He won five league championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls. (With inputs from Reuters)

Dennis Rodman, Ex-NBA star, expected to arrive in North Korea Tuesday: CNN

After successful missile launches, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un often exchanges smiles and hugs with the same three men and shares a celebratory smoke with them.

The three, shown with Kim in photographs and TV footage in North Korean media, are of great interest to Western security and intelligence agencies since they are the top people in the secretive country&#39;s rapidly accelerating missile programme.

They include Ri Pyong Chol, a former top air force general; Kim Jong Sik, a veteran rocket scientist; and Jang Chang Ha, the head of a weapons development and procurement centre.

The photographs and TV footage show that the three are clearly Kim&#39;s favourites. Their behaviour with him is sharply at variance with the obsequiousness of other senior aides, most of whom bow and hold their hands over their mouths when speaking to the young leader.

Unlike most other officials, two of them have flown with Kim in his private plane Goshawk-1, named after North Korea&#39;s national bird, state TV has shown.

With their ruling Workers Party, military and scientific credentials, the trio is indispensable to North Korea&#39;s rapidly developing weapons programmes - the isolated nation has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, all in violation of UN&nbsp;resolutions.

&quot;Rather than going through bureaucrats, Kim Jong Un is keeping these technocrats right by his side, so that he can contact them directly and urge them to move fast. It reflects his urgency about missile development,&quot; said An Chan-il, a former North Korean military officer who has defected to the South and runs a think tank in Seoul.

Kim Jong Sik and Jang are not from elite families, unlike many other senior figures in North Korea&#39;s ruling class, North Korean leadership experts say. They said Ri, the former air force commander, has been to one of the better-regarded schools in North Korea, but he and the other two were hand-picked by Kim Jong Un.

&quot;Kim Jong Un is raising a new generation of people separate from his father&#39;s key aides,&quot; said a South Korean official with knowledge of the matter, referring to Kim Jong Il, who died in late 2011 leaving the younger Kim in charge.

The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

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<div class="media-description">
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the intermediate-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2&#39;s launch test with Kim Jong Sik (2nd L), Ri Pyong Chol (3rd L) and Jang Chang Ha (R) in this undated photo released by KCNA. (Reuters)
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THE &#39;BIG POTATO&#39;

The most prominent of the three is Ri, according to leadership experts.

Always shown smiling in photographs, he is now deputy director of the Workers&#39; Party Munitions Industry Department, which oversees the development of North Korea&#39;s ballistic missile programme, according to the South Korean government and US&nbsp;Treasury.

The department was blacklisted by the US&nbsp;Treasury in 2010 and Ri was named by the South Korean government last year for activities related to the country&#39;s weapons programmes.

&quot;The big potato in that trio of people is Ri Pyong Chol,&quot; said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership. &quot;He&#39;s been around since before Kim Jong Un was even talked about with any seriousness&quot;.

Born in 1948, Ri was partly educated in Russia and promoted when Kim Jong Un started to rise through the ranks in the late 2000s, Madden and the South Korean government official said.

Ri has visited China once and Russia twice. He met China&#39;s defence minister in 2008 as the air force commander and accompanied Kim Jong Il on a visit to a Russian fighter jet factory in 2011, according to state media.

&quot;Ri looks like the party&#39;s guy in the missile programme,&quot; said Kim Jin-moo, an expert on North Korea&#39;s elite and former government think tank analyst in Seoul.

&nbsp;

THE ROCKET SCIENTIST

The rocket scientist in the trio is Kim Jong Sik. He started his career as a civilian aeronautics technician, but now wears the uniform of a military general at the Munitions Industry Department, according to experts and the South Korean government.

But it was his role in the North Korea&#39;s first successful launch of a rocket in 2012 which really helped him earn recognition, Madden said.

&quot;When that thing went off and entered into a lower earth orbit, he got credit for that,&quot; said Madden. &quot;The nuclear and missile guys under Kim Jong Un are getting their jobs based on merit&quot;.

Last year, Kim Jong Sik was at the National Aerospace Development Administration or &quot;NADA&quot;, North Korea&#39;s official space agency, where he escorted Kim Jong Un through the mission control room ahead of a successful long-range rocket launch in February.

State TV footage showed him riding to a launch site in Kim Jong Un&#39;s private plane. Upon arrival, he accompanied the young leader down the red carpet and received flowers from other senior officials.

Most other details, including his age, are not known.

&nbsp;

THE MYSTERY MAN

Of the three men, the least is known about Jang Chang Ha, president of the Academy of the National Defence Science, previously called the Second Academy of Natural Sciences.

The body is in charge of the secretive country&#39;s research and development of its advanced weapons systems, &quot;including missiles and probably nuclear weapons&quot;, the US&nbsp;Treasury said in 2010 in its decision to blacklist the group.

The organisation obtains technology, equipment, and information from overseas for use in weapons programmes, the Treasury said. Jang was added to the Treasury blacklist in December 2016.

Under Jang&#39;s leadership, the academy has around 15,000 staff, including some 3,000 missile engineers, according to South Korean media reports, citing unnamed sources.

North Korea&#39;s banned weapons programme began in the early 2000s with a similar trio of men close to the leadership who specialised in procurement, science and military affairs.

Of them, logistician Jon Pyong Ho has died. The others - scientist So Sang Guk and military coordinator O Kuk Ryol - are elderly and no longer in the public eye.

Their place, Madden said, has been taken by Kim Jong Un&#39;s hand-picked men.

&quot;These are the men bringing North Korea&#39;s missile programme into the 21st Century.&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

Western security officials are focusing on the three men who hug and smoke in celebration with Kim Jung Un after missile launches

After successful missile launches, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un often exchanges smiles and hugs with the same three men and shares a celebratory smoke with them. The three, shown with Kim in photographs and TV footage in North Korean media, are of great interest to Western security and intelligence agencies since they are the top people in the secretive country's rapidly accelerating missile programme. They include Ri Pyong Chol, a former top air force general; Kim Jong Sik, a veteran rocket scientist; and Jang Chang Ha, the head of a weapons development and procurement centre. The photographs and TV footage show that the three are clearly Kim's favourites. Their behaviour with him is sharply at variance with the obsequiousness of other senior aides, most of whom bow and hold their hands over their mouths when speaking to the young leader. Unlike most other officials, two of them have flown with Kim in his private plane Goshawk-1, named after North Korea's national bird, state TV has shown. With their ruling Workers Party, military and scientific credentials, the trio is indispensable to North Korea's rapidly developing weapons programmes - the isolated nation has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, all in violation of UN resolutions. "Rather than going through bureaucrats, Kim Jong Un is keeping these technocrats right by his side, so that he can contact them directly and urge them to move fast. It reflects his urgency about missile development," said An Chan-il, a former North Korean military officer who has defected to the South and runs a think tank in Seoul. Kim Jong Sik and Jang are not from elite families, unlike many other senior figures in North Korea's ruling class, North Korean leadership experts say. They said Ri, the former air force commander, has been to one of the better-regarded schools in North Korea, but he and the other two were hand-picked by Kim Jong Un. "Kim Jong Un is raising a new generation of people separate from his father's key aides," said a South Korean official with knowledge of the matter, referring to Kim Jong Il, who died in late 2011 leaving the younger Kim in charge. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the intermediate-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2's launch test with Kim Jong Sik (2nd L), Ri Pyong Chol (3rd L) and Jang Chang Ha (R) in this undated photo released by KCNA. (Reuters) × THE 'BIG POTATO' The most prominent of the three is Ri, according to leadership experts. Always shown smiling in photographs, he is now deputy director of the Workers' Party Munitions Industry Department, which oversees the development of North Korea's ballistic missile programme, according to the South Korean government and US Treasury. The department was blacklisted by the US Treasury in 2010 and Ri was named by the South Korean government last year for activities related to the country's weapons programmes. "The big potato in that trio of people is Ri Pyong Chol," said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership. "He's been around since before Kim Jong Un was even talked about with any seriousness". Born in 1948, Ri was partly educated in Russia and promoted when Kim Jong Un started to rise through the ranks in the late 2000s, Madden and the South Korean government official said. Ri has visited China once and Russia twice. He met China's defence minister in 2008 as the air force commander and accompanied Kim Jong Il on a visit to a Russian fighter jet factory in 2011, according to state media. "Ri looks like the party's guy in the missile programme," said Kim Jin-moo, an expert on North Korea's elite and former government think tank analyst in Seoul. THE ROCKET SCIENTIST The rocket scientist in the trio is Kim Jong Sik. He started his career as a civilian aeronautics technician, but now wears the uniform of a military general at the Munitions Industry Department, according to experts and the South Korean government. But it was his role in the North Korea's first successful launch of a rocket in 2012 which really helped him earn recognition, Madden said. "When that thing went off and entered into a lower earth orbit, he got credit for that," said Madden. "The nuclear and missile guys under Kim Jong Un are getting their jobs based on merit". Last year, Kim Jong Sik was at the National Aerospace Development Administration or "NADA", North Korea's official space agency, where he escorted Kim Jong Un through the mission control room ahead of a successful long-range rocket launch in February. State TV footage showed him riding to a launch site in Kim Jong Un's private plane. Upon arrival, he accompanied the young leader down the red carpet and received flowers from other senior officials. Most other details, including his age, are not known. THE MYSTERY MAN Of the three men, the least is known about Jang Chang Ha, president of the Academy of the National Defence Science, previously called the Second Academy of Natural Sciences. The body is in charge of the secretive country's research and development of its advanced weapons systems, "including missiles and probably nuclear weapons", the US Treasury said in 2010 in its decision to blacklist the group. The organisation obtains technology, equipment, and information from overseas for use in weapons programmes, the Treasury said. Jang was added to the Treasury blacklist in December 2016. Under Jang's leadership, the academy has around 15,000 staff, including some 3,000 missile engineers, according to South Korean media reports, citing unnamed sources. North Korea's banned weapons programme began in the early 2000s with a similar trio of men close to the leadership who specialised in procurement, science and military affairs. Of them, logistician Jon Pyong Ho has died. The others - scientist So Sang Guk and military coordinator O Kuk Ryol - are elderly and no longer in the public eye. Their place, Madden said, has been taken by Kim Jong Un's hand-picked men. "These are the men bringing North Korea's missile programme into the 21st Century." he said. (Reuters)

Kim's rocket stars: The trio behind North Korea's missile programme

North Korea today confirmed the &quot;successful&quot; launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, Pyongyang&#39;s state media reported, adding the weapon was now ready to be deployed for military action.

State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw yesterday&#39;s missile test, which has sparked a fresh chorus of international condemnation and threats of tougher UN sanctions.

The missile tested was the Pukguksong-2, a land-based version of Pyongyang&#39;s submarine-launched weapon, using solid-fuel that allows for immediate firing, KCNA said.

&quot;Saying with pride that the missile&#39;s rate of hits is very accurate and Pukguksong-2 is a successful strategic weapon, (Kim Jong-Un) approved the deployment of this weapon system for action,&quot; KCNA said.

&quot;Now that its tactical and technical data met the requirements of the Party, this type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way to arm the KPA Strategic Force,&quot; Kim said, referring to the North&#39;s army, according to the KCNA report.

The missile, which was described by Washington as medium-range, was fired from Pukchang in South Pyongan province and travelled about 500 kilometres (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, according to the South&#39;s armed forces.

KCNA said the test &quot;aimed to finally verify all the technical indexes of the weapon system and thoroughly examine its adaptability under various battle conditions, before its deployment at military units for action.&quot;

The results of the test were &quot;perfect&quot;, KCNA added.

The US, South Korea and Japan sharply denounced the launch and jointly requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the matter.

The launch came just one week after the North fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile, which according to Pyongyang flew almost 800 kilometres and was capable of carrying a &quot;heavy&quot; nuclear warhead.

Analysts said the Hwasong travelled further than any previous ballistic missile launched by the North.

The May 14 launch was seen as a significant step forward as the North accelerates efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States.

The launches, and a threatened sixth nuclear test, have fuelled tension with the administration of US President Donald Trump, who has vowed that such an ICBM launch &quot;won&#39;t happen&quot;.

He warned that no option is off the table in dealing with the North&#39;s weapons program, although Washington has so far opted for sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while looking to China, the North&#39;s closest ally, to help rein in Pyongyang.

Seoul&#39;s foreign ministry slammed the &quot;reckless and irresponsible&quot; firing as &quot;throwing cold water on the hope and longing of the new government and the international community&quot; for denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula.

South Korea&#39;s incoming left-leaning government has taken a more conciliatory line with Pyongyang than its conservative predecessors, but has reacted strongly to the latest two missile tests.

Pyongyang has long had missiles that can reach targets across South Korea and Japan. With an imputed range of 4,500 kilometres the Hwasong-12 also puts US bases on the Pacific island of Guam within reach.

(AFP)

The launch came a week after the North fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile, which they say flew 800 kms and can carry a 'heavy' nuclear warhead

North Korea today confirmed the "successful" launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, Pyongyang's state media reported, adding the weapon was now ready to be deployed for military action. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the North's leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw yesterday's missile test, which has sparked a fresh chorus of international condemnation and threats of tougher UN sanctions. The missile tested was the Pukguksong-2, a land-based version of Pyongyang's submarine-launched weapon, using solid-fuel that allows for immediate firing, KCNA said. "Saying with pride that the missile's rate of hits is very accurate and Pukguksong-2 is a successful strategic weapon, (Kim Jong-Un) approved the deployment of this weapon system for action," KCNA said. "Now that its tactical and technical data met the requirements of the Party, this type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way to arm the KPA Strategic Force," Kim said, referring to the North's army, according to the KCNA report. The missile, which was described by Washington as medium-range, was fired from Pukchang in South Pyongan province and travelled about 500 kilometres (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, according to the South's armed forces. KCNA said the test "aimed to finally verify all the technical indexes of the weapon system and thoroughly examine its adaptability under various battle conditions, before its deployment at military units for action." The results of the test were "perfect", KCNA added. The US, South Korea and Japan sharply denounced the launch and jointly requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the matter. The launch came just one week after the North fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile, which according to Pyongyang flew almost 800 kilometres and was capable of carrying a "heavy" nuclear warhead. Analysts said the Hwasong travelled further than any previous ballistic missile launched by the North. The May 14 launch was seen as a significant step forward as the North accelerates efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States. The launches, and a threatened sixth nuclear test, have fuelled tension with the administration of US President Donald Trump, who has vowed that such an ICBM launch "won't happen". He warned that no option is off the table in dealing with the North's weapons program, although Washington has so far opted for sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while looking to China, the North's closest ally, to help rein in Pyongyang. Seoul's foreign ministry slammed the "reckless and irresponsible" firing as "throwing cold water on the hope and longing of the new government and the international community" for denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula. South Korea's incoming left-leaning government has taken a more conciliatory line with Pyongyang than its conservative predecessors, but has reacted strongly to the latest two missile tests. Pyongyang has long had missiles that can reach targets across South Korea and Japan. With an imputed range of 4,500 kilometres the Hwasong-12 also puts US bases on the Pacific island of Guam within reach. (AFP)

North Korea says latest missile test 'perfect'

When US&nbsp;President Donald Trump boasted early last week that he had sent an &quot;armada&quot; as a warning to North Korea, the aircraft carrier strike group he spoke of was still far from the Korean peninsula, and headed in the opposite direction.

It was even farther away over the weekend, moving through the Sunda Strait and then into the Indian Ocean, as North Korea displayed what appeared to be new missiles at a parade and staged a failed missile test.

The US&nbsp;military&#39;s Pacific Command explained on Tuesday that the strike group first had to complete a shorter-than-initially planned period of training with Australia. But it was now &quot;proceeding to the Western Pacific as ordered,&quot; it said.

The perceived communications mix-up has raised eyebrows among Korea experts, who wonder whether it erodes the Trump administration&#39;s credibility at a time when US&nbsp;rhetoric about the North&#39;s advancing nuclear and missile capabilities are raising concerns about a potential conflict.

&quot;If you threaten them and your threat is not credible, it&#39;s only going to undermine whatever your policy towards them is. And that could be a logical conclusion from what&#39;s just happened,&quot; said North Korea expert Joel Wit at the 38 North monitoring group, run by Johns Hopkins University&#39;s School of Advanced International Studies.

The US&nbsp;military initially said in a statement dated April 10 that Admiral Harry Harris, the commander of Pacific Command, directed the Carl Vinson strike group &quot;to sail north and report on station in the Western Pacific&quot;.

Reuters and other news outlets reported on April 11 that the movement would take more than a week. The Navy, for security reasons, says it does not report future operational locations of its ships.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis initially appeared to play down the deployment on April 11, saying the Vinson was &quot;just on her way up there because that&#39;s where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time&quot;.

&quot;There&#39;s not a specific demand signal or specific reason why we&#39;re sending her up there,&quot; he said.

But even Mattis initially misspoke about the strike group&#39;s itinerary, telling a news conference that the Vinson had pulled out of an exercise with Australia.

The Pentagon has since corrected the record, saying the ship&#39;s planned port visit to Fremantle, Australia, was cancelled - not the exercise with Australia&#39;s navy.

On April 15, the US&nbsp;Navy even published a photo showing the Vinson transiting the Sunda Strait.&nbsp;

From April 16-18, the website http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html reported that the Vinson was in the Indian Ocean.

A US&nbsp;military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Vinson carried out the exercises after passing through the Sunda Strait and wrapped them up this week.

(Reuters)

This has raised eyebrows among Korea experts who wonder if it erodes the Trump administration's credibility during a time of heated rhetoric

When US President Donald Trump boasted early last week that he had sent an "armada" as a warning to North Korea, the aircraft carrier strike group he spoke of was still far from the Korean peninsula, and headed in the opposite direction. It was even farther away over the weekend, moving through the Sunda Strait and then into the Indian Ocean, as North Korea displayed what appeared to be new missiles at a parade and staged a failed missile test. The US military's Pacific Command explained on Tuesday that the strike group first had to complete a shorter-than-initially planned period of training with Australia. But it was now "proceeding to the Western Pacific as ordered," it said. The perceived communications mix-up has raised eyebrows among Korea experts, who wonder whether it erodes the Trump administration's credibility at a time when US rhetoric about the North's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities are raising concerns about a potential conflict. "If you threaten them and your threat is not credible, it's only going to undermine whatever your policy towards them is. And that could be a logical conclusion from what's just happened," said North Korea expert Joel Wit at the 38 North monitoring group, run by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. The US military initially said in a statement dated April 10 that Admiral Harry Harris, the commander of Pacific Command, directed the Carl Vinson strike group "to sail north and report on station in the Western Pacific". Reuters and other news outlets reported on April 11 that the movement would take more than a week. The Navy, for security reasons, says it does not report future operational locations of its ships. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis initially appeared to play down the deployment on April 11, saying the Vinson was "just on her way up there because that's where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time". "There's not a specific demand signal or specific reason why we're sending her up there," he said. But even Mattis initially misspoke about the strike group's itinerary, telling a news conference that the Vinson had pulled out of an exercise with Australia. The Pentagon has since corrected the record, saying the ship's planned port visit to Fremantle, Australia, was cancelled - not the exercise with Australia's navy. On April 15, the US Navy even published a photo showing the Vinson transiting the Sunda Strait. From April 16-18, the website http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html reported that the Vinson was in the Indian Ocean. A US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Vinson carried out the exercises after passing through the Sunda Strait and wrapped them up this week. (Reuters)

Trump boasted of sending 'armada' to warn North Korea, but it was heading in opposite direction

The estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was killed with a highly toxic chemical weapon known as VX nerve agent, Malaysian police said on Friday, citing a preliminary report.

Kim Jong Nam died after being assaulted at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Monday while preparing to board a flight to Macau.

South Korean and US&nbsp;officials have said they believe North Korean agents assassinated Kim Jong Nam, who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau under Beijing&#39;s protection.

Police said swabs taken from the eye and the face of a North Korean national by the chemistry department of Malaysia revealed the presence of VX.

VX nerve agent, or S-2 Diisoprophylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate, is a chemical weapon classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.

&quot;Other exhibits are under analysis,&quot; Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said in the statement.

Police chief Khalid said earlier that a Vietnamese woman and a Indonesian woman wiped a liquid on Kim Jong Nam&#39;s face. They later washed their hands and fled the scene.

Airport <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-summons-north-korea-envoy-as-rift-deepens-over-airport-death-12584">camera footage</a> released on Monday by Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV shows the moment the women appeared to assault Kim Jong Nam, who is later seen asking airport officials for medical help. He died on the way to hospital.

VX is tasteless and odourless, and is outlawed under the Chemical Weapons Convention, except for &quot;research, medical or pharmaceutical purposes&quot;.

It can be manufactured as a liquid, cream or aerosol. Absorbed in large doses, it is fatal after 15 minutes, according to the US&nbsp;Army&#39;s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, making it the most toxic known nerve agent in the world.

Malaysia on Thursday requested Interpol to put an alert out to apprehend four North Korean suspects in the murder.

Police are also holding one North Korean man, but are seeking another seven in connection with the murder.

(Reuters)

Absorbed in large doses VX is fatal after 15 minutes, making it the most toxic known nerve agent in the world

The estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was killed with a highly toxic chemical weapon known as VX nerve agent, Malaysian police said on Friday, citing a preliminary report. Kim Jong Nam died after being assaulted at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Monday while preparing to board a flight to Macau. South Korean and US officials have said they believe North Korean agents assassinated Kim Jong Nam, who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau under Beijing's protection. Police said swabs taken from the eye and the face of a North Korean national by the chemistry department of Malaysia revealed the presence of VX. VX nerve agent, or S-2 Diisoprophylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate, is a chemical weapon classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations. "Other exhibits are under analysis," Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said in the statement. Police chief Khalid said earlier that a Vietnamese woman and a Indonesian woman wiped a liquid on Kim Jong Nam's face. They later washed their hands and fled the scene. Airport camera footage released on Monday by Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV shows the moment the women appeared to assault Kim Jong Nam, who is later seen asking airport officials for medical help. He died on the way to hospital. VX is tasteless and odourless, and is outlawed under the Chemical Weapons Convention, except for "research, medical or pharmaceutical purposes". It can be manufactured as a liquid, cream or aerosol. Absorbed in large doses, it is fatal after 15 minutes, according to the US Army's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, making it the most toxic known nerve agent in the world. Malaysia on Thursday requested Interpol to put an alert out to apprehend four North Korean suspects in the murder. Police are also holding one North Korean man, but are seeking another seven in connection with the murder. (Reuters)

North Korean leader's half-brother murdered by VX nerve agent, Malaysia says

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