North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations said on Saturday that denuclearisation talks with the United States are off the "negotiating table" and lengthy talks with Washington are not required.

"We do not need to have lengthy talks with the US now and denuclearisation is already gone out of the negotiating table," ambassador Kim Song said in a statement, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

Song added that United State's "sustained and substantial dialogue" was a "time-saving trick" in order to fulfil its domestic political agenda.&nbsp;

The North Korean ambassador's comments reflect Pyongyang's earlier warning that discussions on its nuclear weapons program might end as Washington is&nbsp;refusing&nbsp;to offer concessions.&nbsp;

Tensions between the US and North Korea, rose after Pyongyang gave <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-test-fires-rockets-in-thanksgiving-reminder-of-year-end-deadline-for-us-265157">Washington a year-end deadline </a>to change its policy of demanding unilateral denuclearisation and asked for relief from punishing sanctions.&nbsp;

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also warned that he could take an unspecified "next path" next year, which raised fears of the development of a nuclear bomb and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017.&nbsp;

On Friday, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-south-koreas-moon-discuss-trying-to-maintain-talks-with-north-korea-266769">US President Donald Trump </a>held a half-hour phone discussion with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on ways to maintain diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea said. it said that both leaders agreed that the situation has become "severe" and that "dialogue momentum should be maintained to achieve prompt results from denuclearisation negotiations."

Earlier, Trump and Kim Jong Un have met three times since June 2018, but little progress has been made so far. Recently, both nations again started making inflamed statements against each other, which halted two years ago.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Trump once again called Kim Jong Un <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/very-dangerous-challenge-if-trump-calls-kim-rocket-man-again-north-korea-266482">"Rocket man"</a>, adding that Washington has the right to use military force against Pyongyang. Responding to Trump's statements, North Korea said that repeat of such language would mean "the relapse of the dotage of a dotard."

North Korea, earlier used to describe Trump as a "dotard".&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations said on Saturday that denuclearisation talks with the United States are off the "negotiating table" and lengthy talks with Washington are not required.

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations said on Saturday that denuclearisation talks with the United States are off the "negotiating table" and lengthy talks with Washington are not required. "We do not need to have lengthy talks with the US now and denuclearisation is already gone out of the negotiating table," ambassador Kim Song said in a statement, reported Reuters. Song added that United State's "sustained and substantial dialogue" was a "time-saving trick" in order to fulfil its domestic political agenda. The North Korean ambassador's comments reflect Pyongyang's earlier warning that discussions on its nuclear weapons program might end as Washington is refusing to offer concessions. Tensions between the US and North Korea, rose after Pyongyang gave Washington a year-end deadline to change its policy of demanding unilateral denuclearisation and asked for relief from punishing sanctions. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also warned that he could take an unspecified "next path" next year, which raised fears of the development of a nuclear bomb and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017. On Friday, the US President Donald Trump held a half-hour phone discussion with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on ways to maintain diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea said. it said that both leaders agreed that the situation has become "severe" and that "dialogue momentum should be maintained to achieve prompt results from denuclearisation negotiations." Earlier, Trump and Kim Jong Un have met three times since June 2018, but little progress has been made so far. Recently, both nations again started making inflamed statements against each other, which halted two years ago. On Tuesday, Trump once again called Kim Jong Un "Rocket man", adding that Washington has the right to use military force against Pyongyang. Responding to Trump's statements, North Korea said that repeat of such language would mean "the relapse of the dotage of a dotard." North Korea, earlier used to describe Trump as a "dotard". (With inputs from Reuters)

Talks with US on denuclearisation off 'negotiating table': North Korean envoy

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a half-hour phone discussion on ways to maintain diplomacy with North Korea, Seoul said on Saturday, as Pyongyang warns of waning patience with stalled nuclear talks.

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a half-hour phone discussion on ways to maintain diplomacy with North Korea, Seoul said on Saturday, as Pyongyang warns of waning patience with stalled nuclear talks. The two leaders agreed that the situation has become "severe" and that "dialogue momentum should be maintained to achieve prompt results from denuclearisation negotiations," South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement. They also agreed to consult regularly as needed, the statement said. Tensions are rising ahead of a year-end deadline set by North Korea, which has called on the United States to change its policy of demanding unilateral denuclearisation or leader Kim Jong Un may choose an unspecified "new path". In a series of statements in recent weeks, senior North Korean officials have warned the United States not to ignore the deadline, and called Washington's offer of more talks a stalling tactic ahead of next year's US election. Longtime allies, the United States and South Korea are also in negotiations over how much each side will pay to fund the roughly 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. Trump has demanded that Seoul pay as much as $4 billion more per year, according to South Korean officials, and a fourth round of talks ended in Washington on Wednesday with no agreement. The Blue House did not say if the cost-sharing dispute was raised during Moon's call with Trump on Saturday.

Trump, South Korea's Moon discuss trying to maintain talks with North Korea

Is Kim Jong-Un Planning New Tests At A Long-Range Rocket Launch Site?

Gravitas: North Korea may be preparing for New tests

Should US&nbsp;President Donald Trump call North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" again, that would represent a "very dangerous challenge" reminiscent of two years ago, a senior North Korean official warned on Thursday.

Choe Son Hui, who was quoted by state-run KCNA news agency, was referring to a time when tensions between when Washington and Pyongyang ran high.

Trump said on Tuesday he still had confidence in the North Korean leader but noted that Kim "likes sending rockets up".

"...That's why I call him Rocket Man," Trump told reporters at a NATO meeting in London.

Breaking a month-long lull in missile tests, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-test-fires-rockets-in-thanksgiving-reminder-of-year-end-deadline-for-us-265157">North Korea fired two short range projectiles into the sea</a> off its east coast last week in what appeared to be the latest try out of its new multiple rocket launchers, South Korea's military said.

The test-firing came as the clock ticks down on the year-end deadline that Pyongyang had given the United States to show flexibility in their stalled denuclearisation talks.

It also coincided with the US Thanksgiving holiday and took place one day before the second anniversary of the North's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the US mainland.

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said the year-end deadline was an artificial one, but could mean a return to "provocative" steps that preceded the past two years of diplomacy.

US President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election next year, has repeatedly pointed to Kim's suspension of long-range missile and nuclear bomb tests as a major achievement of his engagement with North Korea.

Should US President Donald Trump call North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" again, that would represent a "very dangerous challenge" reminiscent of two years ago, a senior North Korean official warned on Thursday.

Should US President Donald Trump call North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" again, that would represent a "very dangerous challenge" reminiscent of two years ago, a senior North Korean official warned on Thursday. Choe Son Hui, who was quoted by state-run KCNA news agency, was referring to a time when tensions between when Washington and Pyongyang ran high. Trump said on Tuesday he still had confidence in the North Korean leader but noted that Kim "likes sending rockets up". "...That's why I call him Rocket Man," Trump told reporters at a NATO meeting in London. Breaking a month-long lull in missile tests, North Korea fired two short range projectiles into the sea off its east coast last week in what appeared to be the latest try out of its new multiple rocket launchers, South Korea's military said. The test-firing came as the clock ticks down on the year-end deadline that Pyongyang had given the United States to show flexibility in their stalled denuclearisation talks. It also coincided with the US Thanksgiving holiday and took place one day before the second anniversary of the North's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the US mainland. US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said the year-end deadline was an artificial one, but could mean a return to "provocative" steps that preceded the past two years of diplomacy. US President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election next year, has repeatedly pointed to Kim's suspension of long-range missile and nuclear bomb tests as a major achievement of his engagement with North Korea.

'Very dangerous challenge' if Trump calls Kim 'Rocket Man' again: North Korea

North Korea's Kim signals more confrontational stance with new horse

Kim Jong Un opens North Korea's flagship project near Mount Paektu

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 href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-test-fires-rockets-in-thanksgiving-reminder-of-year-end-deadline-for-us-265157">North Korea </a>on Saturday warned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he could soon see a "real ballistic missile" while excoriating him as the "most stupid man ever known in history".

The colourful condemnation comes two days after the isolated state tested what it called a "super-large multiple launch rocket system", with South Korea reporting that two projectiles came down in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.&nbsp;

In the wake of the launch, which was supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Abe termed the fired weapons "ballistic missiles" that violated UN resolutions.&nbsp;

"It can be said that Abe is the only one idiot in the world and the most stupid man ever known in history as he fails to distinguish a missile from multiple launch rocket system while seeing the photo-accompanied report," a foreign ministry official said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.&nbsp;

"Abe may see what a real ballistic missile is in the not distant future and under his nose... &nbsp;Abe is none other than a perfect imbecile," it added.

It was best for the North to avoid dealing with Abe, the official went on, adding that doing so with a "political dwarf" would bring "disgrace".&nbsp;

The Saturday criticism of the Japanese leader is the second of its kind by Pyongyang this month.&nbsp;

The North had slammed him as an "idiot and villain" and warned he will never set foot in Pyongyang after he condemned the North's weapons test days earlier.&nbsp;

Pyongyang is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes, which it says it needs to defend against a possible US invasion.

Nuclear negotiations between the US and the North have been at a standstill since the Hanoi summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un broke up in February, and Pyongyang has since demanded Washington change its approach by the end of the year.&nbsp;

North Korea has issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as time runs down on its end-of-year deadline.

Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet earlier this month, only to be rebuffed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us". 
&nbsp;

North Korea on Saturday warned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he could soon see a "real ballistic missile" while excoriating him as the "most stupid man ever known in history".

North Korea on Saturday warned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he could soon see a "real ballistic missile" while excoriating him as the "most stupid man ever known in history". The colourful condemnation comes two days after the isolated state tested what it called a "super-large multiple launch rocket system", with South Korea reporting that two projectiles came down in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. In the wake of the launch, which was supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Abe termed the fired weapons "ballistic missiles" that violated UN resolutions. "It can be said that Abe is the only one idiot in the world and the most stupid man ever known in history as he fails to distinguish a missile from multiple launch rocket system while seeing the photo-accompanied report," a foreign ministry official said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. "Abe may see what a real ballistic missile is in the not distant future and under his nose... Abe is none other than a perfect imbecile," it added. It was best for the North to avoid dealing with Abe, the official went on, adding that doing so with a "political dwarf" would bring "disgrace". The Saturday criticism of the Japanese leader is the second of its kind by Pyongyang this month. The North had slammed him as an "idiot and villain" and warned he will never set foot in Pyongyang after he condemned the North's weapons test days earlier. Pyongyang is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes, which it says it needs to defend against a possible US invasion. Nuclear negotiations between the US and the North have been at a standstill since the Hanoi summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un broke up in February, and Pyongyang has since demanded Washington change its approach by the end of the year. North Korea has issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as time runs down on its end-of-year deadline. Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet earlier this month, only to be rebuffed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

North Korea blasts Japan's Shinzo Abe, warns of 'real ballistic missile'

Breaking a month-long lull in missile tests, North Korea fired two short range projectiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday in what appeared to be the latest try out of its new multiple rocket launchers, South Korea's military said.

Breaking a month-long lull in missile tests, North Korea fired two short range projectiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday in what appeared to be the latest try out of its new multiple rocket launchers, South Korea's military said. The test-firing came as the clock ticks down on the year-end deadline that Pyongyang had given the United States to show flexibility in their stalled denuclearisation talks. It also coincided with the US Thanksgiving holiday and took place one day before the second anniversary of the North's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the US mainland. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the North fired the two projectiles into the sea from launchers in the eastern coastal town of Yonpo at around 5 p.m. (0800 GMT). The rockets travelled up to 380 km (236 miles) and reached an altitude of 97 km (60 miles), the JCS said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the launch was a threat not only to Japan but the region and beyond, though his defence ministry said the projectiles did not enter Japanese airspace or its Exclusive Economic Zone. "We will remain in close contact with the United States, South Korea and the international community to monitor the situation," Abe told reporters. The launch is the first since October 31, when the North tested what it called super-large multiple rocket launchers, which had also been used in tests conducted in August and September that were overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. South Korea's military expressed "strong regret" and urged the North to stop stoking military tension. "Such acts by North Korea are unhelpful for efforts to ease tension on the Korean peninsula," Jeon Dong-jin, director of operations at the JCS, told a news briefing. Looming deadline Kim has set an end-year deadline for the talks with Washington, but negotiations have been at an impasse after a day-long working level meeting on Oct. 5 ended without progress. North Korea has been demanding the lifting of sanctions that are hobbling its economy, and Kim set the deadline for Washington to show more flexibility in April, raising concerns he could resume nuclear and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017. US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said last week the year-end deadline was an artificial one, but could mean a return to "provocative" steps that preceded the past two years of diplomacy. US President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election next year, has repeatedly pointed to Kim's suspension of long-range missile and nuclear bomb tests as a major achievement of his engagement with North Korea. Analysts believe Pyongyang is trying to send a Thanksgiving reminder to the United States by demonstrating progress in weapons development on the anniversary of the 2017 ICBM test. "Today's launch fit a North Korean pattern of escalating pressure on Washington and Seoul ahead of Kim Jong-un's year-end deadline," said Leif-Eric Easley, who teaches international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. North Korean officials have warned the United States to abandon its hostile policy toward the North or Pyongyang would walk away from the talks. The North has also demanded the abandonment of joint military drills by the United States and South Korea, which it calls preparations for an invasion. The test comes a week after South Korea pulled back from a decision to scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, an important element of security cooperation between the key U.S. allies in the region. A senior Trump administration official said on Thursday that it was aware of reports of a North Korean missile launch. "We are continuing to monitor the situation and consulting closely with our allies in the region," the official said. A US State Department official said, "We call on North Korea to avoid provocations, abide by obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolutions, and return to sustained and substantive negotiations to do its part to achieve complete denuclearization‎." The Pentagon referred Reuters to the US Forces Korea for comment.

North Korea test fires rockets in Thanksgiving reminder of year-end deadline for US

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../north-korea-says-pointless-for-kim-to-attend- south-korea-asean-summit-263634">North Korea </a>fired two "unidentified projectiles" on Thursday, the Thanksgiving holiday in the US,&nbsp;Seoul said, as nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington remain deadlocked.

The brief statement from the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Pyongyang fired two projectiles eastwards from South Hamgyong province which came down in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.

It said the launch was carried out at 16:59 pm local time or the early hours in Washington DC, on one of the US' biggest annual holidays.

It was also one day short of the two-year anniversary of the first test of its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say is capable of reaching the entire US mainland.

Japan's defence ministry described the projectiles as "ballistic missile-like" but said they did not come down in the country's exclusive economic zone.

Pyongyang is banned from firing ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions.

Thursday's launch was the latest in a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang, which fired what it called two "super-large multiple rocket launcher" systems last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../trump-signs-hong-kong-democracy-act-china- threatens-firm-countermeasures-264966">US President Donald Trump</a> has played down the recent launches, repeatedly pointing to North Korea's moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him.

Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un adopted a vaguely-worded statement on the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula" at their first summit in Singapore in June last year, but little progress has since been made.

Negotiations have been gridlocked since a second summit between the pair in Hanoi in February collapsed without a deal.

North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes and lifting some of them was a key demand at the Hanoi summit.

Trump and Kim then agreed to restart working-level talks during a brief meeting at the Demilitarised Zone dividing the peninsula in June and the two sides met in Sweden in October, only for Pyongyang to walk away.

Earlier this month, Seoul and Washington said they would postpone planned joint military exercises to ease diplomacy with the North, an announcement Pyongyang dismissed.

The North has long condemned the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and carried out multiple missile launches in the summer in protest as the allies carried out their annual exercises.

North Korea has issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches.

Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet earlier this month, only to be rebuffed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

North Korea fired two "unidentified projectiles" on Thursday, the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, Seoul said, as nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington remain deadlocked.

North Korea fired two "unidentified projectiles" on Thursday, the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, Seoul said, as nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington remain deadlocked. The brief statement from the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Pyongyang fired two projectiles eastwards from South Hamgyong province which came down in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. It said the launch was carried out at 16:59 pm local time or the early hours in Washington DC, on one of the US' biggest annual holidays. It was also one day short of the two-year anniversary of the first test of its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say is capable of reaching the entire US mainland. Japan's defence ministry described the projectiles as "ballistic missile-like" but said they did not come down in the country's exclusive economic zone. Pyongyang is banned from firing ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions. Thursday's launch was the latest in a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang, which fired what it called two "super-large multiple rocket launcher" systems last month. US President Donald Trump has played down the recent launches, repeatedly pointing to North Korea's moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un adopted a vaguely-worded statement on the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula" at their first summit in Singapore in June last year, but little progress has since been made. Negotiations have been gridlocked since a second summit between the pair in Hanoi in February collapsed without a deal. North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes and lifting some of them was a key demand at the Hanoi summit. Trump and Kim then agreed to restart working-level talks during a brief meeting at the Demilitarised Zone dividing the peninsula in June and the two sides met in Sweden in October, only for Pyongyang to walk away. Earlier this month, Seoul and Washington said they would postpone planned joint military exercises to ease diplomacy with the North, an announcement Pyongyang dismissed. The North has long condemned the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and carried out multiple missile launches in the summer in protest as the allies carried out their annual exercises. North Korea has issued a series of increasingly assertive comments in recent weeks as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches. Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet earlier this month, only to be rebuffed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

North Korea fires two 'unidentified projectiles': Seoul

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../feuding-korean-firms-risk-disrupting-electric- car-battery-supplies-264839">South Korea</a>'s military fired warning shots towards a North Korean merchant boat with engine trouble that violated their sea border on Wednesday, South Korean officials said.

The vessel was detected crossing the inter-Korean maritime frontier at around 6:40 a.m. (2140 GMT Tuesday) near a South Korean border island off the west coast, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The South Korean military issued a warning and fired shots into the water near the ship to drive it away.

"So far, we confirmed that the ship drifted toward that area due to bad weather and engine trouble, and it's currently on the way back to the North on its own," the JCS said in a statement.

It was the second time the South fired warning shots towards a North Korean vessel since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017, a military official said. Moon has vowed to re-engage with the reclusive North.

South Korea also fired warning shots in September towards a drifting boat and then sent a navy mechanic to help fix its engine.

Inter-Korean relations have cooled after a flurry of diplomacy, including three summits last year, during which Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to improve ties and revive stalled economic projects.

However, there has been no substantial progress and sanctions aimed at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../north-korea-says-pointless-for-kim-to-attend- south-korea-asean-summit-263634">Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes</a> have been tightened.

There has also been no major progress in denuclearisation talks between North Korea and the United States.

Sailors from both sides have been killed in previous skirmishes in the waters off the west coast of the Korean peninsula.

South Korea's military fired warning shots towards a North Korean merchant boat with engine trouble that violated their sea border on Wednesday, South Korean officials said.

South Korea's military fired warning shots towards a North Korean merchant boat with engine trouble that violated their sea border on Wednesday, South Korean officials said. The vessel was detected crossing the inter-Korean maritime frontier at around 6:40 a.m. (2140 GMT Tuesday) near a South Korean border island off the west coast, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The South Korean military issued a warning and fired shots into the water near the ship to drive it away. "So far, we confirmed that the ship drifted toward that area due to bad weather and engine trouble, and it's currently on the way back to the North on its own," the JCS said in a statement. It was the second time the South fired warning shots towards a North Korean vessel since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017, a military official said. Moon has vowed to re-engage with the reclusive North. South Korea also fired warning shots in September towards a drifting boat and then sent a navy mechanic to help fix its engine. Inter-Korean relations have cooled after a flurry of diplomacy, including three summits last year, during which Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to improve ties and revive stalled economic projects. However, there has been no substantial progress and sanctions aimed at Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes have been tightened. There has also been no major progress in denuclearisation talks between North Korea and the United States. Sailors from both sides have been killed in previous skirmishes in the waters off the west coast of the Korean peninsula.

South Korea fires warning shots towards North Korean merchant vessel

A Singaporean firm's director was given a jail term for nearly three years for supplying luxury goods worth millions to North Korea, which violates UN sanctions.&nbsp;

The court convicted Ng Kheng Wah for shipping $4.4 million items including wine, spirits and perfume to North Korea via Dalian in China for more than six years. As per the court documents, the firm T Specialist sent over Sg$6 million in goods that included musical instruments, watches, jewellery, and cosmetics, to a department store chain in North Korea.&nbsp;

"This sanctions regime will only be effective if every UN member state, including Singapore, uses its best efforts to ensure full compliance," said Judge Bala Reddy, while reading out the 34-month sentence. He also added that such "illicit"&nbsp;international trade also harms a country's reputation and raises questions of its commitment to the UN Security Council&nbsp;sanctions regime.

The United Nations have imposed sanctions in response to North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests. Singapore introduced laws to enforce these sanctions and in 2017 ended trade ties with the North.&nbsp;

In recent years, a lot of companies and individuals were charged of supplying banned goods to North Korea. A Singaporean firm was accused of supplying wine and sprites worth nearly Sg$665,000 ($480,000) to North in August. Last year, two men were charged with supplying luxury goods, including watches 
and jewellery to Pyongyang.

(with inputs from AFP)

A Singaporean firm's director was given a jail term for nearly three years for supplying luxury goods worth millions to North Korea, which violates UN sanctions.

A Singaporean firm's director was given a jail term for nearly three years for supplying luxury goods worth millions to North Korea, which violates UN sanctions. The court convicted Ng Kheng Wah for shipping $4.4 million items including wine, spirits and perfume to North Korea via Dalian in China for more than six years. As per the court documents, the firm T Specialist sent over Sg$6 million in goods that included musical instruments, watches, jewellery, and cosmetics, to a department store chain in North Korea. "This sanctions regime will only be effective if every UN member state, including Singapore, uses its best efforts to ensure full compliance," said Judge Bala Reddy, while reading out the 34-month sentence. He also added that such "illicit" international trade also harms a country's reputation and raises questions of its commitment to the UN Security Council sanctions regime. The United Nations have imposed sanctions in response to North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests. Singapore introduced laws to enforce these sanctions and in 2017 ended trade ties with the North. In recent years, a lot of companies and individuals were charged of supplying banned goods to North Korea. A Singaporean firm was accused of supplying wine and sprites worth nearly Sg$665,000 ($480,000) to North in August. Last year, two men were charged with supplying luxury goods, including watches and jewellery to Pyongyang. (with inputs from AFP)

Singapore: Man jailed for three years for supplying luxury goods to North Korea

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-interested-in-meaningless-talks-just-so-trump-can-boast-north-korea-262928">North Korea</a> rejected an invitation for leader Kim Jong Un to attend a planned summit in South Korea next week with Southeast Asian nations, saying it would be "pointless" due to strained ties with Seoul, North Korean state media reported on Thursday.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a letter of invitation to Kim on November&nbsp;5, with an offer for an envoy to attend if he was unable to participate, the official KCNA news agency said.

Moon has said Kim might join when he hosts leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the South Korean port city of Busan next week to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their partnership.

Moon's office said it was "very regretful" Kim would miss the event, and the invitation was meant to rally international support for the two leaders' joint efforts to foster peace.

While thanking Seoul for the invitation, North Korea requested the South's "understanding that we failed to find out the proper reason" for Kim to participate, KCNA said.

The statement accused South Korea of failing to implement agreements from past summits between Kim and Moon by depending on the United States.

"As nothing was achieved in implementing the agreements ... the north-south summit for the mere form's sake would be pointless," KCNA said.

"Not content with sustaining losses from dependence on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-trade-deal-may-not-be-signed-this-year-263497">United States</a>, the south side made an offer for discussing the north-south relations in the theatre of multi-lateral co-operation. This makes us only dubious."

The two Koreas undertook a flurry of diplomacy including three summits last year, during which Moon and Kim agreed to improve ties and restart stalled business initiatives.

But there has been no significant progress amid tightening sanctions aimed at the North's nuclear and missile programmes, and stalled denuclearisation talks after Kim's failed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trump-kim-jong-un-summits-other-aim-was-to-sell-vietnam-model-to-north-korea-208086">second summit</a> with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Pyongyang has stepped up criticism against Seoul and Washington in recent months for their joint military drills and the South's purchase of US&nbsp;weapons designed to fend off North Korean threats.

"North Korea now considers summits without payment for co-operation as empty diplomacy that merely helps Moon and Trump raise domestic political support," said Leif-Eric Easley, who teaches international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

North Korea rejected an invitation for leader Kim Jong Un to attend a planned summit in South Korea next week with Southeast Asian nations, saying it would be "pointless" due to strained ties with Seoul, North Korean state media reported on Thursday.

North Korea rejected an invitation for leader Kim Jong Un to attend a planned summit in South Korea next week with Southeast Asian nations, saying it would be "pointless" due to strained ties with Seoul, North Korean state media reported on Thursday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a letter of invitation to Kim on November 5, with an offer for an envoy to attend if he was unable to participate, the official KCNA news agency said. Moon has said Kim might join when he hosts leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the South Korean port city of Busan next week to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their partnership. Moon's office said it was "very regretful" Kim would miss the event, and the invitation was meant to rally international support for the two leaders' joint efforts to foster peace. While thanking Seoul for the invitation, North Korea requested the South's "understanding that we failed to find out the proper reason" for Kim to participate, KCNA said. The statement accused South Korea of failing to implement agreements from past summits between Kim and Moon by depending on the United States. "As nothing was achieved in implementing the agreements ... the north-south summit for the mere form's sake would be pointless," KCNA said. "Not content with sustaining losses from dependence on the United States, the south side made an offer for discussing the north-south relations in the theatre of multi-lateral co-operation. This makes us only dubious." The two Koreas undertook a flurry of diplomacy including three summits last year, during which Moon and Kim agreed to improve ties and restart stalled business initiatives. But there has been no significant progress amid tightening sanctions aimed at the North's nuclear and missile programmes, and stalled denuclearisation talks after Kim's failed second summit with US President Donald Trump. Pyongyang has stepped up criticism against Seoul and Washington in recent months for their joint military drills and the South's purchase of US weapons designed to fend off North Korean threats. "North Korea now considers summits without payment for co-operation as empty diplomacy that merely helps Moon and Trump raise domestic political support," said Leif-Eric Easley, who teaches international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

North Korea says 'pointless' for Kim to attend South Korea ASEAN summit

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told reporters after meeting Russian officials in Moscow it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump if he maintains his current stance towards the North.

"To negotiate with the United States going forward, we would be able to discuss nuclear issues again when it withdraws all of its hostile policy against us," Choe said, according to Yonhap.

"In that sense, I think a summit should not really be an issue of our interest."

She did not specify what constituted such a policy, but North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday that a recent United Nations resolution on its human rights was a US-led "political provocation".

North Korea has also called for an end to joint military drills with South Korea, as well as sanctions that crippled its economy.

When asked what US&nbsp;action was needed to restart the talks, Choe said the Americans "know very well".

"The US side will have to lift all measures with which they treat us as an enemy and then inform us of such a strategic decision," she said.

Kim and Trump held a first, landmark summit in Singapore in June last year and agreed to improve relations and negotiate an end to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

The efforts have made no substantial progress and their second summit collapsed in Vietnam in February.

The two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting at the inter-Korean border, to re-open negotiations. But working-level talks in October between officials in Sweden ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed.

Choe, one of North Korea's key nuclear negotiators, met Russian officials including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, Yonhap said.

Her remarks were the latest in a series of statements in recent weeks by senior Pyongyang officials calling for US&nbsp;action, as a year-end deadline set by Kim for Washington to show more flexibility draws near.

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

A senior North Korean official said on Wednesday that the United States must drop its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang in order to restart stalled denuclearisation talks, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told reporters after meeting Russian officials in Moscow it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump if he maintains his current stance towards the North. "To negotiate with the United States going forward, we would be able to discuss nuclear issues again when it withdraws all of its hostile policy against us," Choe said, according to Yonhap. "In that sense, I think a summit should not really be an issue of our interest." She did not specify what constituted such a policy, but North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday that a recent United Nations resolution on its human rights was a US-led "political provocation". North Korea has also called for an end to joint military drills with South Korea, as well as sanctions that crippled its economy. When asked what US action was needed to restart the talks, Choe said the Americans "know very well". "The US side will have to lift all measures with which they treat us as an enemy and then inform us of such a strategic decision," she said. Kim and Trump held a first, landmark summit in Singapore in June last year and agreed to improve relations and negotiate an end to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. The efforts have made no substantial progress and their second summit collapsed in Vietnam in February. The two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting at the inter-Korean border, to re-open negotiations. But working-level talks in October between officials in Sweden ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed. Choe, one of North Korea's key nuclear negotiators, met Russian officials including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, Yonhap said. Her remarks were the latest in a series of statements in recent weeks by senior Pyongyang officials calling for US action, as a year-end deadline set by Kim for Washington to show more flexibility draws near.

North Korea says no interest in Trump summit until 'hostile policy' removed

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-interested-in-meaningless-talks-just-so-trump-can-boast-north-korea-262928">allies postponed planned drills</a>.

The US and South Korea said Sunday they would delay annual joint aerial exercises slated for this month in an act of "goodwill" after months of deadlocked nuclear talks.

Pyongyang has long protested the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and Seoul and Washington last year cancelled several training sessions in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

But Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean official who formerly led talks with the US, said the weekend postponement was irrelevant.

"We demand that the US quit the drill or stop it once and for all," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency.

Watch: US-South Korea drills postponed to bolster N Korea peace effort

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"The suspension of the drill does not mean ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and is not helpful to the diplomatic efforts," he added.

The North had "no intention" to sit down with the "tricky US" and would not return to talks "before the complete and irrevocable withdrawal of its hostile policy".

"From now on, the DPRK will get due compensation for every administrative achievement the US president has talked too much about for over a year," Kim added, referring to the North by its official name.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/get-the-deal-done-trump-tweets-at-north-koreas-kim-tells-him-to-act-quickly-262780">Trump has repeatedly pointed to North Korea's moratorium</a> on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him.

But negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit in February broke up in disagreement over sanctions relief, while October's working-level talks rapidly broke down in Sweden.

Tuesday's statement was the latest in a series of increasingly assertive comments from the North as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches, and it has also carried out multiple weapons tests in recent weeks.

Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet at the weekend, only to be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-north-korea-went-too-far-in-calling-biden-rabid-dog-262772">dismissed by the North</a>, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the allies postponed planned drills.

The United States must end its joint exercises with Seoul "once and for all" to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang, North Korea said Tuesday, just days after the allies postponed planned drills. The US and South Korea said Sunday they would delay annual joint aerial exercises slated for this month in an act of "goodwill" after months of deadlocked nuclear talks. Pyongyang has long protested the joint drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and Seoul and Washington last year cancelled several training sessions in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un. But Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean official who formerly led talks with the US, said the weekend postponement was irrelevant. "We demand that the US quit the drill or stop it once and for all," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency. Watch: US-South Korea drills postponed to bolster N Korea peace effort "The suspension of the drill does not mean ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and is not helpful to the diplomatic efforts," he added. The North had "no intention" to sit down with the "tricky US" and would not return to talks "before the complete and irrevocable withdrawal of its hostile policy". "From now on, the DPRK will get due compensation for every administrative achievement the US president has talked too much about for over a year," Kim added, referring to the North by its official name. Trump has repeatedly pointed to North Korea's moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches as foreign policy successes for him. But negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit in February broke up in disagreement over sanctions relief, while October's working-level talks rapidly broke down in Sweden. Tuesday's statement was the latest in a series of increasingly assertive comments from the North as its end-of-year deadline for the US to come up with a fresh offer approaches, and it has also carried out multiple weapons tests in recent weeks. Trump hinted at the prospect of a fourth meeting with Kim in a tweet at the weekend, only to be dismissed by the North, which said it had no interest in summits "that bring nothing to us".

Quit drill with South Korea, stop it once and for all: North Korean media to US

&nbsp;North Korea will play their World Cup qualifier against Lebanon behind closed doors in Beirut on Tuesday due to security concerns, the Asian Football Confederation said, as the country struggles with a wave of protests against its leaders.

An AFC spokesman told Reuters the reason was "same as last week - security concerns".

Last week's qualifier between Lebanon and South Korea was also played in front of an empty stadium following the advice of the local security forces, the AFC said.

The Lebanese protesters blame their leaders for steering the country towards economic collapse. Parliament was unable to hold its first session in two months on Tuesday as the protesters prevented lawmakers from even reaching the building.

Lebanon are tied on seven points with North Korea in Group H of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, and either side could go top with a victory on Tuesday.

South Korea, who top Group H with eight points from four matches, were held to a 0-0 draw in Thursday's match in Asia's second round of 2022 World Cup preliminaries.

"The Lebanon Football Association, following the advice of the Lebanese security forces, has decided Tuesday's Asian Qualifiers tie between Lebanon and DPR Korea will be played behind closed doors," the AFC said in a statement.

North Korea will play their World Cup qualifier against Lebanon behind closed doors in Beirut on Tuesday due to security concerns, the Asian Football Confederation said, as the country struggles with a wave of protests against its leaders.

North Korea will play their World Cup qualifier against Lebanon behind closed doors in Beirut on Tuesday due to security concerns, the Asian Football Confederation said, as the country struggles with a wave of protests against its leaders. An AFC spokesman told Reuters the reason was "same as last week - security concerns". Last week's qualifier between Lebanon and South Korea was also played in front of an empty stadium following the advice of the local security forces, the AFC said. The Lebanese protesters blame their leaders for steering the country towards economic collapse. Parliament was unable to hold its first session in two months on Tuesday as the protesters prevented lawmakers from even reaching the building. Lebanon are tied on seven points with North Korea in Group H of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, and either side could go top with a victory on Tuesday. South Korea, who top Group H with eight points from four matches, were held to a 0-0 draw in Thursday's match in Asia's second round of 2022 World Cup preliminaries. "The Lebanon Football Association, following the advice of the Lebanese security forces, has decided Tuesday's Asian Qualifiers tie between Lebanon and DPR Korea will be played behind closed doors," the AFC said in a statement.

North Korea to play in Lebanon behind closed doors on security concerns: AFC

The United States and South Korea said on Sunday they will postpone upcoming military drills in an effort to bolster a stalled peace push with North Korea, even as Washington denied the move amounted to another concession to Pyongyang.

U.S.-South Korea military drills postponed in bid to bolster North Korea peace effort

North Korea said on Monday it was not interested in meaningless talks with the United States just so <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-hearing-in-closed-door-session-white-house-budget-official-to-testify-on-military-aid-to-ukraine-262610">President Donald Trump</a> had something to boast about, urging an end to what it called a policy of hostility if the United States wanted dialogue.

The comment by senior North Korean official Kim Kye Gwan, who is a former vice foreign minister, came after Trump on the weekend called on North Korean leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/get-the-deal-done-trump-tweets-at-north-koreas-kim-tells-him-to-act-quickly-262780">Kim Jong Un to "act quickly"</a> and hinted at another meeting.

Kim, in a statement carried by the state KCNA news agency, said he had seen the November&nbsp;17 Twitter post by Trump signalling another summit but added that little had improved despite three meetings between the two leaders since June last year.

"We are no longer interested in such talks that bring nothing to us," he said.

"As we have got nothing in return, we will no longer gift the US&nbsp;president with something he can boast of, but get compensation for the successes that President Trump is proud of as his administrative achievements," Kim said.

Trump and North Korean leader Kim met for the first time in a landmark summit in Singapore in June last year, to push forward negotiations the United States hopes will lead to North Korea's dismantling of its nuclear and missile programmes, in exchange for the lifting of punishing international sanctions.

The talks have made no significant progress since a second summit between US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-north-korea-went-too-far-in-calling-biden-rabid-dog-262772">Kim Jong Un</a> collapsed in Vietnam in February, even though the two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting, to reopen negotiations.

Watch: North Korea's Kim rides white horse on sacred mountain

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In April, Kim set a year-end deadline for the United States to show more flexibility, raising concern North Korea could resume nuclear and long-range missile testing, which it has suspended since 2017.

Kim Kye Gwan said the United States must make a decisive move to abandon its hostile policy if it genuinely wanted dialogue. He did not elaborate.

In his Twitter message, Trump urged Kim Jong Un, to "get the deal done", signing off "See you soon!".

The message came hours after the United States and South Korea announced they were postponing military exercises in an effort to bolster the stalled peace push.

North Korea denounces such exercises as a preparation for invasion. On Sunday, it also said a recent U.N. resolution on its human rights conditions was an obstacle to new US&nbsp;talks.

Working-level talks between the two sides in October ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed.

On Monday, the North's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui travelled to Russia, a trip that analysts said could be to discuss strategy for the US&nbsp;negotiations.

This month, North Korea said it had <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-rebuffs-us-offer-of-december-talks-262144">turned down a US&nbsp;offer</a> for more talks, saying it was not interested if they were aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of the deadline.

"For Kim Jong Un, having set a year-end deadline himself, it is most important to meet it," said Cho Han-bum, Senior Research Fellow at Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

While North Korea wants the sanctions lifted, the United States has insisted Kim must dismantle his nuclear weapons programme first.

North Korea said on Monday it was not interested in meaningless talks with the United States just so President Donald Trump had something to boast about, urging an end to what it called a policy of hostility if the United States wanted dialogue.

North Korea said on Monday it was not interested in meaningless talks with the United States just so President Donald Trump had something to boast about, urging an end to what it called a policy of hostility if the United States wanted dialogue. The comment by senior North Korean official Kim Kye Gwan, who is a former vice foreign minister, came after Trump on the weekend called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to "act quickly" and hinted at another meeting. Kim, in a statement carried by the state KCNA news agency, said he had seen the November 17 Twitter post by Trump signalling another summit but added that little had improved despite three meetings between the two leaders since June last year. "We are no longer interested in such talks that bring nothing to us," he said. "As we have got nothing in return, we will no longer gift the US president with something he can boast of, but get compensation for the successes that President Trump is proud of as his administrative achievements," Kim said. Trump and North Korean leader Kim met for the first time in a landmark summit in Singapore in June last year, to push forward negotiations the United States hopes will lead to North Korea's dismantling of its nuclear and missile programmes, in exchange for the lifting of punishing international sanctions. The talks have made no significant progress since a second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un collapsed in Vietnam in February, even though the two leaders agreed in June, at a third meeting, to reopen negotiations. Watch: North Korea's Kim rides white horse on sacred mountain × In April, Kim set a year-end deadline for the United States to show more flexibility, raising concern North Korea could resume nuclear and long-range missile testing, which it has suspended since 2017. Kim Kye Gwan said the United States must make a decisive move to abandon its hostile policy if it genuinely wanted dialogue. He did not elaborate. In his Twitter message, Trump urged Kim Jong Un, to "get the deal done", signing off "See you soon!". The message came hours after the United States and South Korea announced they were postponing military exercises in an effort to bolster the stalled peace push. North Korea denounces such exercises as a preparation for invasion. On Sunday, it also said a recent U.N. resolution on its human rights conditions was an obstacle to new US talks. Working-level talks between the two sides in October ended with the North Korean envoy accusing the Americans of coming to the table empty-handed. On Monday, the North's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui travelled to Russia, a trip that analysts said could be to discuss strategy for the US negotiations. This month, North Korea said it had turned down a US offer for more talks, saying it was not interested if they were aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of the deadline. "For Kim Jong Un, having set a year-end deadline himself, it is most important to meet it," said Cho Han-bum, Senior Research Fellow at Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. While North Korea wants the sanctions lifted, the United States has insisted Kim must dismantle his nuclear weapons programme first.

Not interested in meaningless talks just so Trump can boast: North Korea

US President Donald Trump issued a rare -- if tepid -- defence of election rival Joe Biden on Sunday, saying Pyongyang's depiction of him as "a rabid dog" who should be "beaten to death" went a bit too far.

"Joe Biden may be Sleepy and Very Slow," Trump tweeted, using his derisive nicknames for the former vice president and Democratic 2020 presidential nomination frontrunner, "but he is not a 'rabid dog.' He is actually somewhat better than that."

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Mr. Chairman, Joe Biden may be Sleepy and Very Slow, but he is not a “rabid dog.” He is actually somewhat better than that, but I am the only one who can get you where you have to be. You should act quickly, get the deal done. See you soon! <a href="https://t.co/kO2k14lTf7">https://t.co/kO2k14lTf7</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1196080086686011398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The president was responding to a conservative commentator's tweet about a particularly visceral attack on Biden issued Friday by North Korea.

The North's official KCNA news agency said Biden had shown "the temerity to dare slander the dignity of the supreme leadership" of North Korea.&nbsp;

"Rabid dogs like Biden can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about," the KCNA statement said. "They must be beaten to death with a stick."

It was not clear what had provoked Pyongyang's ire. But the angry response came after the Biden campaign released an ad condemning Trump's foreign policy and saying that "dictators and tyrants are praised, our allies pushed aside."

The word "tyrants" was heard at the exact moment a picture appeared on the screen of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shaking hands at their Singapore summit last year.

Whether Trump was speaking sincerely or ironically in defending Biden, the former vice president's first subsequent appearance on Twitter was hardly conciliatory.

Instead, Biden sharply condemned Trump's pardon on Friday of a former soldier convicted of murder and a former Green Beret charged with killing a suspected Taliban bomb-maker.

"Trump's intervention in the American military justice system to pardon service members accused or convicted of war crimes betrays the rule of law, the values that make our country exceptional &amp; the men and women who wear the uniform honourably," Biden said.

"He is not fit to command our troops."

Trump's tweet had a dual purpose: it also served as a platform to seek re-engagement with Kim.

"I am the only one who can get you where you have to be," Trump's tweet said, referring to the North Korean leader. "You should act quickly, get the deal done. See you soon!"

Talks between the two sides on a deal for North Korea's denuclearization stalled after a Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump broke up in February. Working-level talks in Sweden last month also broke down.

But Pyongyang welcomed the news on Sunday that joint US-South Korean air drills are being postponed in what US Defense Secretary Mark Esper called an "act of goodwill" toward the nuclear-armed North.

US President Donald Trump issued a rare -- if tepid -- defence of election rival Joe Biden on Sunday, saying Pyongyang's depiction of him as "a rabid dog" who should be "beaten to death" went a bit too far.

US President Donald Trump issued a rare -- if tepid -- defence of election rival Joe Biden on Sunday, saying Pyongyang's depiction of him as "a rabid dog" who should be "beaten to death" went a bit too far. "Joe Biden may be Sleepy and Very Slow," Trump tweeted, using his derisive nicknames for the former vice president and Democratic 2020 presidential nomination frontrunner, "but he is not a 'rabid dog.' He is actually somewhat better than that." Mr. Chairman, Joe Biden may be Sleepy and Very Slow, but he is not a “rabid dog.” He is actually somewhat better than that, but I am the only one who can get you where you have to be. You should act quickly, get the deal done. See you soon! https://t.co/kO2k14lTf7 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2019 × The president was responding to a conservative commentator's tweet about a particularly visceral attack on Biden issued Friday by North Korea. The North's official KCNA news agency said Biden had shown "the temerity to dare slander the dignity of the supreme leadership" of North Korea. "Rabid dogs like Biden can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about," the KCNA statement said. "They must be beaten to death with a stick." It was not clear what had provoked Pyongyang's ire. But the angry response came after the Biden campaign released an ad condemning Trump's foreign policy and saying that "dictators and tyrants are praised, our allies pushed aside." The word "tyrants" was heard at the exact moment a picture appeared on the screen of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shaking hands at their Singapore summit last year. Whether Trump was speaking sincerely or ironically in defending Biden, the former vice president's first subsequent appearance on Twitter was hardly conciliatory. Instead, Biden sharply condemned Trump's pardon on Friday of a former soldier convicted of murder and a former Green Beret charged with killing a suspected Taliban bomb-maker. "Trump's intervention in the American military justice system to pardon service members accused or convicted of war crimes betrays the rule of law, the values that make our country exceptional & the men and women who wear the uniform honourably," Biden said. "He is not fit to command our troops." Trump's tweet had a dual purpose: it also served as a platform to seek re-engagement with Kim. "I am the only one who can get you where you have to be," Trump's tweet said, referring to the North Korean leader. "You should act quickly, get the deal done. See you soon!" Talks between the two sides on a deal for North Korea's denuclearization stalled after a Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump broke up in February. Working-level talks in Sweden last month also broke down. But Pyongyang welcomed the news on Sunday that joint US-South Korean air drills are being postponed in what US Defense Secretary Mark Esper called an "act of goodwill" toward the nuclear-armed North.

Trump says North Korea went too far in calling Biden 'rabid dog'

The respective chiefs of defence for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-could-scale-back-joint-drills-defense-secretary-mark-esper-262137">South Korea and the United States</a> on Friday asserted their commitment to protecting South Korea against North Korea. According to South's Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, this will also include efforts to continue denuclearisation of North Korea.

Jeong and the US Defence Secretary Mark Esper believe in a fair and mutually agreeable cost-sharing pact for American troops that are stationed in South Korea.&nbsp;

Mark Esper made it clear that South Korea had to bear more burden of the cost for retaining US troops in the country,

''South Korea is a wealthy country and could and should pay more for the deployment of US military in the South'', Esper told a briefing after meeting South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo.

North Korea has long protested joint military drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and has set Washington an end-of-year deadline to come up with a new offer in deadlocked negotiations on its weapons programmes.

The US and South Korea last year cancelled several joint drills in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un, but are due to carry out a combined air exercise later this month.

"We will adjust our exercise posture either more or less depending on what diplomacy may require," Esper told reporters on board his plane to Seoul, where he started an Asian tour Thursday.

The possible downsizing of the joint drills should not be seen as a "concession" to Pyongyang, he said, "but as a means to keep the door open to diplomacy".

"I'm all for diplomacy first," he added.

His comments came after Pyongyang reiterated its demands for the combined exercise to be scrapped.

"The US is not accepting with due consideration the year-end time limit that we set out of great patience and magnanimity," a spokesman for the State Affairs Commission (SAC) said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

The SAC is the North's top governing body and it is unusual for it to issue such declarations.

Holding the drills would be an "undisguised breach" of the Singapore summit declaration, it said, adding: "Betrayal is only what we feel from the US side."

"We no longer feel the need to exercise any more patience," it went on, but gave no details of the "new way" it was threatening to pursue if Washington did not meet its demands.

Negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump broke up in February with disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return.

Working-level talks restarted in Sweden in October only to break down quickly, with the North blaming the US for not giving up its "old attitude".

Pyongyang has carried out a series of missile tests in recent weeks and months, including one launched at sea, which it said was fired from a submarine -- a potential strategic game-changer.

The tests would improve the North's capabilities, Esper acknowledged.

"Anytime you test, you learn something," he said. "We take them very seriously and we watch them very closely, but we're also not going to overreact and do something that, for example, could close the door to diplomacy."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-of-retaliation-against-us-south-korea-military-drills-261949">North Korea's roving ambassador for the foreign ministry</a> said Thursday that Pyongyang was not interested in US talks without concessions from Washington.

"I intuitively feel that the US is not ready to give a satisfactory answer to us and its proposal for dialogue with us is a trick to earn time," KCNA quoted Kim Myong Gil as saying.

"Explicitly speaking once again, I am not interested in such a meeting."

(With inputs from Reuters)

The respective chiefs of defence for South Korea and the United States on Friday asserted their commitment to protecting South Korea against North Korea. According to South's Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, this will also include efforts to continue denuclearisation of North Korea.

The respective chiefs of defence for South Korea and the United States on Friday asserted their commitment to protecting South Korea against North Korea. According to South's Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, this will also include efforts to continue denuclearisation of North Korea. Jeong and the US Defence Secretary Mark Esper believe in a fair and mutually agreeable cost-sharing pact for American troops that are stationed in South Korea. Mark Esper made it clear that South Korea had to bear more burden of the cost for retaining US troops in the country, ''South Korea is a wealthy country and could and should pay more for the deployment of US military in the South'', Esper told a briefing after meeting South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. North Korea has long protested joint military drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and has set Washington an end-of-year deadline to come up with a new offer in deadlocked negotiations on its weapons programmes. The US and South Korea last year cancelled several joint drills in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un, but are due to carry out a combined air exercise later this month. "We will adjust our exercise posture either more or less depending on what diplomacy may require," Esper told reporters on board his plane to Seoul, where he started an Asian tour Thursday. The possible downsizing of the joint drills should not be seen as a "concession" to Pyongyang, he said, "but as a means to keep the door open to diplomacy". "I'm all for diplomacy first," he added. His comments came after Pyongyang reiterated its demands for the combined exercise to be scrapped. "The US is not accepting with due consideration the year-end time limit that we set out of great patience and magnanimity," a spokesman for the State Affairs Commission (SAC) said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. The SAC is the North's top governing body and it is unusual for it to issue such declarations. Holding the drills would be an "undisguised breach" of the Singapore summit declaration, it said, adding: "Betrayal is only what we feel from the US side." "We no longer feel the need to exercise any more patience," it went on, but gave no details of the "new way" it was threatening to pursue if Washington did not meet its demands. Negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump broke up in February with disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return. Working-level talks restarted in Sweden in October only to break down quickly, with the North blaming the US for not giving up its "old attitude". Pyongyang has carried out a series of missile tests in recent weeks and months, including one launched at sea, which it said was fired from a submarine -- a potential strategic game-changer. The tests would improve the North's capabilities, Esper acknowledged. "Anytime you test, you learn something," he said. "We take them very seriously and we watch them very closely, but we're also not going to overreact and do something that, for example, could close the door to diplomacy." North Korea's roving ambassador for the foreign ministry said Thursday that Pyongyang was not interested in US talks without concessions from Washington. "I intuitively feel that the US is not ready to give a satisfactory answer to us and its proposal for dialogue with us is a trick to earn time," KCNA quoted Kim Myong Gil as saying. "Explicitly speaking once again, I am not interested in such a meeting." (With inputs from Reuters)

South Korea, US defence chiefs reaffirm commitment to defend against North Korea

North Korea's state media on Friday stepped up a personal attack on former US&nbsp;Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-fm-says-us-envoy-did-not-link-joe-biden-probe-to-aid-262160">Joe Biden</a> for slandering its leader, calling the Democratic presidential candidate "a rabid dog" that needed to be put down.

The official KCNA news agency did not say how Biden had insulted the North's leader, Kim Jong Un, but the 2020 presidential hopeful has been critical of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's policy, saying he was coddling a murderous dictator.

Misspelling Biden's name, KCNA said the former vice president was showing signs of "the final stage of dementia", and the "time has come for him to depart his life".

In a commentary, it said, "Such a guy had the temerity to dare slander the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK," using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"It was the last-ditch efforts of the rabid dog expediting his death," KCNA said. "Rabid dogs like Baiden [sic] can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about. They must be beaten to death with a stick, before it is too late."

In contrast, the North has credited a "close personal relationship" between Kim and Trump for saving ties between their countries from a destructive pattern of hostility.

The leaders have met three times to discuss improving ties and ending the North's nuclear weapons programme.

Trump backed a previous personal attack on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-trump-ally-admits-tying-ukraine-aid-to-biden-investigation-260217">Biden</a> by the North and dismissed criticism that he was siding with a foreign dictator over a fellow American.

In May, North Korea had called Biden "an imbecile" for criticising its leader.

North Korea's state media on Friday stepped up a personal attack on former US Vice President Joe Biden for slandering its leader, calling the Democratic presidential candidate "a rabid dog" that needed to be put down.

North Korea's state media on Friday stepped up a personal attack on former US Vice President Joe Biden for slandering its leader, calling the Democratic presidential candidate "a rabid dog" that needed to be put down. The official KCNA news agency did not say how Biden had insulted the North's leader, Kim Jong Un, but the 2020 presidential hopeful has been critical of US President Donald Trump's policy, saying he was coddling a murderous dictator. Misspelling Biden's name, KCNA said the former vice president was showing signs of "the final stage of dementia", and the "time has come for him to depart his life". In a commentary, it said, "Such a guy had the temerity to dare slander the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK," using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "It was the last-ditch efforts of the rabid dog expediting his death," KCNA said. "Rabid dogs like Baiden [sic] can hurt lots of people if they are allowed to run about. They must be beaten to death with a stick, before it is too late." In contrast, the North has credited a "close personal relationship" between Kim and Trump for saving ties between their countries from a destructive pattern of hostility. The leaders have met three times to discuss improving ties and ending the North's nuclear weapons programme. Trump backed a previous personal attack on Biden by the North and dismissed criticism that he was siding with a foreign dictator over a fellow American. In May, North Korea had called Biden "an imbecile" for criticising its leader.

North Korea calls United States' Biden a 'rabid dog' nearing death

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-of-retaliation-against-us-south-korea-military-drills-261949">North Korea</a> said on Friday it had sent South Korea an "ultimatum" about its Mt Kumgang tourist resort, saying it will unilaterally remove South Korea's facilities there if Seoul insists on talks about the issue.

South Korea had proposed talks with North Korea on how to handle its facilities in the resort, once a rare example of cooperation between the Koreas, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said last month he wanted them removed amid cooled inter-Korean relations.

North Korea had said they wanted to discuss the removal "by writing", not by talks, but South Korea, while proposing talks, said they would seek a "creative solution" and make the protection of South Korean assets a priority.

"On November 11 we sent an ultimatum, warning that if the South Korean authorities persist in their useless assertion, we will take it as an abandonment of the withdrawal, and take resolute measure for unilaterally pulling down the facilities," the North's official KCNA news agency said.

South Korea's Unification Ministry deputy spokesman Kim Eun-han said Seoul would respond calmly to the issue "in line with its consistent position that the two Koreas should deal with it through mutual agreement".

He did not elaborate on what South Korea might do if <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-rebuffs-us-offer-of-december-talks-262144">North Korea</a> removed the Mt Kumgang facilities.

Mt Kumgang is on North Korea's east coast, just beyond the demilitarised zone separating the two countries. It was one of two major inter-Korean economic projects, along with the Kaesong industrial zone, and an important token of rapprochement during decades of hostilities following the 1950-53 Korean War.

Kim Jong Un called the South Korean-built facilities, now more than a decade old, "shabby" and "capitalist" and ordered a modern redevelopment of the tourist spot, KCNA reported in October.

There have been no South Korean tours to Mt Kumgang since 2008, when a South Korean tourist was shot by a North Korean soldier, although there have been infrequent events such as the reunions of families from both sides separated by the war.

KCNA said on Friday Kim Jong Un inspected the construction site of Yangdok Hot Springs tourist resort again, one of his pet projects as he focuses on building up tourism as a revenue resource not blocked by international sanctions.

A photograph in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun showed him posing with his shirt collar open in front of facilities that included pools of water, a pagoda and other buildings.

It was his fourth publicised visit to Yangdok this year. Kim Jong Un said in late October it was "refreshing and reviving" to visit the resort, which is nearing completion, and that it was "a striking contrast to the Mt Kumgang tourist area".

North Korea said on Friday it had sent South Korea an "ultimatum" about its Mt Kumgang tourist resort, saying it will unilaterally remove South Korea's facilities there if Seoul insists on talks about the issue.

North Korea said on Friday it had sent South Korea an "ultimatum" about its Mt Kumgang tourist resort, saying it will unilaterally remove South Korea's facilities there if Seoul insists on talks about the issue. South Korea had proposed talks with North Korea on how to handle its facilities in the resort, once a rare example of cooperation between the Koreas, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said last month he wanted them removed amid cooled inter-Korean relations. North Korea had said they wanted to discuss the removal "by writing", not by talks, but South Korea, while proposing talks, said they would seek a "creative solution" and make the protection of South Korean assets a priority. "On November 11 we sent an ultimatum, warning that if the South Korean authorities persist in their useless assertion, we will take it as an abandonment of the withdrawal, and take resolute measure for unilaterally pulling down the facilities," the North's official KCNA news agency said. South Korea's Unification Ministry deputy spokesman Kim Eun-han said Seoul would respond calmly to the issue "in line with its consistent position that the two Koreas should deal with it through mutual agreement". He did not elaborate on what South Korea might do if North Korea removed the Mt Kumgang facilities. Mt Kumgang is on North Korea's east coast, just beyond the demilitarised zone separating the two countries. It was one of two major inter-Korean economic projects, along with the Kaesong industrial zone, and an important token of rapprochement during decades of hostilities following the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim Jong Un called the South Korean-built facilities, now more than a decade old, "shabby" and "capitalist" and ordered a modern redevelopment of the tourist spot, KCNA reported in October. There have been no South Korean tours to Mt Kumgang since 2008, when a South Korean tourist was shot by a North Korean soldier, although there have been infrequent events such as the reunions of families from both sides separated by the war. KCNA said on Friday Kim Jong Un inspected the construction site of Yangdok Hot Springs tourist resort again, one of his pet projects as he focuses on building up tourism as a revenue resource not blocked by international sanctions. A photograph in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun showed him posing with his shirt collar open in front of facilities that included pools of water, a pagoda and other buildings. It was his fourth publicised visit to Yangdok this year. Kim Jong Un said in late October it was "refreshing and reviving" to visit the resort, which is nearing completion, and that it was "a striking contrast to the Mt Kumgang tourist area".

Will remove Mt Kumgang resort facilities if South Korea insists on talks: North Korea

North Korea threatened on Wednesday to retaliate if the United States goes ahead with scheduled military drills with South Korea, ramping up pressure on Washington to change course as a year-end North Korean deadline for US&nbsp;flexibility approaches.

The statement came even though Washington said last week that the joint aerial exercise planned for next month would be reduced in scope from previous drills.

"It is self-defence rights" to retaliate against any move which threatens its sovereignty and security, according to a statement from the State Affairs Commission, without elaborating.

It is rare for the commission, the supreme governing body chaired by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to release a statement.

Last week, a senior North Korean <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/our-patience-reaching-uppermost-limit-north-korea-on-us-south-korea-military-excercise-260377">diplomat also blamed the US</a>&nbsp;joint aerial drill for "throwing cold water" over talks with Washington. Pyongyang opposes US-South Korean joint military exercises, viewing them as a rehearsal for invasion.

In its latest statement, Pyongyang said it had taken measures to calm Washington's concerns but that the United States had failed to reciprocate, leaving it with a "feeling of betrayal."

Asked to comment on the North Korea statement, the US&nbsp;State Department made no reference to the military exercises, but a spokeswoman referred to an agreement reached between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump at their first summit in Singapore in June 2018.

"President Trump remains committed to making progress toward the Singapore commitments of transformed relations, building lasting peace, and complete denuclearisation," she said.

Immediately following his first meeting with Kim, Trump made a surprise announcement that the United States would suspend military drills with South Korea. Since then, major exercises have been halted or scaled back.

Kim in April gave the United States a year-end deadline to show more flexibility in stalled denuclearisation talks.

This statement followed the collapse of his second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February, and has raised concerns that North Korea could return to nuclear bomb and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017.

North Korea has tested the limits of engagement with a string of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-projectiles-souths-military-259136">short-range missile launches</a>, and analysts say it appears to have been emboldened to toughen its approach by the impeachment inquiry into Trump in Washington.

Senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers presented duelling narratives on Wednesday as the congressional impeachment inquiry threatening Trump's presidency entered a crucial new phase with the first televised public hearing.

North Korea threatened on Wednesday to retaliate if the United States goes ahead with scheduled military drills with South Korea, ramping up pressure on Washington to change course as a year-end North Korean deadline for US flexibility approaches.

North Korea threatened on Wednesday to retaliate if the United States goes ahead with scheduled military drills with South Korea, ramping up pressure on Washington to change course as a year-end North Korean deadline for US flexibility approaches. The statement came even though Washington said last week that the joint aerial exercise planned for next month would be reduced in scope from previous drills. "It is self-defence rights" to retaliate against any move which threatens its sovereignty and security, according to a statement from the State Affairs Commission, without elaborating. It is rare for the commission, the supreme governing body chaired by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to release a statement. Last week, a senior North Korean diplomat also blamed the US joint aerial drill for "throwing cold water" over talks with Washington. Pyongyang opposes US-South Korean joint military exercises, viewing them as a rehearsal for invasion. In its latest statement, Pyongyang said it had taken measures to calm Washington's concerns but that the United States had failed to reciprocate, leaving it with a "feeling of betrayal." Asked to comment on the North Korea statement, the US State Department made no reference to the military exercises, but a spokeswoman referred to an agreement reached between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump at their first summit in Singapore in June 2018. "President Trump remains committed to making progress toward the Singapore commitments of transformed relations, building lasting peace, and complete denuclearisation," she said. Immediately following his first meeting with Kim, Trump made a surprise announcement that the United States would suspend military drills with South Korea. Since then, major exercises have been halted or scaled back. Kim in April gave the United States a year-end deadline to show more flexibility in stalled denuclearisation talks. This statement followed the collapse of his second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February, and has raised concerns that North Korea could return to nuclear bomb and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017. North Korea has tested the limits of engagement with a string of short-range missile launches, and analysts say it appears to have been emboldened to toughen its approach by the impeachment inquiry into Trump in Washington. Senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers presented duelling narratives on Wednesday as the congressional impeachment inquiry threatening Trump's presidency entered a crucial new phase with the first televised public hearing.

North Korea warns of retaliation against US-South Korea military drills

North Korea said on Thursday it has been offered a fresh meeting with the United States but is uninterested in more talks aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of a year-end deadline Pyongyang has set for Washington to show more flexibility in their negotiations.

Kim Myong Gil, the North's nuclear negotiator, said in a report carried by state media that Stephen Biegun, his US counterpart who jointly led last month's failed denuclearisation talks in Stockholm, had offered through a third country to meet again.

Kim and Biegun met last month in the Swedish capital for the first time since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed in June to re-open negotiations that have been stalled since a failed summit in Vietnam in February.

But the meeting fell apart, with Kim saying the US side failed to present a new approach.

"If the negotiated solution of issues is possible, we are ready to meet with the US at any place and any time," Kim Myong Gil said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

But he called Biegun's proposal a "sinister aim of appeasing us in a bid to pass with ease" Pyongyang's year-end deadline. "We have no willingness to have such negotiations."

North Korea has been seeking a lifting of punishing sanctions, but the United States has insisted Kim Jong Un must dismantle his nuclear weapons programme first.

Joint drills

The North Korean statement came after General Mark Milley, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, reaffirmed that the United States was ready to use the "full range" of its capabilities to defend South Korea from any attack.

Senior US defence officials are gathering in Seoul for annual meetings as the two countries face intensifying threats from North Korea to stop joint military drills.

The United States is also seeking a greater financial contribution from South Korea for hosting American troops, while urging Seoul to revoke its decision to scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan known as GSOMIA, which Washington fears would undermine trilateral cooperation.

Milley met his South Korean counterpart General Park Han-ki for the annual Military Committee Meeting (MCM) on Thursday.

Both sides discussed ways to maintain solid defence posture and a planned transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea, a joint statement said, even as they have scaled back joint exercises to expedite negotiations with North Korea.

Milley reiterated the "continued commitment to providing extended deterrence", the statement said.

"He affirmed that the United States remains prepared to respond to any attack on the Korean Peninsula, using the full range of U.S. military capabilities."

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was arriving in Seoul later on Thursday, ahead of a meeting with South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo for the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on Friday.

Esper said on Wednesday he was open to changes in US military activity in South Korea if it helped diplomats trying to jump-start stalled talks with North Korea.

Pyongyang has derided the US-South Korea exercises as hostile, even in the current reduced form. On Wednesday, it threatened to retaliate if the allies go ahead with scheduled drills in a rare statement from the State Affairs Commission, a top governing body chaired by leader Kim Jong Un.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at South Korea's Sejong Institute think-tank, said the North's statement appeared to be aimed at justifying future North Korean military actions.

Trilateral cooperation

Milley has hinted at raising the troop cost-sharing and Japan issues, though the joint statement did not address them directly.

Trump's insistence Seoul take on a greater share of the cost of the 28,500-strong US military presence as deterrence against North Korea has rattled South Korea. It could also set a precedent for upcoming US negotiations on defence cost-sharing with other allies.

A South Korean lawmaker said last week that US officials demanded up to $5 billion a year, more than five times what Seoul agreed to pay this year under a one-year deal.

Washington has also been pressing Seoul to reconsider its decision to scrap the GSOMIA intelligence-sharing pact with Japan. The pact, which South Korea decided not to renew, expires on November 23.

Esper said on Wednesday that GSOMIA "must be maintained" for cooperation between the United States, South Korea and Japan against any "North Korean bad behaviour".

Seoul's Defence Ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said on Thursday it would reexamine GSOMIA "if Japan withdraws its unjust retaliatory measures and friendly relations between the two countries recover".

Relations have plunged after South Korea's top court last year ordered Japanese firms to compensate some wartime forced labourers, and Japan curbed exports of key industrial materials to South Korea in July.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Alex Richa

North Korea said on Thursday it has been offered a fresh meeting with the United States but is uninterested in more talks aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of a year-end deadline Pyongyang has set for Washington to show more flexibility in their negotiations.

North Korea said on Thursday it has been offered a fresh meeting with the United States but is uninterested in more talks aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of a year-end deadline Pyongyang has set for Washington to show more flexibility in their negotiations. Kim Myong Gil, the North's nuclear negotiator, said in a report carried by state media that Stephen Biegun, his US counterpart who jointly led last month's failed denuclearisation talks in Stockholm, had offered through a third country to meet again. Kim and Biegun met last month in the Swedish capital for the first time since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed in June to re-open negotiations that have been stalled since a failed summit in Vietnam in February. But the meeting fell apart, with Kim saying the US side failed to present a new approach. "If the negotiated solution of issues is possible, we are ready to meet with the US at any place and any time," Kim Myong Gil said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. But he called Biegun's proposal a "sinister aim of appeasing us in a bid to pass with ease" Pyongyang's year-end deadline. "We have no willingness to have such negotiations." North Korea has been seeking a lifting of punishing sanctions, but the United States has insisted Kim Jong Un must dismantle his nuclear weapons programme first. Joint drills The North Korean statement came after General Mark Milley, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, reaffirmed that the United States was ready to use the "full range" of its capabilities to defend South Korea from any attack. Senior US defence officials are gathering in Seoul for annual meetings as the two countries face intensifying threats from North Korea to stop joint military drills. The United States is also seeking a greater financial contribution from South Korea for hosting American troops, while urging Seoul to revoke its decision to scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan known as GSOMIA, which Washington fears would undermine trilateral cooperation. Milley met his South Korean counterpart General Park Han-ki for the annual Military Committee Meeting (MCM) on Thursday. Both sides discussed ways to maintain solid defence posture and a planned transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea, a joint statement said, even as they have scaled back joint exercises to expedite negotiations with North Korea. Milley reiterated the "continued commitment to providing extended deterrence", the statement said. "He affirmed that the United States remains prepared to respond to any attack on the Korean Peninsula, using the full range of U.S. military capabilities." US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was arriving in Seoul later on Thursday, ahead of a meeting with South Korean Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo for the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on Friday. Esper said on Wednesday he was open to changes in US military activity in South Korea if it helped diplomats trying to jump-start stalled talks with North Korea. Pyongyang has derided the US-South Korea exercises as hostile, even in the current reduced form. On Wednesday, it threatened to retaliate if the allies go ahead with scheduled drills in a rare statement from the State Affairs Commission, a top governing body chaired by leader Kim Jong Un. Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at South Korea's Sejong Institute think-tank, said the North's statement appeared to be aimed at justifying future North Korean military actions. Trilateral cooperation Milley has hinted at raising the troop cost-sharing and Japan issues, though the joint statement did not address them directly. Trump's insistence Seoul take on a greater share of the cost of the 28,500-strong US military presence as deterrence against North Korea has rattled South Korea. It could also set a precedent for upcoming US negotiations on defence cost-sharing with other allies. A South Korean lawmaker said last week that US officials demanded up to $5 billion a year, more than five times what Seoul agreed to pay this year under a one-year deal. Washington has also been pressing Seoul to reconsider its decision to scrap the GSOMIA intelligence-sharing pact with Japan. The pact, which South Korea decided not to renew, expires on November 23. Esper said on Wednesday that GSOMIA "must be maintained" for cooperation between the United States, South Korea and Japan against any "North Korean bad behaviour". Seoul's Defence Ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said on Thursday it would reexamine GSOMIA "if Japan withdraws its unjust retaliatory measures and friendly relations between the two countries recover". Relations have plunged after South Korea's top court last year ordered Japanese firms to compensate some wartime forced labourers, and Japan curbed exports of key industrial materials to South Korea in July. (Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Alex Richa

North Korea rebuffs US offer of December talks

North Korea on Thursday called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a moron who should not even dream of setting foot in Pyongyang in a state media commentary laden with insults in response to his criticism of the North's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-projectiles-souths-military-259136">latest weapons test</a>.

North Korea conducted a test of what it called "super-large multiple rocket launchers" on October&nbsp;31, but Japan said they were likely ballistic missiles that violated U.N. sanctions.

Abe condemned the test at an Asian summit this week, while saying he was eager to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "without conditions" to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the isolated state, Kyodo news agency reported citing the Japanese government.

"Japanese <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-shinzo-abe-renews-call-on-south-korea-to-keep-promises-to-mend-ties-257928">Prime Minister Abe</a>, who is now making such a fuss over our super-large multiple rocket launcher test-fire as if a nuclear warhead had fallen on Japanese soil, is a moron," the North's KCNA news agency said, citing a statement by Song Il Ho, its ambassador for ties with Japan.

"Abe, who has been making ill-advised remarks about our legitimate self-defence measures by recklessly wagging his tongue ... should not even dream of crossing the Pyongyang threshold ever."

In 2002, North Korea admitted that its agents had kidnapped 13 Japanese from the 1960s to the 1980s. Japan says 17 of its citizens were abducted, five of whom were repatriated.

North Korea has said eight of them were dead and another four never entered the country.

Abe has vowed to pursue the issue until all of the abductees come home and said previously that he was willing to meet Kim without conditions.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang in 2002 and met the father of the current North Korean leader but Abe has never met Kim.

North Korea on Thursday called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a moron who should not even dream of setting foot in Pyongyang in a state media commentary laden with insults in response to his criticism of the North's latest weapons test.

North Korea on Thursday called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a moron who should not even dream of setting foot in Pyongyang in a state media commentary laden with insults in response to his criticism of the North's latest weapons test. North Korea conducted a test of what it called "super-large multiple rocket launchers" on October 31, but Japan said they were likely ballistic missiles that violated U.N. sanctions. Abe condemned the test at an Asian summit this week, while saying he was eager to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "without conditions" to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the isolated state, Kyodo news agency reported citing the Japanese government. "Japanese Prime Minister Abe, who is now making such a fuss over our super-large multiple rocket launcher test-fire as if a nuclear warhead had fallen on Japanese soil, is a moron," the North's KCNA news agency said, citing a statement by Song Il Ho, its ambassador for ties with Japan. "Abe, who has been making ill-advised remarks about our legitimate self-defence measures by recklessly wagging his tongue ... should not even dream of crossing the Pyongyang threshold ever." In 2002, North Korea admitted that its agents had kidnapped 13 Japanese from the 1960s to the 1980s. Japan says 17 of its citizens were abducted, five of whom were repatriated. North Korea has said eight of them were dead and another four never entered the country. Abe has vowed to pursue the issue until all of the abductees come home and said previously that he was willing to meet Kim without conditions. Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang in 2002 and met the father of the current North Korean leader but Abe has never met Kim.

North Korea slams door on Japan PM Abe visit, calls him a 'moron'

North Korea on Wednesday slammed Washington for plans to conduct a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-us-could-hold-talks-in-mid-november-south-korean-lawmaker-259824"> joint military exercise </a>with Seoul next month, as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked.

The allies cancelled the combined air exercise known as Vigilant Ace along with several other joint drills last year amid a rapid diplomatic thaw with the North, which considers them a rehearsal for invasion.

But Pentagon spokesman David Eastburn said this week that the US had "no plans to skip upcoming combined exercises" this year.

A senior North Korean official said Wednesday that the announcement was equivalent to a "declaration for confrontation" that could jeopardise the diplomatic process.

"We have stressed on several occasions that the joint military drills will force us to reconsider the important steps that we have already taken," said Kwon Jong Gun at the North's foreign ministry.

"Our patience is reaching an uppermost limit," Kwon said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

Kwon was part of the North Korean delegation at the working-level nuclear talks with the US in Sweden last month, when Pyongyang walked away blaming Washington's lack of "new and creative" solutions.

Negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump broke up in February amid disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return.

Pyongyang has since carried out a series of missile tests, the latest of them last week, when it said it fired a "super-large multiple rocket launcher".

North Korea on Wednesday slammed Washington for plans to conduct a joint military exercise with Seoul next month, as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked.

North Korea on Wednesday slammed Washington for plans to conduct a joint military exercise with Seoul next month, as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked. The allies cancelled the combined air exercise known as Vigilant Ace along with several other joint drills last year amid a rapid diplomatic thaw with the North, which considers them a rehearsal for invasion. But Pentagon spokesman David Eastburn said this week that the US had "no plans to skip upcoming combined exercises" this year. A senior North Korean official said Wednesday that the announcement was equivalent to a "declaration for confrontation" that could jeopardise the diplomatic process. "We have stressed on several occasions that the joint military drills will force us to reconsider the important steps that we have already taken," said Kwon Jong Gun at the North's foreign ministry. "Our patience is reaching an uppermost limit," Kwon said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. Kwon was part of the North Korean delegation at the working-level nuclear talks with the US in Sweden last month, when Pyongyang walked away blaming Washington's lack of "new and creative" solutions. Negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump broke up in February amid disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return. Pyongyang has since carried out a series of missile tests, the latest of them last week, when it said it fired a "super-large multiple rocket launcher".

Our patience reaching uppermost limit: North Korea on US-South Korea military excercise

The possibility of talks between nuclear-armed North Korea and Washington is "narrowing", Pyongyang said Tuesday after the US State Department reaffirmed its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Last month the North walked away from working-level nuclear talks with the US in Sweden, saying it was disappointed at the lack of "new and creative" solutions offered by Washington.

The process has been deadlocked since the Hanoi summit between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump broke up in February amid disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return.

Pyongyang has since demanded Washington come forward with a new approach by the end of this year and has carried out a series of launches, the latest of them last week, when it said it fired a "super-large multiple rocket launcher".

On Friday the State Department in an annual report reaffirmed the North's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, reiterating that it was "implicated in assassinations on foreign soil".

Kim's older half-brother Kim Jong Nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in 2017. Authorities implicated Pyongyang but in April Malaysian prosecutors dropped murder charges against a Vietnamese woman who was the only remaining suspect.

North Korea's foreign ministry condemned the document as "a grave politically-motivated provocation", the official KCNA news agency reported Tuesday, a spokesperson calling the US a "hotbed and ringleader of terrorism" itself.

"The channel of the dialogue between the DPRK and the US is more and more narrowing due to such attitude and stand of the US," he added using the initials for the North's official name.

The possibility of talks between nuclear-armed North Korea and Washington is "narrowing", Pyongyang said Tuesday after the US State Department reaffirmed its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The possibility of talks between nuclear-armed North Korea and Washington is "narrowing", Pyongyang said Tuesday after the US State Department reaffirmed its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Last month the North walked away from working-level nuclear talks with the US in Sweden, saying it was disappointed at the lack of "new and creative" solutions offered by Washington. The process has been deadlocked since the Hanoi summit between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump broke up in February amid disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return. Pyongyang has since demanded Washington come forward with a new approach by the end of this year and has carried out a series of launches, the latest of them last week, when it said it fired a "super-large multiple rocket launcher". On Friday the State Department in an annual report reaffirmed the North's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, reiterating that it was "implicated in assassinations on foreign soil". Kim's older half-brother Kim Jong Nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in 2017. Authorities implicated Pyongyang but in April Malaysian prosecutors dropped murder charges against a Vietnamese woman who was the only remaining suspect. North Korea's foreign ministry condemned the document as "a grave politically-motivated provocation", the official KCNA news agency reported Tuesday, a spokesperson calling the US a "hotbed and ringleader of terrorism" itself. "The channel of the dialogue between the DPRK and the US is more and more narrowing due to such attitude and stand of the US," he added using the initials for the North's official name.

North Korea says chance of talks with US 'narrowing'

North Korea and the United States could hold another round of working-level talks as soon as mid-November to expedite progress before a year-end deadline set by Pyongyang, a South Korean lawmaker said on Monday.

North Korean and US officials met for the first time last month in Stockholm since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met and agreed in June to reopen denuclearisation talks that stalled after their failed summit in Vietnam in February.

But that meeting also collapsed as the North's envoy said the United States was not ready and failed to show flexibility.

Both sides are expected to meet again no later than early December to kick-start negotiations before a year-end deadline set by Kim, South Korean lawmaker Lee Eun-jae said after attending a briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

"The NIS expected the talks would resume this month or early December at the latest," Lee told reporters.

"It's time for them to enter negotiations in earnest after checking each other's stance in Stockholm, and there's a deadline given by Chairman Kim."

Kim is eyeing another summit with Trump in December, Lee said.

North Korea and the United States could hold another round of working-level talks as soon as mid-November to expedite progress before a year-end deadline set by Pyongyang, a South Korean lawmaker said on Monday.

North Korea and the United States could hold another round of working-level talks as soon as mid-November to expedite progress before a year-end deadline set by Pyongyang, a South Korean lawmaker said on Monday. North Korean and US officials met for the first time last month in Stockholm since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met and agreed in June to reopen denuclearisation talks that stalled after their failed summit in Vietnam in February. But that meeting also collapsed as the North's envoy said the United States was not ready and failed to show flexibility. Both sides are expected to meet again no later than early December to kick-start negotiations before a year-end deadline set by Kim, South Korean lawmaker Lee Eun-jae said after attending a briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS). "The NIS expected the talks would resume this month or early December at the latest," Lee told reporters. "It's time for them to enter negotiations in earnest after checking each other's stance in Stockholm, and there's a deadline given by Chairman Kim." Kim is eyeing another summit with Trump in December, Lee said.

North Korea, US could hold talks in mid-November: South Korean lawmaker

Stephen&nbsp;Biegun, a respected US foreign policy veteran in the difficult job of leading diplomacy with&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, was&nbsp;named&nbsp;Thursday as the&nbsp;State&nbsp;Department&nbsp;number&nbsp;two, a role that could become even more key in coming months.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-effort-passes-first-test-in-divided-us-congress-259134">President Donald Trump</a> announced&nbsp;Biegun's nomination to replace Deputy Secretary of&nbsp;State&nbsp;John Sullivan, who has been tapped to be ambassador to Russia.

The nomination is drawing particular attention amid growing speculation that Secretary of&nbsp;State&nbsp;Mike Pompeo will run for Senate next year in Kansas, meaning that&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;could become the acting top US diplomat, at least briefly.

Biegun, whose nomination requires Senate confirmation, will remain as the special representative on&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea, a position he took last year after Trump's historic first summit with leader Kim Jong Un, a US official said.

Biegun&nbsp;initially received a cold shoulder from&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;officials who, mindful that the countries' leaders were negotiating directly about Pyongyang's nuclear program, saw little reason to deal with an&nbsp;envoy&nbsp;on anything other than summit logistics.

But&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;enjoyed a breakthrough of sorts in early October when he met&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea's lead negotiator Kim Myong Gil in Sweden.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-projectiles-souths-military-259136">North&nbsp;Korea </a>walked away from the talks, denouncing the US attitude, but the United States issued a comparatively upbeat statement saying that&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;never planned to resolve all issues in a day and that the&nbsp;two&nbsp;sides would meet again.

At a time of deep polarization in Washington,&nbsp;Biegun, 56, has won respect for his affability and for offering cogent analysis rather than ideological lectures.

A lifelong Republican,&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;spent his career in behind-the-scenes roles in Congress and in former president George W. Bush's administration, where he served in senior staff positions at the White House and&nbsp;State&nbsp;Department.

Former secretary of&nbsp;state&nbsp;Condoleezza Rice voiced "tremendous respect" for&nbsp;Biegun, calling him a "very strong diplomat, but also an exceptional manager."

William Cohen, defense secretary under Democratic president Bill Clinton, in a statement praised&nbsp;Biegun's "unassailable reputation for intelligence, integrity and independence" and said he had "gained the respect of others across the political spectrum and around the world."

Unlike Sullivan, who is expected to be confirmed to go to Moscow,&nbsp;Biegun's expertise in fact lies in Russia, where he lived from 1992 to 1994 as part of US democracy promotion work.

In an interview with an alumni publication at the University of Michigan,&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;recalled that he became fascinated by Russia when a high school history teacher wrote "tsar" in Cyrillic script.

"It was one of the most exotic things I'd ever seen. It left such an impression on me that I went to the town library and checked out a book to teach myself Russian," he said.

A native of Michigan,&nbsp;Biegun&nbsp;was the third generation of his family to work at the Ford Motor Corp., handling the auto giant's relations with foreign governments before being tapped as the&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;envoy.&nbsp;

Stephen Biegun, a respected US foreign policy veteran in the difficult job of leading diplomacy with North Korea, was named Thursday as the State Department number two, a role that could become even more key in coming months.

Stephen Biegun, a respected US foreign policy veteran in the difficult job of leading diplomacy with North Korea, was named Thursday as the State Department number two, a role that could become even more key in coming months. President Donald Trump announced Biegun's nomination to replace Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, who has been tapped to be ambassador to Russia. The nomination is drawing particular attention amid growing speculation that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will run for Senate next year in Kansas, meaning that Biegun could become the acting top US diplomat, at least briefly. Biegun, whose nomination requires Senate confirmation, will remain as the special representative on North Korea, a position he took last year after Trump's historic first summit with leader Kim Jong Un, a US official said. Biegun initially received a cold shoulder from North Korean officials who, mindful that the countries' leaders were negotiating directly about Pyongyang's nuclear program, saw little reason to deal with an envoy on anything other than summit logistics. But Biegun enjoyed a breakthrough of sorts in early October when he met North Korea's lead negotiator Kim Myong Gil in Sweden. North Korea walked away from the talks, denouncing the US attitude, but the United States issued a comparatively upbeat statement saying that Biegun never planned to resolve all issues in a day and that the two sides would meet again. At a time of deep polarization in Washington, Biegun, 56, has won respect for his affability and for offering cogent analysis rather than ideological lectures. A lifelong Republican, Biegun spent his career in behind-the-scenes roles in Congress and in former president George W. Bush's administration, where he served in senior staff positions at the White House and State Department. Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice voiced "tremendous respect" for Biegun, calling him a "very strong diplomat, but also an exceptional manager." William Cohen, defense secretary under Democratic president Bill Clinton, in a statement praised Biegun's "unassailable reputation for intelligence, integrity and independence" and said he had "gained the respect of others across the political spectrum and around the world." Unlike Sullivan, who is expected to be confirmed to go to Moscow, Biegun's expertise in fact lies in Russia, where he lived from 1992 to 1994 as part of US democracy promotion work. In an interview with an alumni publication at the University of Michigan, Biegun recalled that he became fascinated by Russia when a high school history teacher wrote "tsar" in Cyrillic script. "It was one of the most exotic things I'd ever seen. It left such an impression on me that I went to the town library and checked out a book to teach myself Russian," he said. A native of Michigan, Biegun was the third generation of his family to work at the Ford Motor Corp., handling the auto giant's relations with foreign governments before being tapped as the North Korea envoy.

US North Korean envoy Stephen Biegun named as US State Department number two

North Korea fired two short-range projectiles on Thursday, the South's military said, with nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington at a deadlock. The weapons were launched from South Pyongan province in an easterly direction over the sea, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

North Korea fired two short-range projectiles on Thursday, the South's military said, with nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington at a deadlock. The weapons were launched from South Pyongan province in an easterly direction over the sea, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. They flew 370 kilometres (230 miles) at a maximum altitude of 90 kilometres, they said, adding: "We are maintaining readiness and monitoring in case of additional launches." In Washington, a senior Trump administration official said the United States was "aware of reports" and "continuing to monitor the situation and consulting closely with our allies in Japan and South Korea." It was the latest in a series of launches by the North but the first since October 2, when it fired a sea-launched missile in a provocative move -- a submarine-based missile capability would change the military balance. The North then walked away from working-level nuclear talks with the US in Sweden, saying it was disappointed at the lack of "new and creative" solutions offered by Washington. Pyongyang is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes, which it says it needs to defend against a possible US invasion. It is demanding the easing of the measures and has repeatedly urged Washington to come forward with a new offer by the end of this year. The South's National Security Council expressed "strong concern" over Thursday's launch and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned it, saying it "threatens peace and stability of the country and the region". The North had carried out more than 20 launches this year, he told reporters: "It is clear that the objective is to improve its missile technologies. It is necessary to further strengthen our security surveillance." Japan's defence ministry described the weapon as "like a ballistic missile". Pyongyang is banned from ballistic missile launches under UN Security Council resolutions. 'Inexplicable' Talks between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled since the Hanoi summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump broke down without an agreement in February. The meeting had been intended to build on their high-profile first summit in Singapore last year, when Kim signed a vague pledge to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". On Sunday, the North's state media carried a statement from Kim Yong Chol -- previously the North's counterpart to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- accusing Washington of seeking to "isolate and stifle the DPRK in a more crafty and vicious way than before". He lauded the "close personal relations" between Kim and Trump, but warned: "There is a limit to everything." The latest launch displayed Pyongyang's frustration over the absence of concessions in nuclear talks, analysts say. "The launch is a display of its warning to both Seoul and Washington that it can carry out more military activities unless the US comes up with a 'new method'," said Lim Eul-chul, professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University. Thursday's launch came despite Kim sending a message of condolence to the South's President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday for the death of his mother, who was born in the North. "From our perspective, the North's behaviour is not rational that it does something like this during the mourning period," Lim said. "But the launch today shows that the true nature of North Korea is inexplicable in our value system." Contact between the North and South have stalled since Hanoi and Pyongyang has repeatedly excoriated Seoul for joint military drills with Washington and not following through on inter-Korean agreements signed last year. Kim last week inspected the Mount Kumgang complex which once hosted Southern tourists visiting the North -- a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation -- and ordered the demolition of Southern-built facilities. Pyongyang this week refused Seoul's request for face-to-face meetings to discuss the issue.

North Korea fires short-range projectiles: South's military

North Korean state news agency KCNA said on Friday another test of super-large multiple <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-projectiles-souths-military-259136">rocket launchers</a> a day earlier had been a success, but the test drew protests from neighbouring Japan and South Korea.

KCNA said the latest test of the "super-large multiple rocket launchers", following two tests of the same weapon in August and September overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, indicated the progress of Pyongyang's weapons development while talks with the United States remain in limbo.

The success of the tests was reported immediately and Kim expressed satisfaction and congratulated the scientists who had developed the weapon, KCNA said, suggesting that Kim was not at the site for Thursday afternoon's test.

North Korea's state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, showed a photo of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-unidentified-projectiles-souths-military-259004">multiple rocket launcher</a> surrounded by yellow flames and smoke.

Thursday's test verified that the "continuous fire system" of the multiple rocket launchers was able to "totally destroy" a group target of the enemy by a surprise strike, KCNA said.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said North Korea's latest test, which he described as a missile launch, was against United Nations resolutions and was "extremely regrettable". Suga said Japan had protested to North Korea over the missile launch.

Republican US&nbsp;Senator Cory Gardner, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, said North Korea was "engaged in increasingly escalatory behaviour".

"This launch and continued North Korean aggression underscore the need for the Trump Administration to re-commit to the maximum pressure policy" and for Congress to impose additional sanctions against Kim's government, Gardner said in a statement.

However, South Korea's national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said the North's missile launches do not pose "very grave threats".

"We're also test-firing missiles, no less than North Korea does," he told a parliamentary session. "Our missile defence and intercept capabilities are absolutely superior to theirs."

The weapons test was the first since one day of talks between the United States and North Korea in Sweden ended without an agreement on Oct. 5. It came as North Korea repeatedly emphasises an end-of-the-year deadline that Kim set for denuclearisation talks with Washington.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a critical stage, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a daily news briefing on Friday. All sides should work towards a peaceful resolution of the issue, he said.

KCNA said last month that while Kim and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump have a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-and-trump-have-special-relationship-state-media-257802">"special" relationship</a>, policymakers in Washington were "hostile to the DPRK for no reason". North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korean state news agency KCNA said on Friday another test of super-large multiple rocket launchers a day earlier had been a success, but the test drew protests from neighbouring Japan and South Korea.

North Korean state news agency KCNA said on Friday another test of super-large multiple rocket launchers a day earlier had been a success, but the test drew protests from neighbouring Japan and South Korea. KCNA said the latest test of the "super-large multiple rocket launchers", following two tests of the same weapon in August and September overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, indicated the progress of Pyongyang's weapons development while talks with the United States remain in limbo. The success of the tests was reported immediately and Kim expressed satisfaction and congratulated the scientists who had developed the weapon, KCNA said, suggesting that Kim was not at the site for Thursday afternoon's test. North Korea's state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, showed a photo of the multiple rocket launcher surrounded by yellow flames and smoke. Thursday's test verified that the "continuous fire system" of the multiple rocket launchers was able to "totally destroy" a group target of the enemy by a surprise strike, KCNA said. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said North Korea's latest test, which he described as a missile launch, was against United Nations resolutions and was "extremely regrettable". Suga said Japan had protested to North Korea over the missile launch. Republican US Senator Cory Gardner, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, said North Korea was "engaged in increasingly escalatory behaviour". "This launch and continued North Korean aggression underscore the need for the Trump Administration to re-commit to the maximum pressure policy" and for Congress to impose additional sanctions against Kim's government, Gardner said in a statement. However, South Korea's national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said the North's missile launches do not pose "very grave threats". "We're also test-firing missiles, no less than North Korea does," he told a parliamentary session. "Our missile defence and intercept capabilities are absolutely superior to theirs." The weapons test was the first since one day of talks between the United States and North Korea in Sweden ended without an agreement on Oct. 5. It came as North Korea repeatedly emphasises an end-of-the-year deadline that Kim set for denuclearisation talks with Washington. The situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a critical stage, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a daily news briefing on Friday. All sides should work towards a peaceful resolution of the issue, he said. KCNA said last month that while Kim and US President Donald Trump have a "special" relationship, policymakers in Washington were "hostile to the DPRK for no reason". North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea says it conducted successful test of multiple rocket launchers

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