What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen. Maybe the deal now leans more in America’s direction, but Trump has also given something away: The right of Mexico and Canada to sell their trucks and cars more easily in the US. He said he’s a great “deal-maker”, and so this time he is.

His trade tussle with China, which looks to be a stand-off at the moment, has not yet led to a breakdown in relations. Trump has been more than careful to keep direct channels open to President Xi Jinping, even if in early October he became more openly critical and personal. He has treated Xi much better than he treated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.

Nevertheless, the fact is the Chinese have taken advantage of the US, ignoring its copyrights, blatantly reverse engineering expensive US products and subsidising exports. Trump goes too far with his demands, but he is on firm enough ground to force the Chinese to re-think some of their policies. He’s making progress.

Likewise, while being tough on Russia, ratcheting up sanctions, sending modern arms to Ukraine, increasing defence spending and standing back from the cuts in nuclear weapons that President Vladimir Putin has suggested, he keeps his personal channels open to Putin, unlike President Barack Obama. Later he may reap the harvest of this. Russian politics is very personal under Putin.

With North Korea, he appears to have flattered President Kim Jong-un to the point where Kim shows his constructive side to Trump. Progress is being made on nuclear disarmament even if it’s not at the rate the foreign policy establishment wants.

Nevertheless, for all this, the fact is that Trump is a man with an ugly personality, as ugly in its way as Kim. Sometimes one can imagine, if he wasn’t constrained by law, he would execute some of his enemies as Kim has done.

His staff find he’s impossible to deal with although he gets important things done.

After reading Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House, one realises that Woodward gives little space to Trump’s achievements, and his interviews and re-creations of real-life scenes are nearly all orientated in a critical direction.

Woodward has painted a picture of a sordid man, full of quite disgusting profanities and untruths that he aims at his staff and many of those who do business with him with hourly regularity. (If the women in his “base” could hear these, many would be shocked).

It’s a fine book, researched in the most intimate and thorough way. One doesn’t doubt its veracity. Quite a bit of it we have read in the newspapers already over the last two years, but even then Woodward gets deeper inside the man, the policy-making, and how it’s implemented. He’s the best fly on the wall anyone could ask for.

There are, too, whole chapters where Woodward writes about startling things we’ve not known about. Again and again, in order to keep the US on a sensible course in its policies for trade, foreign relations and financial affairs, his staff have to secretly remove from his desk papers waiting to be signed. This choleric man is so seized up by the next crisis or what appears as an affront that he forgets he asked for them.

Time and time again, his staff are courageous, offering the president clever analysis, despite his constant put downs. He tells them it’s bullshit and that he’s held his views on this or that for over 30 years and he’s not going to change. Amazingly, they argue back, and he lets them — up to a point. In his way, he accepts a lot of talk-back and even verbal insubordination, but then gives the staffer hell.

There is insubordination behind his back, too. On one occasion, when discussing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Trump said to General James Mattis, the Defence Secretary, “Let’s go in, let’s fucking kill him.” “Yes”, Mattis said, “I will get right on it.” He hung up the phone. “We’re not going to do any of that,” he told a senior aide.

When the North Korea crisis first blew up, Mattis made it clear he didn’t want war. His view was that North Korea could be contained.

Ironically, as with North Korea latterly, Trump in some areas of policy can have non-warlike instincts. He argued hard with the military until they persuaded him otherwise, that the US should totally withdraw from Afghanistan.

Where this story ends nobody knows. Woodward for one doesn’t advocate impeachment but by the end of the book it hangs in the air. Who really wants such a volatile, unhinged and amoral man to have his finger on the nuclear button?

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-notoriously-difficult-to-deal-with-trump-gets-work-done-2675381">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen.

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen. Maybe the deal now leans more in America’s direction, but Trump has also given something away: The right of Mexico and Canada to sell their trucks and cars more easily in the US. He said he’s a great “deal-maker”, and so this time he is. His trade tussle with China, which looks to be a stand-off at the moment, has not yet led to a breakdown in relations. Trump has been more than careful to keep direct channels open to President Xi Jinping, even if in early October he became more openly critical and personal. He has treated Xi much better than he treated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. Nevertheless, the fact is the Chinese have taken advantage of the US, ignoring its copyrights, blatantly reverse engineering expensive US products and subsidising exports. Trump goes too far with his demands, but he is on firm enough ground to force the Chinese to re-think some of their policies. He’s making progress. Likewise, while being tough on Russia, ratcheting up sanctions, sending modern arms to Ukraine, increasing defence spending and standing back from the cuts in nuclear weapons that President Vladimir Putin has suggested, he keeps his personal channels open to Putin, unlike President Barack Obama. Later he may reap the harvest of this. Russian politics is very personal under Putin. With North Korea, he appears to have flattered President Kim Jong-un to the point where Kim shows his constructive side to Trump. Progress is being made on nuclear disarmament even if it’s not at the rate the foreign policy establishment wants. Nevertheless, for all this, the fact is that Trump is a man with an ugly personality, as ugly in its way as Kim. Sometimes one can imagine, if he wasn’t constrained by law, he would execute some of his enemies as Kim has done. His staff find he’s impossible to deal with although he gets important things done. After reading Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House, one realises that Woodward gives little space to Trump’s achievements, and his interviews and re-creations of real-life scenes are nearly all orientated in a critical direction. Woodward has painted a picture of a sordid man, full of quite disgusting profanities and untruths that he aims at his staff and many of those who do business with him with hourly regularity. (If the women in his “base” could hear these, many would be shocked). It’s a fine book, researched in the most intimate and thorough way. One doesn’t doubt its veracity. Quite a bit of it we have read in the newspapers already over the last two years, but even then Woodward gets deeper inside the man, the policy-making, and how it’s implemented. He’s the best fly on the wall anyone could ask for. There are, too, whole chapters where Woodward writes about startling things we’ve not known about. Again and again, in order to keep the US on a sensible course in its policies for trade, foreign relations and financial affairs, his staff have to secretly remove from his desk papers waiting to be signed. This choleric man is so seized up by the next crisis or what appears as an affront that he forgets he asked for them. Time and time again, his staff are courageous, offering the president clever analysis, despite his constant put downs. He tells them it’s bullshit and that he’s held his views on this or that for over 30 years and he’s not going to change. Amazingly, they argue back, and he lets them — up to a point. In his way, he accepts a lot of talk-back and even verbal insubordination, but then gives the staffer hell. There is insubordination behind his back, too. On one occasion, when discussing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Trump said to General James Mattis, the Defence Secretary, “Let’s go in, let’s fucking kill him.” “Yes”, Mattis said, “I will get right on it.” He hung up the phone. “We’re not going to do any of that,” he told a senior aide. When the North Korea crisis first blew up, Mattis made it clear he didn’t want war. His view was that North Korea could be contained. Ironically, as with North Korea latterly, Trump in some areas of policy can have non-warlike instincts. He argued hard with the military until they persuaded him otherwise, that the US should totally withdraw from Afghanistan. Where this story ends nobody knows. Woodward for one doesn’t advocate impeachment but by the end of the book it hangs in the air. Who really wants such a volatile, unhinged and amoral man to have his finger on the nuclear button? (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Notoriously difficult to deal with, Trump gets work done

Australia has assigned a guided missile frigate to the East China Sea to boast international efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea, an Australian officer said on Friday.

Australian Defense Force Chief of Joint Operations, Air Marshall Mel Hupfeld said the warship with a crew of 230 will be supported by two Australian AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft based in Japan.

"Despite the easing of tensions on the Korea Peninsula, Pyongyang continues with its nuclear weapons and ballistic weapons programs in defiance of ... United Nations Security Council resolutions," Hupfeld told reporters.

"The occasional deployment of ... Maritime patrol aircraft and surface vessels to the region ... Adds weight to Australia's ongoing economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea and enhances the capacity of ongoing multinational enforcement efforts," he added.

The Australians would work in cooperation with the Japanese, United States, Canadians and the South Koreas to enforce sanctions, Hupfeld said.

He likened detecting illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods from among the many legitimate transactions in the East China Sea to finding a needle in a haystack.

Hupfeld would not say whether the frigate HMAS Melbourne's role would be intercepting suspect cargo ships.

"I won't go into a great deal of depth on those aspects, that's very much an operational matter," Hupfeld said.

"An airplane flying over the top can't stop anything from occurring," he added.

The Sydney-based warship was currently in South Korea taking part in a fleet review, he said.

Trump has encouraged US allies to maintain sanctions on North Korea until it denuclearises as part of what his administration has termed a campaign of "maximum pressure" against leader Kim Jong Un's government.&nbsp;

Australia has assigned a guided missile frigate to the East China Sea to boast international efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea, an Australian officer said on Friday.

Australia has assigned a guided missile frigate to the East China Sea to boast international efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea, an Australian officer said on Friday. Australian Defense Force Chief of Joint Operations, Air Marshall Mel Hupfeld said the warship with a crew of 230 will be supported by two Australian AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft based in Japan. "Despite the easing of tensions on the Korea Peninsula, Pyongyang continues with its nuclear weapons and ballistic weapons programs in defiance of ... United Nations Security Council resolutions," Hupfeld told reporters. "The occasional deployment of ... Maritime patrol aircraft and surface vessels to the region ... Adds weight to Australia's ongoing economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea and enhances the capacity of ongoing multinational enforcement efforts," he added. The Australians would work in cooperation with the Japanese, United States, Canadians and the South Koreas to enforce sanctions, Hupfeld said. He likened detecting illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods from among the many legitimate transactions in the East China Sea to finding a needle in a haystack. Hupfeld would not say whether the frigate HMAS Melbourne's role would be intercepting suspect cargo ships. "I won't go into a great deal of depth on those aspects, that's very much an operational matter," Hupfeld said. "An airplane flying over the top can't stop anything from occurring," he added. The Sydney-based warship was currently in South Korea taking part in a fleet review, he said. Trump has encouraged US allies to maintain sanctions on North Korea until it denuclearises as part of what his administration has termed a campaign of "maximum pressure" against leader Kim Jong Un's government.

Australia assigns warship to enforce North Korean sanctions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday.

Moon also said the North and the United States are in working-level discussions to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump as soon as the US midterm elections are over, according to a script of Moon's interview with BBC shared by his office.

After his third summit in Pyongyang last month with Kim, Moon said the North was ready to invite international experts to watch the dismantling of a key missile site and would close the main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington took reciprocal actions.

In the BBC interview, Moon said the actions could include opening of a US liaison office in North Korea, humanitarian aid and an exchange of economic experts.

Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with Kim would be held after US congressional elections on November 6.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday. Moon also said the North and the United States are in working-level discussions to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump as soon as the US midterm elections are over, according to a script of Moon's interview with BBC shared by his office. After his third summit in Pyongyang last month with Kim, Moon said the North was ready to invite international experts to watch the dismantling of a key missile site and would close the main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington took reciprocal actions. In the BBC interview, Moon said the actions could include opening of a US liaison office in North Korea, humanitarian aid and an exchange of economic experts. Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with Kim would be held after US congressional elections on November 6.

South Korea's Moon says North Korea means to abolish all nuclear weapons

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after US&nbsp;congressional elections on Nov. 6.

Speaking to reporters as he flew to Iowa for a political rally, Trump said: "It’ll be after the midterms. I just can't leave now."

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that plans were being made for his second summit with Kim and that he thought "incredible" progress had been made in US&nbsp;talks with the long-isolated North Asian country.

He said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had very good talks with Kim over the weekend and that three or four locations were being considered.

Pompeo echoed Trump's comments when he spoke briefly to reporters during a Tuesday afternoon visit to the White House.

"While there's still a long way to go and much work to do, we can now see a path where we will achieve (our) ultimate goal, which is the full and final verified denuclearization of North Korea," he said.

Trump and Kim held a historic first summit in Singapore on June 12 at which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. His actions have fallen short, however, of Washington's demands for a complete inventory of its weapons and facilities and irreversible steps to give up its nuclear arsenal, which could threaten the United States.

'No rockets flying'

Still, Trump was upbeat on progress so far.

"You got no rockets flying, you have no missiles flying, you have no nuclear testing," Trump said in the Oval Office. "We've made incredible progress - beyond incredible.

"But I have agreed to meet," he said. "We have a very good relationship with Chairman Kim. I like him, he likes me, the relationship is good."

Pompeo said on Monday the two sides were "pretty close" to agreeing on details for a second summit.

He added that Kim had said he was ready to allow international inspectors into North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site and the Sohae missile engine test facility as soon as the United States and North Korea agreed on logistics.

But experts questioned what Pompeo achieved on Sunday on his fourth visit to Pyongyang this year. They said the North Korean leader appeared simply to be repackaging and dragging out past pledges.

Trump noted that the United States had not lifted the "very big sanctions" it has imposed on Pyongyang.

"I'd love to remove them, but we have to get something for doing it," Trump said.

North Korea is very interested in reaching some sort of agreement on denuclearization so that it can grow economically with the benefit of the foreign investment closed to it now, Trump said.

The UN&nbsp;World Food Program said on Tuesday that the supply of food remained precarious in North Korea, where one in five children is stunted by malnutrition. More than 10 million North Koreans, nearly 40 per cent of the population, are undernourished and need humanitarian aid, it said.

"I will tell you they're calling, wanting to go there and wanting to invest," Trump said. "At some point, when Chairman Kim makes that decision, I think he's going to unleash something that's going to be spectacular, really spectacular.

"And I think he knows it and I think that's one of the reasons that we're having very successful conversations."

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after US congressional elections on Nov. 6. Speaking to reporters as he flew to Iowa for a political rally, Trump said: "It’ll be after the midterms.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after US congressional elections on Nov. 6. Speaking to reporters as he flew to Iowa for a political rally, Trump said: "It’ll be after the midterms. I just can't leave now." Earlier on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that plans were being made for his second summit with Kim and that he thought "incredible" progress had been made in US talks with the long-isolated North Asian country. He said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had very good talks with Kim over the weekend and that three or four locations were being considered. Pompeo echoed Trump's comments when he spoke briefly to reporters during a Tuesday afternoon visit to the White House. "While there's still a long way to go and much work to do, we can now see a path where we will achieve (our) ultimate goal, which is the full and final verified denuclearization of North Korea," he said. Trump and Kim held a historic first summit in Singapore on June 12 at which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. His actions have fallen short, however, of Washington's demands for a complete inventory of its weapons and facilities and irreversible steps to give up its nuclear arsenal, which could threaten the United States. 'No rockets flying' Still, Trump was upbeat on progress so far. "You got no rockets flying, you have no missiles flying, you have no nuclear testing," Trump said in the Oval Office. "We've made incredible progress - beyond incredible. "But I have agreed to meet," he said. "We have a very good relationship with Chairman Kim. I like him, he likes me, the relationship is good." Pompeo said on Monday the two sides were "pretty close" to agreeing on details for a second summit. He added that Kim had said he was ready to allow international inspectors into North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site and the Sohae missile engine test facility as soon as the United States and North Korea agreed on logistics. But experts questioned what Pompeo achieved on Sunday on his fourth visit to Pyongyang this year. They said the North Korean leader appeared simply to be repackaging and dragging out past pledges. Trump noted that the United States had not lifted the "very big sanctions" it has imposed on Pyongyang. "I'd love to remove them, but we have to get something for doing it," Trump said. North Korea is very interested in reaching some sort of agreement on denuclearization so that it can grow economically with the benefit of the foreign investment closed to it now, Trump said. The UN World Food Program said on Tuesday that the supply of food remained precarious in North Korea, where one in five children is stunted by malnutrition. More than 10 million North Koreans, nearly 40 per cent of the population, are undernourished and need humanitarian aid, it said. "I will tell you they're calling, wanting to go there and wanting to invest," Trump said. "At some point, when Chairman Kim makes that decision, I think he's going to unleash something that's going to be spectacular, really spectacular. "And I think he knows it and I think that's one of the reasons that we're having very successful conversations."

Trump says next summit with North Korea's Kim after US midterm elections

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ready to allow international inspectors into the North's nuclear and missile testing sites, one of the main sticking points over an earlier denuclearisation pledge.

Pompeo, who met Kim during a short trip to Pyongyang on Sunday, said the inspectors would visit a missile engine test facility and the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site as soon as the two sides agree on logistics.

"There's a lot of logistics that will be required to execute that," Pompeo told a news briefing in Seoul before leaving for Beijing.

The top US&nbsp;diplomat also said both sides were "pretty close" to agreement on the details of a second summit, which Kim proposed to US&nbsp;President Donald Trump in a letter last month.

Trump and Kim held an historic first summit in Singapore in June.

Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang, his fourth this year, followed a stalemate as North Korea resisted Washington's demands for irreversible steps to give up its nuclear arsenal, including a complete inventory of its weapons and facilities.

He told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday his latest trip to Pyongyang was "another step forward" to denuclearisation but there are "many steps along the way".

In a more upbeat note, Pyongyang's state media said on Monday Kim lauded his talks with Pompeo.

"Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction over the productive and wonderful talks with Mike Pompeo at which mutual stands were fully understood and opinions exchanged," North Korean news agency KCNA said.

It said the two sides agreed to hold working negotiations for the second North Korean-US&nbsp;summit as early as possible.

Smiles, handshakes

Commenting on Pompeo's meeting with Kim, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday Kim was expected to visit Russia soon. He said Chinese leader Xi Jinping was also expected to travel to North Korea but did not elaborate further.

North Korea's state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, featured eight photos of the meeting on its front page, including shots of Kim and Pompeo smiling and shaking hands, as well as some with Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong.

"Together with Mike Pompeo, Kim Jong Un appreciated the positively developing situation on the Korean peninsula, explained in detail the proposals for solving the denuclearisation issue and matters of concern of both sides and exchanged constructive opinions," KCNA said.

North Korea denounced Pompeo on his previous trip to Pyongyang in July for making "gangster-like demands". Pompeo did not meet Kim on that trip.

Kim said he believed the dialogue between the two countries would continue to develop favourably, "based on the deep confidence between the two leaders of the two countries", and expressed gratitude to Trump for making a sincere effort to implement the agreement made at their June summit, KCNA said.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement Kim had invited inspectors to visit the Punggye-ri nuclear test site to confirm it had been irreversibly dismantled. The statement did not provide further details.

KCNA did not mention that issue.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ready to allow international inspectors into the North's nuclear and missile testing sites, one of the main sticking points over an earlier denuclearisation pledge.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ready to allow international inspectors into the North's nuclear and missile testing sites, one of the main sticking points over an earlier denuclearisation pledge. Pompeo, who met Kim during a short trip to Pyongyang on Sunday, said the inspectors would visit a missile engine test facility and the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site as soon as the two sides agree on logistics. "There's a lot of logistics that will be required to execute that," Pompeo told a news briefing in Seoul before leaving for Beijing. The top US diplomat also said both sides were "pretty close" to agreement on the details of a second summit, which Kim proposed to US President Donald Trump in a letter last month. Trump and Kim held an historic first summit in Singapore in June. Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang, his fourth this year, followed a stalemate as North Korea resisted Washington's demands for irreversible steps to give up its nuclear arsenal, including a complete inventory of its weapons and facilities. He told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday his latest trip to Pyongyang was "another step forward" to denuclearisation but there are "many steps along the way". In a more upbeat note, Pyongyang's state media said on Monday Kim lauded his talks with Pompeo. "Kim Jong Un expressed satisfaction over the productive and wonderful talks with Mike Pompeo at which mutual stands were fully understood and opinions exchanged," North Korean news agency KCNA said. It said the two sides agreed to hold working negotiations for the second North Korean-US summit as early as possible. Smiles, handshakes Commenting on Pompeo's meeting with Kim, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday Kim was expected to visit Russia soon. He said Chinese leader Xi Jinping was also expected to travel to North Korea but did not elaborate further. North Korea's state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, featured eight photos of the meeting on its front page, including shots of Kim and Pompeo smiling and shaking hands, as well as some with Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong. "Together with Mike Pompeo, Kim Jong Un appreciated the positively developing situation on the Korean peninsula, explained in detail the proposals for solving the denuclearisation issue and matters of concern of both sides and exchanged constructive opinions," KCNA said. North Korea denounced Pompeo on his previous trip to Pyongyang in July for making "gangster-like demands". Pompeo did not meet Kim on that trip. Kim said he believed the dialogue between the two countries would continue to develop favourably, "based on the deep confidence between the two leaders of the two countries", and expressed gratitude to Trump for making a sincere effort to implement the agreement made at their June summit, KCNA said. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement Kim had invited inspectors to visit the Punggye-ri nuclear test site to confirm it had been irreversibly dismantled. The statement did not provide further details. KCNA did not mention that issue.

Pompeo says North Korea ready to let inspectors into missile, nuclear sites

Koreas remove landmines along the border

North Korea on Tuesday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should "never be a bargaining chip."

The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula.

At a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in last month, the North's leader Kim Jong Un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes "corresponding measures".

Kim did not elaborate on what those measures might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation.

It flatly described that as only the "most basic... process" to restore ties, not a point for negotiation. &nbsp;

"The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised," it said, using the North's full name.&nbsp;

KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take "such... steps as eternal dismantlement" of its nuclear complex "if the US takes a corresponding measure" but again did not elaborate.

Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washington's room for manoeuvre.

"The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washington's potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that 'it's not good enough to make us denuclearise'," he told South Korea's news agency Yonhap.&nbsp;

A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation.

The North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho also told the UN last month that there was "no way" his country would disarm first as long as the US pushes for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.&nbsp;

Trump, however, lauded Kim, saying last week the pair had fallen "in love" -- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he recently received from the young leader.&nbsp;

The ceasefire that halted the bloody conflict that sealed the division of the Korean peninsula was signed by the North, its military ally China and the US -- which fought on the side of the South.&nbsp;

The South did not take part as its then-leader refused to end the war unless the whole peninsula was unified.&nbsp;

North Korea on Tuesday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should "never be a bargaining chip.

North Korea on Tuesday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should "never be a bargaining chip." The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula. At a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in last month, the North's leader Kim Jong Un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes "corresponding measures". Kim did not elaborate on what those measures might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation. It flatly described that as only the "most basic... process" to restore ties, not a point for negotiation. "The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised," it said, using the North's full name. KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take "such... steps as eternal dismantlement" of its nuclear complex "if the US takes a corresponding measure" but again did not elaborate. Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washington's room for manoeuvre. "The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washington's potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that 'it's not good enough to make us denuclearise'," he told South Korea's news agency Yonhap. A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation. The North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho also told the UN last month that there was "no way" his country would disarm first as long as the US pushes for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. Trump, however, lauded Kim, saying last week the pair had fallen "in love" -- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he recently received from the young leader. The ceasefire that halted the bloody conflict that sealed the division of the Korean peninsula was signed by the North, its military ally China and the US -- which fought on the side of the South. The South did not take part as its then-leader refused to end the war unless the whole peninsula was unified.

North Korea says peace treaty no bargaining chip for denuclearisation

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will pay a fresh visit to North Korea on Sunday and meet leader Kim Jong Un as the administration's hopes rise of a denuclearisation deal, the State Department said.

The rare advance announcement of a meeting with the young strongman came hours after North Korea raised the stakes in negotiations, saying it would not give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for a peace treaty.

Pompeo, who is trying to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, will also head to US allies Japan and South Korea, as well as North Korea's chief ally China with which the United States is engaged in escalating trade and diplomatic disputes.

It will be the fourth trip by Pompeo to longtime US pariah North Korea as the Trump administration looks to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"I think it shows forward progress and momentum that the secretary is making his fourth trip in less than a year," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

"Everyone recognises that we have a ways to go and a lot of work that is left to be done," she said.

"But obviously these conversations are going in the right direction and we feel confident enough to hop on a plane to head there to continue the conversations."

Pompeo has already met twice with Kim, including once when he headed the CIA. But Pompeo did not meet Kim on his last visit in July, when the North Korean leader instead was photographed touring a potato farm.

Another visit by Pompeo was announced in August but was abruptly cancelled by Trump.

Trump 'in love' with Kim 
Kim, who as leader has rarely travelled outside of North Korea, met in June in Singapore with Trump in the first-ever summit between the two countries that have never signed a formal treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War.

On Saturday, Trump lavished praise on Kim -- considered by human rights groups to be one of the world's most repressive leaders -- and said they had fallen "in love" after an exchange of letters.

If the love is reciprocated, Kim is more reticent in his words.&nbsp;

His foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, on Saturday told the United Nations General Assembly that there was a "deadlock" in the denuclearization talks as the United States "relies on coercive measure that are lethal to trust-building."

The official Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday said that a peace treaty "can never be a bargaining chip," calling an end to war "not just a gift from one man to another."

Nauert played down the remarks, saying: "Other countries sometimes will say things that are more colourful than the United States will, and that's just fine, too."

Trump paints rapprochement with North Korea as a signature foreign policy achievement, although critics question whether Kim would really give up nuclear weapons which his dynasty has defiantly pursued for decades.

Consulting allies and China 
The United States has insisted on maintaining tight UN sanctions against North Korea during the diplomatic drive, while Beijing has said it is time to start easing sanctions.

The top US diplomat announced last week that he was ready to return to North Korea after meeting Ri, his counterpart, at the United Nations.

Pompeo will open his trip on Saturday in Tokyo, where he will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has long championed a hard line on North Korea but recently said he was willing to meet Kim.

After the talks in Pyongyang, Pompeo will head later Sunday to Seoul, where he will meet President Moon Jae-in, a dove who has helped spearhead the reconciliation efforts with North Korea.

Nauert said Pompeo would head afterward to Beijing for meetings with unspecified officials.

Trump last week slapped $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods and has accused Beijing of interfering in the upcoming US election because of his hard line on trade.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will pay a fresh visit to North Korea on Sunday and meet leader Kim Jong Un as the administration's hopes rise of a denuclearisation deal, the State Department said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will pay a fresh visit to North Korea on Sunday and meet leader Kim Jong Un as the administration's hopes rise of a denuclearisation deal, the State Department said. The rare advance announcement of a meeting with the young strongman came hours after North Korea raised the stakes in negotiations, saying it would not give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for a peace treaty. Pompeo, who is trying to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, will also head to US allies Japan and South Korea, as well as North Korea's chief ally China with which the United States is engaged in escalating trade and diplomatic disputes. It will be the fourth trip by Pompeo to longtime US pariah North Korea as the Trump administration looks to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. "I think it shows forward progress and momentum that the secretary is making his fourth trip in less than a year," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. "Everyone recognises that we have a ways to go and a lot of work that is left to be done," she said. "But obviously these conversations are going in the right direction and we feel confident enough to hop on a plane to head there to continue the conversations." Pompeo has already met twice with Kim, including once when he headed the CIA. But Pompeo did not meet Kim on his last visit in July, when the North Korean leader instead was photographed touring a potato farm. Another visit by Pompeo was announced in August but was abruptly cancelled by Trump. Trump 'in love' with Kim Kim, who as leader has rarely travelled outside of North Korea, met in June in Singapore with Trump in the first-ever summit between the two countries that have never signed a formal treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War. On Saturday, Trump lavished praise on Kim -- considered by human rights groups to be one of the world's most repressive leaders -- and said they had fallen "in love" after an exchange of letters. If the love is reciprocated, Kim is more reticent in his words. His foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, on Saturday told the United Nations General Assembly that there was a "deadlock" in the denuclearization talks as the United States "relies on coercive measure that are lethal to trust-building." The official Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday said that a peace treaty "can never be a bargaining chip," calling an end to war "not just a gift from one man to another." Nauert played down the remarks, saying: "Other countries sometimes will say things that are more colourful than the United States will, and that's just fine, too." Trump paints rapprochement with North Korea as a signature foreign policy achievement, although critics question whether Kim would really give up nuclear weapons which his dynasty has defiantly pursued for decades. Consulting allies and China The United States has insisted on maintaining tight UN sanctions against North Korea during the diplomatic drive, while Beijing has said it is time to start easing sanctions. The top US diplomat announced last week that he was ready to return to North Korea after meeting Ri, his counterpart, at the United Nations. Pompeo will open his trip on Saturday in Tokyo, where he will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has long championed a hard line on North Korea but recently said he was willing to meet Kim. After the talks in Pyongyang, Pompeo will head later Sunday to Seoul, where he will meet President Moon Jae-in, a dove who has helped spearhead the reconciliation efforts with North Korea. Nauert said Pompeo would head afterward to Beijing for meetings with unspecified officials. Trump last week slapped $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods and has accused Beijing of interfering in the upcoming US election because of his hard line on trade.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet Kim Jong-Un on Sunday

North Korea said on Tuesday that declaring the end of the 1950-53 Korean War "can never be a bargaining chip" for getting North Korea denuclearised, and said the country "will not particularly hope for it" if the United States does not want the end of the war, according to state media KCNA.

In a joint statement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in their Pyongyang summit last month, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un expressed a willingness to “permanently dismantle” the Yongbyon nuclear complex if the United States takes the corresponding action.

Moon said this would include a declaration of an official end to the war.

In a commentary, KCNA said on Tuesday that declaring the war's end should have "been resolved half a century ago," and called it "the most basic and primary process for the establishment of new DPRK-US relations and peace" on the Korean peninsula "to which the US was also committed,", referring to North Korea by its official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

At their unprecedented summit in June, US President Donald Trump and Kim agreed in broad terms to "build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."

However, Washington wants North Korea to first provide a complete inventory of its weapons programs and take irreversible steps to give up its arsenal.

KCNA said the Yongbyon nuclear facility, which the North expressed a willingness to take offline if the United States takes the corresponding action, "is a core one for its nuclear program."

"The DPRK is taking substantial and crucial steps to implement the joint statement made at the DPRK-US summit, but the US is still trying to subdue someone by resorting to sanctions," the unnamed commentary accused.

However, three senior US officials involved in North Korea policy previously told Reuters that no progress has been made in moving toward serious negotiations on eliminating or even halting Kim’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Dismantling Yongbyon would slow the production of fissile material, but not reduce the current stockpile of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, nor clear suspicions of other secret production sites, an expert previously told Reuters.

North Korea said on Tuesday that declaring the end of the 1950-53 Korean War "can never be a bargaining chip" for getting North Korea denuclearised, and said the country "will not particularly hope for it" if the United States does not want the end of the war, according to state media KCNA.

North Korea said on Tuesday that declaring the end of the 1950-53 Korean War "can never be a bargaining chip" for getting North Korea denuclearised, and said the country "will not particularly hope for it" if the United States does not want the end of the war, according to state media KCNA. In a joint statement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in their Pyongyang summit last month, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un expressed a willingness to “permanently dismantle” the Yongbyon nuclear complex if the United States takes the corresponding action. Moon said this would include a declaration of an official end to the war. In a commentary, KCNA said on Tuesday that declaring the war's end should have "been resolved half a century ago," and called it "the most basic and primary process for the establishment of new DPRK-US relations and peace" on the Korean peninsula "to which the US was also committed,", referring to North Korea by its official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. At their unprecedented summit in June, US President Donald Trump and Kim agreed in broad terms to "build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula." However, Washington wants North Korea to first provide a complete inventory of its weapons programs and take irreversible steps to give up its arsenal. KCNA said the Yongbyon nuclear facility, which the North expressed a willingness to take offline if the United States takes the corresponding action, "is a core one for its nuclear program." "The DPRK is taking substantial and crucial steps to implement the joint statement made at the DPRK-US summit, but the US is still trying to subdue someone by resorting to sanctions," the unnamed commentary accused. However, three senior US officials involved in North Korea policy previously told Reuters that no progress has been made in moving toward serious negotiations on eliminating or even halting Kim’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Dismantling Yongbyon would slow the production of fissile material, but not reduce the current stockpile of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, nor clear suspicions of other secret production sites, an expert previously told Reuters.

North Korea says war's end can't be bargaining chip for denuclearisation: Report

Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border on Monday, the South’s defence ministry said, as part of a pact to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula.&nbsp;

Project details were agreed during last month’s summit in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, between its leader, Kim Jong Un, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

In a statement, the ministry said the two sides agreed to remove all landmines in the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom within the next 20 days, with military engineers performing the hazardous task on the South Korean side.

There was no immediate confirmation from North Korea that its troops had begun the process.

The deal also provides for removal of guard posts and weapons from the JSA to follow the removal of the mines, with the troops remaining there to be left unarmed.

The JSA is the only spot along the 250-km (155-mile) -long “demilitarised zone” (DMZ) where troops from both Koreas are face to face, and it is also staffed by United Nations troops.&nbsp;
<img alt="North Korea" data-align="center" data-caption="South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a luncheon, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 21, 2018. (Reuters Photo)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a54fc6bb-fe3b-44a5-be28-e7c54d8e2021" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/North-South-Korea1.JPG" />
File photo: South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a luncheon. (Reuters Photo)

In November 2017, North Korean troops at the JSA shot one of their soldiers defecting to the South five times.

Since then, however, it has been the scene of the first dramatic April summit between Kim and Moon, as well as their second, more low-key meeting, in May.

At the April summit, the two Koreas announced their intention to turn the DMZ - long a symbol of tension and division - into a “peace zone.”

They have already dismantled propaganda loudspeakers and some guard posts along the border.

Demining projects are also set to begin on Monday in Gangwon province in eastern South Korea, to allow teams to search for the remains of soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War, the ministry added.

More than a million landmines were laid in border areas including the DMZ and the Civilian Control Zone in the South, say demining experts and civilians and soldiers alike have been killed or injured by them.

In 2015, two South Korean soldiers were maimed by what Seoul said was a North Korean landmine, an accusation the North denied.&nbsp;

Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border on Monday, the South’s defence ministry said, as part of a pact to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula.

Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border on Monday, the South’s defence ministry said, as part of a pact to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula. Project details were agreed during last month’s summit in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, between its leader, Kim Jong Un, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. In a statement, the ministry said the two sides agreed to remove all landmines in the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom within the next 20 days, with military engineers performing the hazardous task on the South Korean side. There was no immediate confirmation from North Korea that its troops had begun the process. The deal also provides for removal of guard posts and weapons from the JSA to follow the removal of the mines, with the troops remaining there to be left unarmed. The JSA is the only spot along the 250-km (155-mile) -long “demilitarised zone” (DMZ) where troops from both Koreas are face to face, and it is also staffed by United Nations troops. File photo: South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a luncheon. (Reuters Photo) In November 2017, North Korean troops at the JSA shot one of their soldiers defecting to the South five times. Since then, however, it has been the scene of the first dramatic April summit between Kim and Moon, as well as their second, more low-key meeting, in May. At the April summit, the two Koreas announced their intention to turn the DMZ - long a symbol of tension and division - into a “peace zone.” They have already dismantled propaganda loudspeakers and some guard posts along the border. Demining projects are also set to begin on Monday in Gangwon province in eastern South Korea, to allow teams to search for the remains of soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War, the ministry added. More than a million landmines were laid in border areas including the DMZ and the Civilian Control Zone in the South, say demining experts and civilians and soldiers alike have been killed or injured by them. In 2015, two South Korean soldiers were maimed by what Seoul said was a North Korean landmine, an accusation the North denied.

North Korea, South Korea begin removing landmines along fortified border

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-pakistan-no-different-old-one-indias-harsh-rebuttal-islamabad-unga-168485">New Pakistan is no different from the old one: India's harsh rebuttal to Islamabad at UNGA</a>

India decided to exercise its Right to Reply, in response to the statement of Pakistan External Affairs Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at the 73rd session of UNGA General Debate.

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Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have agreed to pay a total of $40 million and make a series of concessions to settle a government lawsuit alleging Musk duped investors with misleading statements about a proposed buyout of the company.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/death-toll-indonesia-quake-tsunami-reaches-420-state-media-168472">Death</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/death-toll-indonesia-quake-tsunami-reaches-420-state-media-168472"> toll in Indonesia quake-tsunami reaches 420: State media</a>

The death toll from a powerful earthquake and tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has reached 420, state media said Sunday, as rescuers scrambled to reach the stricken region and survivors helped to retrieve the remains of those killed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-no-way-it-will-disarm-without-trust-us-168474">North Korea says 'no way' it will disarm without trust in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-no-way-it-will-disarm-without-trust-us-168474">US</a>

North Korea's foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the&nbsp;United States continued to push for tough enforcement&nbsp;of&nbsp;sanctions against Pyongyang.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-accuses-japan-rebuilding-military-korean-peninsula-168478">North Korea accuses Japan of rebuilding military on Korean Peninsula</a>

North Korea has accused Japan of trying to create tension on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding its military.

New Pakistan is no different from the old one: India's harsh rebuttal to Islamabad at UNGA India decided to exercise its Right to Reply, in response to the statement of Pakistan External Affairs Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at the 73rd session of UNGA General Debate.

New Pakistan is no different from the old one: India's harsh rebuttal to Islamabad at UNGA India decided to exercise its Right to Reply, in response to the statement of Pakistan External Affairs Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at the 73rd session of UNGA General Debate. Elon Musk to resign as Tesla chairman, pay $20 million fine over fraud charges Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have agreed to pay a total of $40 million and make a series of concessions to settle a government lawsuit alleging Musk duped investors with misleading statements about a proposed buyout of the company. Death toll in Indonesia quake-tsunami reaches 420: State media The death toll from a powerful earthquake and tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has reached 420, state media said Sunday, as rescuers scrambled to reach the stricken region and survivors helped to retrieve the remains of those killed. North Korea says 'no way' it will disarm without trust in US North Korea's foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the United States continued to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. North Korea accuses Japan of rebuilding military on Korean Peninsula North Korea has accused Japan of trying to create tension on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding its military.

News brief: Big stories of the day

North Korea's foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-sanctions-must-be-vigorously-enforced-pompeo-tells-un-168040">United States continued to push for tough enforcement</a> of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-continued-sanctions-deepening-mistrust-us-168461">sanctions against Pyongyang</a>.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ri Yong Ho accused Washington of creating a deadlock in talks on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;

"The recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building," Ri told the assembly.

"Without any trust in the US, there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances, there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first."

The United States is insisting on a "denuclearization-first" policy that "increases the level of pressure by sanctions to achieve their purpose in a coercive manner," said the foreign minister.

"The perception that sanctions can bring us on our knees is a pipe dream of the people who are ignorant about us."

Led by the United States, the UN Security Council adopted three sanctions resolutions last year aimed at depriving North Korea of revenue for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

A landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June led to a warming of ties and a halt in Pyongyang's missile launches, but there has been little concrete progress since.

While in New York, Ri met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who agreed to return to Pyongyang next month to discuss US demands that the North scrap its weapons programs.

Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose June meeting in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the long-time enemy states.

Russia, China want sanctions relief

The North Korean foreign minister told the UN assembly that his government had stopped nuclear and missile tests, dismantled a nuclear test site and continued to make efforts to build trust.

"However we do not see any corresponding response from the US," he said.

North Korea's complaints have gotten a sympathetic ear from Russia and China, which this week called for an easing of sanctions to encourage Pyongyang to make concessions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the "positive developments" in relations between North and South Korea -- combined with warmer US-North Korean ties -- should lead to sanctions relief.

The United States however has pushed for full enforcement of the tough measures that include a cap on oil and fuel deliveries, a ban on exports of North Korea's raw commodities and an end to contracts for its workers abroad.

China is Pyongyang's top trading partner, while Russia has welcomed tens of thousands of North Korean laborers that provide a vital source of hard currency. Human rights groups say the laborers often work in slave-like conditions.&nbsp;

The United States is also hearing calls for step-by-step sanctions relief from ally South Korea, whose left-leaning President Moon Jae-in helped arrange Trump's diplomatic drive.

That view is not shared by Japan, which wants complete and verified disarming of North Korea as a condition for lifting any sanctions.

North Korea's foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the United States continued to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.

North Korea's foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the United States continued to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ri Yong Ho accused Washington of creating a deadlock in talks on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. "The recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building," Ri told the assembly. "Without any trust in the US, there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances, there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first." The United States is insisting on a "denuclearization-first" policy that "increases the level of pressure by sanctions to achieve their purpose in a coercive manner," said the foreign minister. "The perception that sanctions can bring us on our knees is a pipe dream of the people who are ignorant about us." Led by the United States, the UN Security Council adopted three sanctions resolutions last year aimed at depriving North Korea of revenue for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. A landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June led to a warming of ties and a halt in Pyongyang's missile launches, but there has been little concrete progress since. While in New York, Ri met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who agreed to return to Pyongyang next month to discuss US demands that the North scrap its weapons programs. Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose June meeting in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the long-time enemy states. Russia, China want sanctions relief The North Korean foreign minister told the UN assembly that his government had stopped nuclear and missile tests, dismantled a nuclear test site and continued to make efforts to build trust. "However we do not see any corresponding response from the US," he said. North Korea's complaints have gotten a sympathetic ear from Russia and China, which this week called for an easing of sanctions to encourage Pyongyang to make concessions. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the "positive developments" in relations between North and South Korea -- combined with warmer US-North Korean ties -- should lead to sanctions relief. The United States however has pushed for full enforcement of the tough measures that include a cap on oil and fuel deliveries, a ban on exports of North Korea's raw commodities and an end to contracts for its workers abroad. China is Pyongyang's top trading partner, while Russia has welcomed tens of thousands of North Korean laborers that provide a vital source of hard currency. Human rights groups say the laborers often work in slave-like conditions. The United States is also hearing calls for step-by-step sanctions relief from ally South Korea, whose left-leaning President Moon Jae-in helped arrange Trump's diplomatic drive. That view is not shared by Japan, which wants complete and verified disarming of North Korea as a condition for lifting any sanctions.

North Korea says 'no way' it will disarm without trust in US

North Korea has accused Japan of trying to create tension on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding its military.

Yonhap News Agency quoted local North Korean media as stating, "The maritime `Self-Defense Force` (MSDF) of Japan recently conducted a test-fire of the interceptor missile SM-3 Block 1B on an Aegis destroyer in waters off Hawaii of the US.It is reportedly the first time that the MSDF conducted an interceptor missile test-fire."

The local media further reported that Japan was trying to rebuild a military capable of waging war against others.

"The present reactionary regime of Japan seeks to put the Asia-Pacific region under control by turning Japan into a country capable of going to war," it added.

North Korea further claimed that Japan is seeking to disrupt the joint efforts of North and South Korea to establish and maintain peace on the Korean peninsula.

"No matter how desperately it (Japan) moves, it can never dampen the aspirations of all Koreans and the international community for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region," North Korea asserted.

These allegations come after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his hope to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a bilateral summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.&nbsp;

North Korea has accused Japan of trying to create tension on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding its military. Yonhap News Agency quoted local North Korean media as stating, "The maritime `Self-Defense Force` (MSDF) of Japan recently conducted a test-fire of the interceptor missile SM-3 Block 1B on an Aegis destroyer in waters off Hawaii of the US.

North Korea has accused Japan of trying to create tension on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding its military. Yonhap News Agency quoted local North Korean media as stating, "The maritime `Self-Defense Force` (MSDF) of Japan recently conducted a test-fire of the interceptor missile SM-3 Block 1B on an Aegis destroyer in waters off Hawaii of the US.It is reportedly the first time that the MSDF conducted an interceptor missile test-fire." The local media further reported that Japan was trying to rebuild a military capable of waging war against others. "The present reactionary regime of Japan seeks to put the Asia-Pacific region under control by turning Japan into a country capable of going to war," it added. North Korea further claimed that Japan is seeking to disrupt the joint efforts of North and South Korea to establish and maintain peace on the Korean peninsula. "No matter how desperately it (Japan) moves, it can never dampen the aspirations of all Koreans and the international community for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region," North Korea asserted. These allegations come after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his hope to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a bilateral summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

North Korea accuses Japan of rebuilding military on Korean Peninsula

North Korea calls for trust with U.S. before disarmament

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korea's Kim Jong Un have fallen "in love" –- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he received from the leader of the nuclear-armed state.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-trump---kim-summit-is-a-gamble-beyond-optics-144380">Opinion: Trump-Kim Summit was a gamble beyond optics</a>

Trump on Saturday elevated his recent praise of Kim to new heights, at a West Virginia rally in support of local candidates for his Republican Party.

"And then we fell in love -- OK? No really. He wrote me beautiful letters and they're great letters. We fell in love," Trump told the crowd.

On Monday at the United Nations General Assembly Trump lauded the North Korean strongman -- who is accused by the UN and others of widespread human rights abuses -- as "terrific", one year after Trump eviscerated Kim from the same platform.

Trump followed those comments by saying Wednesday he had received an "extraordinary letter" from Kim, and sounded optimistic about prospects for a second summit between the two leaders "fairly quickly."

Trump used his debut address at the UN General Assembly 12 months ago to threaten to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittle its leader as "rocket man," prompting Kim to respond by calling the president a "mentally deranged US dotard."

Those were among a series of playground-type slurs the leaders of the two nuclear-armed states hurled at each other, setting the world on edge.

Last August, after US media reported Pyongyang had successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead to fit into a missile, Trump warned Pyongyang not to threaten the United States or it would face "fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Kim had earlier compared comments by Trump to the bark of a "rabid dog," and Trump derided Kim as a "sick puppy" -- before the apparent outbreak of puppy love.

Trump met Kim in Singapore in June for the first-ever summit between the two countries that have never signed a peace treaty.

The summit led to a warming of ties and a halt in Pyongyang's missile launches, but there has been little concrete progress since.

North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho on Saturday told the UN there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the US to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korea's Kim Jong Un have fallen "in love" –- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he received from the leader of the nuclear-armed state.

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korea's Kim Jong Un have fallen "in love" –- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he received from the leader of the nuclear-armed state. Opinion: Trump-Kim Summit was a gamble beyond optics Trump on Saturday elevated his recent praise of Kim to new heights, at a West Virginia rally in support of local candidates for his Republican Party. "And then we fell in love -- OK? No really. He wrote me beautiful letters and they're great letters. We fell in love," Trump told the crowd. On Monday at the United Nations General Assembly Trump lauded the North Korean strongman -- who is accused by the UN and others of widespread human rights abuses -- as "terrific", one year after Trump eviscerated Kim from the same platform. Trump followed those comments by saying Wednesday he had received an "extraordinary letter" from Kim, and sounded optimistic about prospects for a second summit between the two leaders "fairly quickly." Trump used his debut address at the UN General Assembly 12 months ago to threaten to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittle its leader as "rocket man," prompting Kim to respond by calling the president a "mentally deranged US dotard." Those were among a series of playground-type slurs the leaders of the two nuclear-armed states hurled at each other, setting the world on edge. Last August, after US media reported Pyongyang had successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead to fit into a missile, Trump warned Pyongyang not to threaten the United States or it would face "fire and fury like the world has never seen." Kim had earlier compared comments by Trump to the bark of a "rabid dog," and Trump derided Kim as a "sick puppy" -- before the apparent outbreak of puppy love. Trump met Kim in Singapore in June for the first-ever summit between the two countries that have never signed a peace treaty. The summit led to a warming of ties and a halt in Pyongyang's missile launches, but there has been little concrete progress since. North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho on Saturday told the UN there was "no way" that his country would disarm first as long as the US to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.

US President Donald Trump says he and Kim Jong-Un are 'in love'

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the United Nations on Saturday that continued sanctions on Pyongyang were deepening its mistrust in the United States.

"Without any trust in the US&nbsp;there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first," Ri told the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.

He accused the United States of hindering peace efforts on the Korean peninsula with its insistence on enforcing tough economic sanctions.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ri said "the recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building."

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the United Nations on Saturday that continued sanctions on Pyongyang were deepening its mistrust in the United States.

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the United Nations on Saturday that continued sanctions on Pyongyang were deepening its mistrust in the United States. "Without any trust in the US there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first," Ri told the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. He accused the United States of hindering peace efforts on the Korean peninsula with its insistence on enforcing tough economic sanctions. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ri said "the recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building."

North Korea says continued sanctions deepening mistrust in US

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

"Enforcement of UN Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize final, fully-verified denuclearization," Pompeo said.

On Wednesday, Pompeo agreed to return to North Kora next month to push forward denuclearisation talks.

Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy.

Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," news agency AFP reported.

Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states.

Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China. "Enforcement of UN Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize final, fully-verified denuclearization," Pompeo said. On Wednesday, Pompeo agreed to return to North Kora next month to push forward denuclearisation talks. Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy. Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," news agency AFP reported. Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states. Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea sanctions must be 'vigorously' enforced: Pompeo tells UN

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday agreed to return to North Korea next month to push forward denuclearization talks as President Donald Trump predicted breakthroughs soon.

Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy.

Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," the State Department said, referring to the North by its official name of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states.

Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim.

His praise comes just one year after he mocked Kim as a "rocket man" at the United Nations and threatened a forceful military response.

Critics question how much North Korea has actually changed.

The regime, considered by human rights groups to be among the world's most repressive, has carried out six nuclear tests and says it has missiles that can hit the United States, although many analysts doubt its boasts.

Making a deal&nbsp;

Trump announced Wednesday that Kim sent him a new, "extraordinary" letter and said he expected the second summit to take place "fairly quickly."

"We have a very good relationship. He likes me, I like him," he later told a press conference in New York.

"I really believe he wants to get it done. He wants to make a deal, I want to make a deal."

Trump said that the United States would have been drawn into a war with North Korea if he had not been elected.

"If I wasn't elected, you would have had a war," Trump said before adding that "nobody is talking about that" anymore.

Speaking earlier as he chaired a special session of the UN Security Council on non-proliferation, Trump said: "Kim Jong Un, a man I have gotten to know and like, wants peace and prosperity for North Korea."

But Trump also called for the enforcement of sanctions, which the United States has spent years building through the Security Council in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.

He said the United States accused "some nations" of violating sanctions, including through illegal ship-to-ship transfer of oil to North Korean tankers at sea.

South Korea urges movement&nbsp;

Pushing hard for reconciliation is South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a dove who traveled this month to Pyongyang for the second inter-Korean summit this year.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Moon said that North Korea "moved out of longstanding isolation on its own initiative and stands before the international community once again."

"Now it is the international community's turn to respond positively to North Korea's new choices and efforts," he said.

In contrast with Trump's call for sustained sanctions, Moon has called for a step-by-step approach to nudge Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in exchange for sanctions relief.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who rose to political prominence as a hardliner on North Korea, has also rejected a quick easing of sanctions, but at the United Nations on Tuesday said that he too was willing to meet Kim.

Nevertheless, Abe said the focus of any summit would be to resolve the fate of Japanese civilians kidnapped by Pyongyang's spies in the 1970s and 1980s.

Pompeo, in an interview broadcast Wednesday with CBS News, said he believed that North Korea would allow international inspectors to verify any commitments.

"We're not going to buy a pig in a poke," he said.

"We're going to get this right, we're going to deliver on this commitment that Chairman Kim has made to the world, and then there's going to be a brighter future for the North Korean people, and there'll be a more peaceful world."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday agreed to return to North Korea next month to push forward denuclearization talks as President Donald Trump predicted breakthroughs soon.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday agreed to return to North Korea next month to push forward denuclearization talks as President Donald Trump predicted breakthroughs soon. Pompeo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to discuss plans for his fourth trip to the longtime US arch-enemy. Pompeo accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return to Pyongyang in October to move ahead on efforts for "the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK," the State Department said, referring to the North by its official name of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Pompeo will also try to arrange a second summit between Trump and Kim, whose meeting in June in Singapore was the first ever between sitting leaders of the two states. Trump has hailed his initiative with North Korea as a signature foreign policy success and heaped praise on Kim. His praise comes just one year after he mocked Kim as a "rocket man" at the United Nations and threatened a forceful military response. Critics question how much North Korea has actually changed. The regime, considered by human rights groups to be among the world's most repressive, has carried out six nuclear tests and says it has missiles that can hit the United States, although many analysts doubt its boasts. Making a deal Trump announced Wednesday that Kim sent him a new, "extraordinary" letter and said he expected the second summit to take place "fairly quickly." "We have a very good relationship. He likes me, I like him," he later told a press conference in New York. "I really believe he wants to get it done. He wants to make a deal, I want to make a deal." Trump said that the United States would have been drawn into a war with North Korea if he had not been elected. "If I wasn't elected, you would have had a war," Trump said before adding that "nobody is talking about that" anymore. Speaking earlier as he chaired a special session of the UN Security Council on non-proliferation, Trump said: "Kim Jong Un, a man I have gotten to know and like, wants peace and prosperity for North Korea." But Trump also called for the enforcement of sanctions, which the United States has spent years building through the Security Council in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests. He said the United States accused "some nations" of violating sanctions, including through illegal ship-to-ship transfer of oil to North Korean tankers at sea. South Korea urges movement Pushing hard for reconciliation is South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a dove who traveled this month to Pyongyang for the second inter-Korean summit this year. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Moon said that North Korea "moved out of longstanding isolation on its own initiative and stands before the international community once again." "Now it is the international community's turn to respond positively to North Korea's new choices and efforts," he said. In contrast with Trump's call for sustained sanctions, Moon has called for a step-by-step approach to nudge Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in exchange for sanctions relief. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who rose to political prominence as a hardliner on North Korea, has also rejected a quick easing of sanctions, but at the United Nations on Tuesday said that he too was willing to meet Kim. Nevertheless, Abe said the focus of any summit would be to resolve the fate of Japanese civilians kidnapped by Pyongyang's spies in the 1970s and 1980s. Pompeo, in an interview broadcast Wednesday with CBS News, said he believed that North Korea would allow international inspectors to verify any commitments. "We're not going to buy a pig in a poke," he said. "We're going to get this right, we're going to deliver on this commitment that Chairman Kim has made to the world, and then there's going to be a brighter future for the North Korean people, and there'll be a more peaceful world."

US Secretary of State Pompeo to return to North Korea as Trump hails Kim

US President Donald Trump admitted his friendship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could be over on Wednesday as he accused Beijing of undermining his prospects in upcoming elections.

With tensions growing sharply between the two sides on a range of issues, Trump said China wanted him to suffer an electoral setback as payback for his hard-line over trade.

After accusing the government in Beijing of using a variety of tactics to damage his chances at the vital midterm polls in November, he said that relations with Xi might have taken a permanent turn for the worse.

Trump has spoken many times since coming to office of his friendship with Xi, praising the Chinese leader for his role in helping bring pressure to bear on North Korea over its nuclear program.

But asked at a press conference in New York how Xi could remain his friend given the hike in tensions, Trump indicated that he preferred to be respected than liked.

"He may not be a friend of mine anymore but I think he probably respects me," said the president, who said the US economy was easily weathering the impact of the trade dispute.

Washington this week enacted new tariffs against China covering another $200 billion of its imports, shrugging off threats of counter measures from Beijing.&nbsp;

"We have to make it fair," he said. "A lot of money is coming into our coffers. And it's had absolutely no impact on our economy."

China has vowed to retaliate with duties on $60 billion in US goods, but since the country only imports a total of $130 billion, its ability to hit back with matching tariffs is limited.

'Evidence'&nbsp;

The accusation of electoral interference first came during a meeting of the UN Security Council that Trump chaired himself earlier in the day. &nbsp; &nbsp;

"Regrettably we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election coming up in November against my administration," Trump told the chamber.

"They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade," he added.

Trump later said there was clear evidence to back up his claim.

"We have evidence. It will come out. Yeah, I can't tell you now, but it came -- it didn't come out of nowhere, that I can tell you," he told a press conference.

In a briefing with reporters in Washington, a senior White House official said that China was deploying economic, military and informational tools to spread influence and to undermine the US government.

"The activities have reached an unacceptable level," the official said.

The official said the policy of "actively interfering in our political system includes hurting farmers in districts and states that voted for the president."

The official was referring to China's imposition of tariffs on soybeans -- a hugely important trade in the electorally crucial state of Iowa -- as retaliation for Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods.

'Unwarranted accusations'&nbsp;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rejected what he termed "unwarranted accusations."

"China has all along followed the principle of non-interference," Wang said in the same session that was chaired by the US president.

"We did not and will not interfere in any country's domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China."

But Trump followed up his accusations with a series of tweets accusing China's government of paying for newspaper space in the US state of Iowa to push its message.

These "propaganda ads" are being placed "because we are beating them on Trade, opening markets," he tweeted.

The United States also irked China earlier this week by going ahead with plans to sell a batch of military parts to the self-governing island of Taiwan.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting unification, and is deeply suspicious of the island's relations with the United States.

A special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, is investigating allegations that members of Trump's inner circle colluded with Russia to secure his victory in the 2016 presidential election after US security agencies determined that Moscow had sought to influence the outcome.

US President Donald Trump admitted his friendship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could be over on Wednesday as he accused Beijing of undermining his prospects in upcoming elections.

US President Donald Trump admitted his friendship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could be over on Wednesday as he accused Beijing of undermining his prospects in upcoming elections. With tensions growing sharply between the two sides on a range of issues, Trump said China wanted him to suffer an electoral setback as payback for his hard-line over trade. After accusing the government in Beijing of using a variety of tactics to damage his chances at the vital midterm polls in November, he said that relations with Xi might have taken a permanent turn for the worse. Trump has spoken many times since coming to office of his friendship with Xi, praising the Chinese leader for his role in helping bring pressure to bear on North Korea over its nuclear program. But asked at a press conference in New York how Xi could remain his friend given the hike in tensions, Trump indicated that he preferred to be respected than liked. "He may not be a friend of mine anymore but I think he probably respects me," said the president, who said the US economy was easily weathering the impact of the trade dispute. Washington this week enacted new tariffs against China covering another $200 billion of its imports, shrugging off threats of counter measures from Beijing. "We have to make it fair," he said. "A lot of money is coming into our coffers. And it's had absolutely no impact on our economy." China has vowed to retaliate with duties on $60 billion in US goods, but since the country only imports a total of $130 billion, its ability to hit back with matching tariffs is limited. 'Evidence' The accusation of electoral interference first came during a meeting of the UN Security Council that Trump chaired himself earlier in the day. "Regrettably we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election coming up in November against my administration," Trump told the chamber. "They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade," he added. Trump later said there was clear evidence to back up his claim. "We have evidence. It will come out. Yeah, I can't tell you now, but it came -- it didn't come out of nowhere, that I can tell you," he told a press conference. In a briefing with reporters in Washington, a senior White House official said that China was deploying economic, military and informational tools to spread influence and to undermine the US government. "The activities have reached an unacceptable level," the official said. The official said the policy of "actively interfering in our political system includes hurting farmers in districts and states that voted for the president." The official was referring to China's imposition of tariffs on soybeans -- a hugely important trade in the electorally crucial state of Iowa -- as retaliation for Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods. 'Unwarranted accusations' Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rejected what he termed "unwarranted accusations." "China has all along followed the principle of non-interference," Wang said in the same session that was chaired by the US president. "We did not and will not interfere in any country's domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China." But Trump followed up his accusations with a series of tweets accusing China's government of paying for newspaper space in the US state of Iowa to push its message. These "propaganda ads" are being placed "because we are beating them on Trade, opening markets," he tweeted. The United States also irked China earlier this week by going ahead with plans to sell a batch of military parts to the self-governing island of Taiwan. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting unification, and is deeply suspicious of the island's relations with the United States. A special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, is investigating allegations that members of Trump's inner circle colluded with Russia to secure his victory in the 2016 presidential election after US security agencies determined that Moscow had sought to influence the outcome.

Trump admits friendship with China's Xi Jinping could be over

US President Donald Trump criticized Iran on Tuesday as a "corrupt dictatorship" that is plundering the Iranian people to pay for aggression abroad, using his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to lay down a tough message for Tehran.

"Iran's leaders sow chaos, death and destruction," Trump told the annual gathering. "They do not respect their neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations."

Trump compared US relations with Iran to what he called improved ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, praising him for halting nuclear and missile tests and returning some US remains from the 1950s Korean War. Trump had called Kim a "rocket man" bent on nuclear destruction in his UN speech last year.

Trump praised North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un for his courage in taking some steps to disarm, but said much work needed to be done and sanctions must remain in place on North Korea until it denuclearizes.

"The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction, nuclear testing has stopped, some military facilities are already being dismantled," Trump said in his speech to the annual United Nations General Assembly.

"I would like to thank Chairman Kim for his courage and for the steps he has taken, though much work remains to be done," Trump said. "The sanctions will stay in place until denuclearization occurs."

Trump's remarks on North Korea were dramatically different to those in his speech last year at the UN assembly, when he threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea and mocked the North Korean leader as "Rocket Man" on a "suicide mission."

Trump used his speech to call for international trade reforms and insist that his main objective as president is to protect American sovereignty. He called on OPEC to stop raising oil prices and criticized China's trade practices.

And Trump prompted some murmuring from the crowd of world leaders and diplomats when he declared that he had accomplished more as president than almost any other administration in history.

"I didn’t expect that reaction, but that's okay," he said.

Trump accused members of the OPEC oil cartel of "ripping off" the world on as he called for a lowering of fuel prices.

"The United States stands ready to export our abundant affordable supply of oil, clean coal, and natural gas," Trump told the United Nations General Assembly.

"OPEC and OPEC nations are, as usual, ripping off the rest of the world, and I don't like it. Nobody should like it."

Trump accused the International Criminal Court of lacking any legitimacy, saying it violated "all principles of justice."

"As far as America is concerned, the ICC has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority," Trump said of the world court.

Calling India a free society of over a billion people, Trump said the country is lifting people out of poverty into the middle class.&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump criticized Iran on Tuesday as a "corrupt dictatorship" that is plundering the Iranian people to pay for aggression abroad, using his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to lay down a tough message for Tehran.

US President Donald Trump criticized Iran on Tuesday as a "corrupt dictatorship" that is plundering the Iranian people to pay for aggression abroad, using his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to lay down a tough message for Tehran. "Iran's leaders sow chaos, death and destruction," Trump told the annual gathering. "They do not respect their neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations." Trump compared US relations with Iran to what he called improved ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, praising him for halting nuclear and missile tests and returning some US remains from the 1950s Korean War. Trump had called Kim a "rocket man" bent on nuclear destruction in his UN speech last year. Trump praised North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un for his courage in taking some steps to disarm, but said much work needed to be done and sanctions must remain in place on North Korea until it denuclearizes. "The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction, nuclear testing has stopped, some military facilities are already being dismantled," Trump said in his speech to the annual United Nations General Assembly. "I would like to thank Chairman Kim for his courage and for the steps he has taken, though much work remains to be done," Trump said. "The sanctions will stay in place until denuclearization occurs." Trump's remarks on North Korea were dramatically different to those in his speech last year at the UN assembly, when he threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea and mocked the North Korean leader as "Rocket Man" on a "suicide mission." Trump used his speech to call for international trade reforms and insist that his main objective as president is to protect American sovereignty. He called on OPEC to stop raising oil prices and criticized China's trade practices. And Trump prompted some murmuring from the crowd of world leaders and diplomats when he declared that he had accomplished more as president than almost any other administration in history. "I didn’t expect that reaction, but that's okay," he said. Trump accused members of the OPEC oil cartel of "ripping off" the world on as he called for a lowering of fuel prices. "The United States stands ready to export our abundant affordable supply of oil, clean coal, and natural gas," Trump told the United Nations General Assembly. "OPEC and OPEC nations are, as usual, ripping off the rest of the world, and I don't like it. Nobody should like it." Trump accused the International Criminal Court of lacking any legitimacy, saying it violated "all principles of justice." "As far as America is concerned, the ICC has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority," Trump said of the world court. Calling India a free society of over a billion people, Trump said the country is lifting people out of poverty into the middle class. (With agency inputs)

Iran's 'corrupt dictatorship' is plundering its people: Trump at UN

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a longtime hardliner on North Korea, said Tuesday he was willing to meet Kim Jong Un after the once reclusive leader's historic summit with US President Donald Trump.

Abe, who one year ago warned at the United Nations that the window for diplomacy with North Korea was closing, took a more open but still cautious tone in his latest address to the world body.

But he said that any summit would be devoted to resolving a decades-old row over North Korea's abductions of Japanese civilians -- a deeply emotive issue for much of the Japanese public on which Abe built his political career.

"In order to resolve the abduction issue, I am also ready to break the shell of mutual distrust with North Korea, get off to a new start and meet face to face with Chairman Kim Jong Un," Abe said in his UN address, while stressing that nothing was yet in the works.

"But if we are to have one, then I am determined that it must contribute to the resolution of the abduction issue," he said.

North Korea kidnapped scores of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to train the regime's spies in Japanese language and culture.

Former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi travelled twice to Pyongyang to seek a new relationship with the current leader's father Kim Jong Il and was told by North Korea that remaining abduction victims were dead -- a stance adamantly rejected by Japanese family members and campaigners.

Speculation has been rising that Abe could meet with Kim, who reportedly told Trump during their summit in June in Singapore that he was willing to talk to arch-enemy Japan.

With South Korea's dovish President Moon Jae-in also courting Kim, fears have risen in Japan that it could be shut out of any ultimate resolution on North Korea if it refuses dialogue.

Trump in his own UN address earlier Tuesday pointed to his "bold and new push for peace" and saluted Kim's courage.

It was a far cry from a year ago, when Trump stunned assembled leaders by threatening to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittling "rocket man" Kim.

Despite Trump's optimism, many analysts are skeptical on how much North Korea has changed, saying the regime has already conducted the tests it needed to build its nuclear and missile programs.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a longtime hardliner on North Korea, said Tuesday he was willing to meet Kim Jong Un after the once reclusive leader's historic summit with US President Donald Trump.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a longtime hardliner on North Korea, said Tuesday he was willing to meet Kim Jong Un after the once reclusive leader's historic summit with US President Donald Trump. Abe, who one year ago warned at the United Nations that the window for diplomacy with North Korea was closing, took a more open but still cautious tone in his latest address to the world body. But he said that any summit would be devoted to resolving a decades-old row over North Korea's abductions of Japanese civilians -- a deeply emotive issue for much of the Japanese public on which Abe built his political career. "In order to resolve the abduction issue, I am also ready to break the shell of mutual distrust with North Korea, get off to a new start and meet face to face with Chairman Kim Jong Un," Abe said in his UN address, while stressing that nothing was yet in the works. "But if we are to have one, then I am determined that it must contribute to the resolution of the abduction issue," he said. North Korea kidnapped scores of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to train the regime's spies in Japanese language and culture. Former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi travelled twice to Pyongyang to seek a new relationship with the current leader's father Kim Jong Il and was told by North Korea that remaining abduction victims were dead -- a stance adamantly rejected by Japanese family members and campaigners. Speculation has been rising that Abe could meet with Kim, who reportedly told Trump during their summit in June in Singapore that he was willing to talk to arch-enemy Japan. With South Korea's dovish President Moon Jae-in also courting Kim, fears have risen in Japan that it could be shut out of any ultimate resolution on North Korea if it refuses dialogue. Trump in his own UN address earlier Tuesday pointed to his "bold and new push for peace" and saluted Kim's courage. It was a far cry from a year ago, when Trump stunned assembled leaders by threatening to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittling "rocket man" Kim. Despite Trump's optimism, many analysts are skeptical on how much North Korea has changed, saying the regime has already conducted the tests it needed to build its nuclear and missile programs.

Japan PM Abe open to summit with North Korea's Kim

By Benjamin Habib

Last week’s fifth inter-Korean summit provided another round of iconic moments in a year of extraordinary drama in Korean Peninsula politics.

From Moon Jae-in’s address at the Arirang Mass Games to the leaders’ photo-op on the shores of the crater lake at Paekdusan, the three-day summit produced plenty of symbolism. More importantly, it increased the detail and scope of confidence-building measures agreed in the earlier Panmunjom Declaration.

Much of the commentary in the wake of the summit has focused on what the Pyongyang Declaration means for the potential denuclearisation of North Korea. To view the summit through the narrow lens of nuclear politics would be to overlook the significance of deeper patterns that are emerging from inter-Korean détente.

Filling in the details 
 
The first notable feature of the Pyongyang Declaration is the increased depth of military-to-military confidence-building measures, as articulated in its attached annex. One of the questions emerging from the Panmunjom Declaration related to how that document’s vague commitments to cooperation would be fleshed out in detail.

In the Pyongyang Declaration are measures for increased conflict management procedures and greater operational level consultation. This includes a series of measures along the demilitarised zone (DMZ) and Northern Limit Line maritime boundary to reduce the risk of confrontation.

A holistic approach to security 
 
There is a clear human security focus in the breadth and depth of the Pyongyang Declaration that has moved inter-Korean engagement well beyond denuclearisation. Human security is about protecting individuals and communities from threats to their well-being and survival. This might be from traditional security threats of war or persecution, or from non-traditional threats such as food insecurity, inadequate housing and sanitation, environmental degradation, or pandemic disease.

Growing the web of inter-Korean economic links can improve economic opportunities for North Korean citizens and create mutual interests that decrease the appetite of both governments for conflict. Breaking ground on the construction of east and west transportation corridors was an example of this, along with reopening the Kaesong industrial zone and Geumgangsan tourist precinct.

What’s new here is the establishment of special economic zones and tourist precincts. A large number of South Korean firms are ready to seize on new business opportunities in the North that may result from these openings. For the North, these projects fit within Kim Jong-un’s objective of economic modernisation.

Also of interest is the addition of cooperation on environmental capacity-building and public health. As Myeong Soojeong from the Korea Environment Institute has argued, South and North Korea share connected ecosystems (ecology transcends borders). Environmental degradation in North Korea is likely to increase the cost to South Korea in the event of reunification.

Cooperation on public health and pandemic disease prevention would also benefit the well-being of North Korean people, especially given the North’s well-documented outbreaks of tuberculosis.

From a South Korean perspective, the thinking behind broad-based engagement is that a comprehensive security strategy that improves the human well-being of North Korean citizens can reduce the threat posed by North Korea. By building on these mutual interests, the two Koreas give themselves space to pull back from the dangerous insecurity spirals that have made Korean Peninsula politics so volatile.

Appealing to multiple audiences

The expansion of the scope of engagement plays well politically for domestic constituencies on both sides of the DMZ. Moon has staked enormous political capital on rapprochement with the North, while Kim needs to bring the people with him to legitimise his economic modernisation program and see off internal factions.

From this perspective, the expansion of the family reunion program will be popular on both sides of the DMZ and provide valuable opportunities for separated families to reconnect.

The cultural and sports exchanges are largely symbolic trust-building activities. But these are also an important piece of diplomatic signalling to the international community that the process is serious and now is not a time for confrontation.

The announcement of a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games is particularly poignant, given the importance of this year’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in helping to defuse red-hot tensions that had bubbled up through 2017.

We should also not forget the influence of the 1988 Seoul Olympics in opening a greater window of political opportunity for democratisation in South Korea.

Power transitions

It is intriguing that confidence-building measures related to the North’s nuclear program are not mentioned until well into the Pyongyang Declaration. North Korea’s agreement to independently verified dismantlement of its missile launch platform at Dongchang-ri/Sohae is noteworthy. But promises to dismantle infrastructure at the Yongbyon nuclear site are conditional on reciprocal action from the United States, which is far from certain.

Indeed, apart from these two concessions, the Pyongyang Declaration is not really about denuclearisation at all. What’s increasingly clear is that inter-Korean détente is now driving Korean Peninsula politics, and increasingly shaping the agenda of US interactions with the DPRK. The US-ROK alliance remains in place, but the goalposts of this relationship are moving.

All the hype surrounding inter-Korean economic integration notwithstanding, North Korea is not a virgin territory that South Korea can lay claim to. The DPRK is already strongly integrated into China’s economic orbit through trade corridors, Chinese direct investment and the reality of the Chinese yuan as the North’s de facto currency.

By connecting to North Korea through greater infrastructure links, the South will also be opening a connection with China’s vast land-based transportation network and beyond. The geopolitical implications of inter-Korean economic cooperation bringing South Korea closer to the Sinosphere have not received as much attention as they might.

That the inter-Korean process might need to be Trump-proofed illustrates a growing distance between South Korea and the United States in the Trump era. One could indeed make the case that both the South and North Korean governments may not see the US as a credible negotiating partner at this time, given US President Donald Trump’s elastic foreign policy positions, his record of alienating allies, and the likely lack of domestic support for engagement in US foreign policy circles. This was well illustrated by the recent address by Harry Harris, US ambassador to the ROK, stressing “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation” (CVID).

Extraordinarily, Washington’s insistence on CVID now seems out of date given the growing momentum of inter-Korean détente. Moon appears determined to push on with engagement regardless of the US position.

This would have been unthinkable under previous American administrations. Such are the shifting goalposts of power in world affairs in the Trump era.

(Benjamin Habib is Lecturer in International Relations, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/economic-growth-and-trump-proofing-why-the-latest-inter-korea-summit-matters-103598">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Benjamin Habib Last week’s fifth inter-Korean summit provided another round of iconic moments in a year of extraordinary drama in Korean Peninsula politics. From Moon Jae-in’s address at the Arirang Mass Games to the leaders’ photo-op on the shores of the crater lake at Paekdusan, the three-day summit produced plenty of symbolism.

By Benjamin Habib Last week’s fifth inter-Korean summit provided another round of iconic moments in a year of extraordinary drama in Korean Peninsula politics. From Moon Jae-in’s address at the Arirang Mass Games to the leaders’ photo-op on the shores of the crater lake at Paekdusan, the three-day summit produced plenty of symbolism. More importantly, it increased the detail and scope of confidence-building measures agreed in the earlier Panmunjom Declaration. Much of the commentary in the wake of the summit has focused on what the Pyongyang Declaration means for the potential denuclearisation of North Korea. To view the summit through the narrow lens of nuclear politics would be to overlook the significance of deeper patterns that are emerging from inter-Korean détente. Filling in the details The first notable feature of the Pyongyang Declaration is the increased depth of military-to-military confidence-building measures, as articulated in its attached annex. One of the questions emerging from the Panmunjom Declaration related to how that document’s vague commitments to cooperation would be fleshed out in detail. In the Pyongyang Declaration are measures for increased conflict management procedures and greater operational level consultation. This includes a series of measures along the demilitarised zone (DMZ) and Northern Limit Line maritime boundary to reduce the risk of confrontation. A holistic approach to security There is a clear human security focus in the breadth and depth of the Pyongyang Declaration that has moved inter-Korean engagement well beyond denuclearisation. Human security is about protecting individuals and communities from threats to their well-being and survival. This might be from traditional security threats of war or persecution, or from non-traditional threats such as food insecurity, inadequate housing and sanitation, environmental degradation, or pandemic disease. Growing the web of inter-Korean economic links can improve economic opportunities for North Korean citizens and create mutual interests that decrease the appetite of both governments for conflict. Breaking ground on the construction of east and west transportation corridors was an example of this, along with reopening the Kaesong industrial zone and Geumgangsan tourist precinct. What’s new here is the establishment of special economic zones and tourist precincts. A large number of South Korean firms are ready to seize on new business opportunities in the North that may result from these openings. For the North, these projects fit within Kim Jong-un’s objective of economic modernisation. Also of interest is the addition of cooperation on environmental capacity-building and public health. As Myeong Soojeong from the Korea Environment Institute has argued, South and North Korea share connected ecosystems (ecology transcends borders). Environmental degradation in North Korea is likely to increase the cost to South Korea in the event of reunification. Cooperation on public health and pandemic disease prevention would also benefit the well-being of North Korean people, especially given the North’s well-documented outbreaks of tuberculosis. From a South Korean perspective, the thinking behind broad-based engagement is that a comprehensive security strategy that improves the human well-being of North Korean citizens can reduce the threat posed by North Korea. By building on these mutual interests, the two Koreas give themselves space to pull back from the dangerous insecurity spirals that have made Korean Peninsula politics so volatile. Appealing to multiple audiences The expansion of the scope of engagement plays well politically for domestic constituencies on both sides of the DMZ. Moon has staked enormous political capital on rapprochement with the North, while Kim needs to bring the people with him to legitimise his economic modernisation program and see off internal factions. From this perspective, the expansion of the family reunion program will be popular on both sides of the DMZ and provide valuable opportunities for separated families to reconnect. The cultural and sports exchanges are largely symbolic trust-building activities. But these are also an important piece of diplomatic signalling to the international community that the process is serious and now is not a time for confrontation. The announcement of a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games is particularly poignant, given the importance of this year’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in helping to defuse red-hot tensions that had bubbled up through 2017. We should also not forget the influence of the 1988 Seoul Olympics in opening a greater window of political opportunity for democratisation in South Korea. Power transitions It is intriguing that confidence-building measures related to the North’s nuclear program are not mentioned until well into the Pyongyang Declaration. North Korea’s agreement to independently verified dismantlement of its missile launch platform at Dongchang-ri/Sohae is noteworthy. But promises to dismantle infrastructure at the Yongbyon nuclear site are conditional on reciprocal action from the United States, which is far from certain. Indeed, apart from these two concessions, the Pyongyang Declaration is not really about denuclearisation at all. What’s increasingly clear is that inter-Korean détente is now driving Korean Peninsula politics, and increasingly shaping the agenda of US interactions with the DPRK. The US-ROK alliance remains in place, but the goalposts of this relationship are moving. All the hype surrounding inter-Korean economic integration notwithstanding, North Korea is not a virgin territory that South Korea can lay claim to. The DPRK is already strongly integrated into China’s economic orbit through trade corridors, Chinese direct investment and the reality of the Chinese yuan as the North’s de facto currency. By connecting to North Korea through greater infrastructure links, the South will also be opening a connection with China’s vast land-based transportation network and beyond. The geopolitical implications of inter-Korean economic cooperation bringing South Korea closer to the Sinosphere have not received as much attention as they might. That the inter-Korean process might need to be Trump-proofed illustrates a growing distance between South Korea and the United States in the Trump era. One could indeed make the case that both the South and North Korean governments may not see the US as a credible negotiating partner at this time, given US President Donald Trump’s elastic foreign policy positions, his record of alienating allies, and the likely lack of domestic support for engagement in US foreign policy circles. This was well illustrated by the recent address by Harry Harris, US ambassador to the ROK, stressing “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation” (CVID). Extraordinarily, Washington’s insistence on CVID now seems out of date given the growing momentum of inter-Korean détente. Moon appears determined to push on with engagement regardless of the US position. This would have been unthinkable under previous American administrations. Such are the shifting goalposts of power in world affairs in the Trump era. (Benjamin Habib is Lecturer in International Relations, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why the latest inter-Korea summit matters

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a free trade agreement on Monday that Trump hailed as a "historic milestone in trade."

Trump, who has sought to renegotiate trade deals with several countries around the world, said the revised agreement would reduce bureaucracy and increase prosperity in the United States and South Korea.

"Our two countries have set an example of friendship and cooperation for trade that rarely you see in this age," he said.

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a free trade agreement on Monday that Trump hailed as a "historic milestone in trade." Trump, who has sought to renegotiate trade deals with several countries around the world, said the revised agreement would reduce bureaucracy and increase prosperity in the United States and South Korea.

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a free trade agreement on Monday that Trump hailed as a "historic milestone in trade." Trump, who has sought to renegotiate trade deals with several countries around the world, said the revised agreement would reduce bureaucracy and increase prosperity in the United States and South Korea. "Our two countries have set an example of friendship and cooperation for trade that rarely you see in this age," he said.

Trump calls new US-South Korea trade deal a historic milestone

President Donald Trump said Monday he expects a second summit with Kim Jong Un to take place "quite soon" as he returned to the United Nations to trumpet a turnaround in ties with the North Korean leader.

Trump used his debut address to the UN General Assembly last year to threaten to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittled Kim as "rocket man", prompting Kim to respond by calling the US president "mentally deranged".

But speaking as he arrived at UN headquarters in New York for this year's gathering, Trump hailed "tremendous progress" to halt Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests and said that a year later it was a "much different time."

"It looks like we'll have a second summit quite soon," he told reporters.

"As you know Kim Jong Un wrote a letter -- a beautiful letter -- asking for a second meeting and we will be doing that," added Trump who met with Kim in Singapore in June.

While relations with Kim have improved dramatically, leaders attending the annual assembly will hear how another of Trump's adversaries, Iran's Hassan Rouhani, remains beyond the pale for the American president.

In addition to his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump has a series of bilateral meetings with allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Theresa May and Japan's Shinzo Abe, whom he met with late Sunday.

One of the most closely-watched will be Monday's meeting with South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, who will brief him on last week's inter-Korean summit with Kim in Pyongyang.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- who has visited Pyongyang three times -- will preside over a Security Council meeting Thursday where he will brief members on how the administration can persuade the North to turn its back on nuclear weapons.

He will also defend the Trump administration's use of sanctions to force change, which has seen Chinese and Russian companies punished for doing business in North Korea.

Skepticism remains about whether Kim has taken any concrete steps, but that seems unlikely to deter Trump from pushing toward a follow-up to the Singapore summit in June.

Big drug problem

Kicking off his meetings, Trump addressed "the world drug problem and a big problem it is" at an event that saw 130 countries pledge to step up action to fight the illegal drug trade and combat addiction.

In his 41-minute speech at the General Assembly in 2017, the US president made clear he wanted to turn the clock back on the last half-century's growth of global rules and institutions to return to the primacy of the nation-state.

The UN's number one financial backer, the United States has moved under Trump to cut funding to the world body, notably to peacekeeping missions that are key to the UN's goal of promoting peace and security.

"The United Nations has tremendous potential and that potential is being met, slowly but surely," Trump told the meeting attended by UN chief Antonio Guterres.

While Trump will dial down the rhetoric against Kim, there seems to be little prospect of him doing likewise with Rouhani.

The US annoyed many of its allies in Europe by pulling out of a deal they jointly negotiated in 2015 that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.

US allies in the Middle East, notably Saudi Arabia, have, however, been delighted by Trump's stance.

On Wednesday, Trump will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation that will focus heavily on Iran, likely triggering a clash with other big powers.

The White House has not completely closed the door on a Rouhani-Trump meeting, but in a weekend op-ed in The Washington Post, Rouhani charged that Trump's offer of talks was not "genuine" and came with a list of "openly insulting preconditions."

President Donald Trump said Monday he expects a second summit with Kim Jong Un to take place "quite soon" as he returned to the United Nations to trumpet a turnaround in ties with the North Korean leader.

President Donald Trump said Monday he expects a second summit with Kim Jong Un to take place "quite soon" as he returned to the United Nations to trumpet a turnaround in ties with the North Korean leader. Trump used his debut address to the UN General Assembly last year to threaten to "totally destroy" North Korea and belittled Kim as "rocket man", prompting Kim to respond by calling the US president "mentally deranged". But speaking as he arrived at UN headquarters in New York for this year's gathering, Trump hailed "tremendous progress" to halt Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests and said that a year later it was a "much different time." "It looks like we'll have a second summit quite soon," he told reporters. "As you know Kim Jong Un wrote a letter -- a beautiful letter -- asking for a second meeting and we will be doing that," added Trump who met with Kim in Singapore in June. While relations with Kim have improved dramatically, leaders attending the annual assembly will hear how another of Trump's adversaries, Iran's Hassan Rouhani, remains beyond the pale for the American president. In addition to his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump has a series of bilateral meetings with allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Theresa May and Japan's Shinzo Abe, whom he met with late Sunday. One of the most closely-watched will be Monday's meeting with South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, who will brief him on last week's inter-Korean summit with Kim in Pyongyang. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- who has visited Pyongyang three times -- will preside over a Security Council meeting Thursday where he will brief members on how the administration can persuade the North to turn its back on nuclear weapons. He will also defend the Trump administration's use of sanctions to force change, which has seen Chinese and Russian companies punished for doing business in North Korea. Skepticism remains about whether Kim has taken any concrete steps, but that seems unlikely to deter Trump from pushing toward a follow-up to the Singapore summit in June. Big drug problem Kicking off his meetings, Trump addressed "the world drug problem and a big problem it is" at an event that saw 130 countries pledge to step up action to fight the illegal drug trade and combat addiction. In his 41-minute speech at the General Assembly in 2017, the US president made clear he wanted to turn the clock back on the last half-century's growth of global rules and institutions to return to the primacy of the nation-state. The UN's number one financial backer, the United States has moved under Trump to cut funding to the world body, notably to peacekeeping missions that are key to the UN's goal of promoting peace and security. "The United Nations has tremendous potential and that potential is being met, slowly but surely," Trump told the meeting attended by UN chief Antonio Guterres. While Trump will dial down the rhetoric against Kim, there seems to be little prospect of him doing likewise with Rouhani. The US annoyed many of its allies in Europe by pulling out of a deal they jointly negotiated in 2015 that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. US allies in the Middle East, notably Saudi Arabia, have, however, been delighted by Trump's stance. On Wednesday, Trump will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation that will focus heavily on Iran, likely triggering a clash with other big powers. The White House has not completely closed the door on a Rouhani-Trump meeting, but in a weekend op-ed in The Washington Post, Rouhani charged that Trump's offer of talks was not "genuine" and came with a list of "openly insulting preconditions."

Back at UN, Trump eyes new North Korea summit 'quite soon'

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be firmly in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy.

After warming up to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ditching the Iran nuclear deal, the unpredictable Trump takes the podium on Tuesday to face foes and increasingly uneasy allies at the UN General Assembly.

On Wednesday, he will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction that will focus heavily on Iran -- likely triggering a clash with other big powers.

"It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said of Trump's first time wielding the gavel.

The diplomatic gathering will take stock of the thaw in relations between North and South Korea, and ground-breaking US-North Korea moves to address the threat from Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Last year, world leaders shuddered as Trump threatened to totally destroy North Korea and belittled Kim as "Rocket Man on a suicide mission."

An exchange of insults ensued, with Kim calling out the "mentally deranged US dotard."

U-turn on North Korea

Trump's address to the assembly will be the "polar opposite of what we heard last year," said Suzanne DiMaggio, an expert on North Korea and Iran at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The president will tout his face-to-face with Kim as a major diplomatic win but "he should think twice if he plans to repeat his claim that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat," she said.

Despite the Trump-Kim landmark summit in Singapore in June, there has been little concrete progress on denuclearization.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong ho has been invited by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for talks on the sidelines of the assembly meeting. Ri is scheduled to deliver his address on September 29.&nbsp;

During key meetings, South Korean President Moon Jae-in will encourage Trump to press on with the rapprochement, but the US president is likely to get a different message from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has taken a tough stance on maintaining sanctions pressure on Pyongyang.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will address the fall-out from the US decision to abandon the nuclear deal when he takes the podium shortly after Trump on Tuesday.

European countries along with Russia and China are still working to salvage the accord and will use the council meeting chaired by Trump to defend what they consider as a milestone in non-proliferation.

"The members of the Security Council are not going to take kindly to being lectured by President Trump on the subject of Iran," said DiMaggio.

"These very countries, which include our closest allies, are now facing US sanctions as they scramble to save the agreement."

- UN under fire - 
The UN rendezvous takes place amid a sharp divide between the United States, accused of turning its back on multilateralism, and countries that view the global rules-based order as their best hope to tackle the world's problems. &nbsp;

Struggling with tighter budgets from US cuts, the United Nations has been put on the defensive as its peace efforts in Syria, Libya and Yemen fall short.

"Multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week.

About 130 heads of state and government are turning up for the six-day marathon of speeches and meetings on tackling a long list of issues from climate change to poverty.

Russia and China will be represented by their foreign ministers.

Among those making their debut on the world stage will be Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has signed a historic peace deal with Eritrea, Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be firmly in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy.

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be firmly in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy. After warming up to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ditching the Iran nuclear deal, the unpredictable Trump takes the podium on Tuesday to face foes and increasingly uneasy allies at the UN General Assembly. On Wednesday, he will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction that will focus heavily on Iran -- likely triggering a clash with other big powers. "It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said of Trump's first time wielding the gavel. The diplomatic gathering will take stock of the thaw in relations between North and South Korea, and ground-breaking US-North Korea moves to address the threat from Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Last year, world leaders shuddered as Trump threatened to totally destroy North Korea and belittled Kim as "Rocket Man on a suicide mission." An exchange of insults ensued, with Kim calling out the "mentally deranged US dotard." U-turn on North Korea Trump's address to the assembly will be the "polar opposite of what we heard last year," said Suzanne DiMaggio, an expert on North Korea and Iran at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The president will tout his face-to-face with Kim as a major diplomatic win but "he should think twice if he plans to repeat his claim that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat," she said. Despite the Trump-Kim landmark summit in Singapore in June, there has been little concrete progress on denuclearization. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong ho has been invited by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for talks on the sidelines of the assembly meeting. Ri is scheduled to deliver his address on September 29. During key meetings, South Korean President Moon Jae-in will encourage Trump to press on with the rapprochement, but the US president is likely to get a different message from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has taken a tough stance on maintaining sanctions pressure on Pyongyang. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will address the fall-out from the US decision to abandon the nuclear deal when he takes the podium shortly after Trump on Tuesday. European countries along with Russia and China are still working to salvage the accord and will use the council meeting chaired by Trump to defend what they consider as a milestone in non-proliferation. "The members of the Security Council are not going to take kindly to being lectured by President Trump on the subject of Iran," said DiMaggio. "These very countries, which include our closest allies, are now facing US sanctions as they scramble to save the agreement." - UN under fire - The UN rendezvous takes place amid a sharp divide between the United States, accused of turning its back on multilateralism, and countries that view the global rules-based order as their best hope to tackle the world's problems. Struggling with tighter budgets from US cuts, the United Nations has been put on the defensive as its peace efforts in Syria, Libya and Yemen fall short. "Multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week. About 130 heads of state and government are turning up for the six-day marathon of speeches and meetings on tackling a long list of issues from climate change to poverty. Russia and China will be represented by their foreign ministers. Among those making their debut on the world stage will be Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has signed a historic peace deal with Eritrea, Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

World leaders at UN look for progress on North Korea, brace for Trump

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy.

After warming up to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ditching the Iran nuclear deal, the unpredictable Trump takes the podium on Tuesday to face foes and increasingly uneasy allies at the UN General Assembly.

On Wednesday, he will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction that will focus heavily on Iran -- likely triggering a clash with other big powers.

"It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said of Trump's first time wielding the gavel.

The diplomatic gathering will take stock of the thaw in relations between North and South Korea, and groundbreaking US-North Korea moves to address the threat from Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Last year, world leaders shuddered when Trump threatened to totally destroy North Korea and belittled Kim as "Rocket Man" who was "on a suicide mission."

An exchange of insults ensued, with Kim calling out the "mentally deranged US dotard."

U-turn on North Korea

Trump's address to the assembly will be the "polar opposite of what we heard last year," said Suzanne DiMaggio, an expert on North Korea and Iran at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The president will tout his June face-to-face with Kim as a major diplomatic win but "he should think twice if he plans to repeat his claim that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat," she said.

Despite the Trump-Kim landmark summit in Singapore, there has been little concrete progress on denuclearization.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has been invited by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for talks on the sidelines of the assembly meeting. Ri is scheduled to deliver his address on September 29.&nbsp;

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in will encourage Trump to press on with the rapprochement, but the US president is likely to get a different message from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has taken a tough stance on maintaining sanctions pressure on Pyongyang.

When he takes the podium shortly after Trump on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will meanwhile address the fall-out from the US decision to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal which lifted international sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's nuclear program.

European countries along with Russia and China are still working to salvage the accord and will use the council meeting chaired by Trump to defend what they consider a milestone in non-proliferation.

"The members of the Security Council are not going to take kindly to being lectured by President Trump on the subject of Iran," said DiMaggio.

"These very countries, which include our closest allies, are now facing US sanctions as they scramble to save the agreement."

Pompeo reiterated Sunday that Trump is willing to meet Rouhani as part of a "constructive dialogue" -- but added on NBC's "Meet the Press" that that seemed unlikely at present.

In a weekend op-ed in the Washington Post, Rouhani charged that Trump's offer of direct talks was not "genuine" and came with a list of "openly insulting pre-conditions."

And Haley -- while she condemned "any terrorist attack" after the deadly assault on a military parade in southwest Iran -- urged Rouhani to acknowledge popular discontent.

"He has oppressed his people for a long time," Haley told CNN on Sunday.&nbsp;

UN under fire

The UN rendezvous takes place during a sharp divide between the United States, accused of turning its back on multilateralism, and countries that view the global rules-based order as their best hope to tackle the world's problems. &nbsp;

Struggling with tighter budgets from US cuts, the United Nations has been put on the defensive as its peace efforts in Syria, Libya and Yemen fall short.

"Multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. 
About 130 heads of state and government are turning up for the six-day marathon of speeches and meetings on tackling a long list of issues from climate change to poverty.

Russia and China will be represented by their foreign ministers.

Among those making their debut on the world stage will be Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has signed a historic peace deal with Eritrea, Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy.

North Korea and Iran will dominate this week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where President Donald Trump will be in the spotlight as he continues to upend global diplomacy. After warming up to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ditching the Iran nuclear deal, the unpredictable Trump takes the podium on Tuesday to face foes and increasingly uneasy allies at the UN General Assembly. On Wednesday, he will for the first time chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction that will focus heavily on Iran -- likely triggering a clash with other big powers. "It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said of Trump's first time wielding the gavel. The diplomatic gathering will take stock of the thaw in relations between North and South Korea, and groundbreaking US-North Korea moves to address the threat from Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Last year, world leaders shuddered when Trump threatened to totally destroy North Korea and belittled Kim as "Rocket Man" who was "on a suicide mission." An exchange of insults ensued, with Kim calling out the "mentally deranged US dotard." U-turn on North Korea Trump's address to the assembly will be the "polar opposite of what we heard last year," said Suzanne DiMaggio, an expert on North Korea and Iran at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The president will tout his June face-to-face with Kim as a major diplomatic win but "he should think twice if he plans to repeat his claim that North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat," she said. Despite the Trump-Kim landmark summit in Singapore, there has been little concrete progress on denuclearization. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has been invited by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for talks on the sidelines of the assembly meeting. Ri is scheduled to deliver his address on September 29. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in will encourage Trump to press on with the rapprochement, but the US president is likely to get a different message from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has taken a tough stance on maintaining sanctions pressure on Pyongyang. When he takes the podium shortly after Trump on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will meanwhile address the fall-out from the US decision to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal which lifted international sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's nuclear program. European countries along with Russia and China are still working to salvage the accord and will use the council meeting chaired by Trump to defend what they consider a milestone in non-proliferation. "The members of the Security Council are not going to take kindly to being lectured by President Trump on the subject of Iran," said DiMaggio. "These very countries, which include our closest allies, are now facing US sanctions as they scramble to save the agreement." Pompeo reiterated Sunday that Trump is willing to meet Rouhani as part of a "constructive dialogue" -- but added on NBC's "Meet the Press" that that seemed unlikely at present. In a weekend op-ed in the Washington Post, Rouhani charged that Trump's offer of direct talks was not "genuine" and came with a list of "openly insulting pre-conditions." And Haley -- while she condemned "any terrorist attack" after the deadly assault on a military parade in southwest Iran -- urged Rouhani to acknowledge popular discontent. "He has oppressed his people for a long time," Haley told CNN on Sunday. UN under fire The UN rendezvous takes place during a sharp divide between the United States, accused of turning its back on multilateralism, and countries that view the global rules-based order as their best hope to tackle the world's problems. Struggling with tighter budgets from US cuts, the United Nations has been put on the defensive as its peace efforts in Syria, Libya and Yemen fall short. "Multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. About 130 heads of state and government are turning up for the six-day marathon of speeches and meetings on tackling a long list of issues from climate change to poverty. Russia and China will be represented by their foreign ministers. Among those making their debut on the world stage will be Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has signed a historic peace deal with Eritrea, Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

More than a year after President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury like the world has never seen," the US leader now boasts of his relationship with North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un.

"He's calm. I'm calm," Trump said this week.

The US leader has claimed a diplomatic win, citing the "tremendous progress" and "great responses" from Pyongyang since he met Kim at a summit in Singapore in June.

The historic meeting resulted in a lofty joint statement, though momentum appeared to have stalled in recent weeks, with the two sides unable to agree on how Kim would get rid of his nuclear weapons.

But on Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped for a second summit between Trump and Kim "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

"I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredibly important issue for the entire world," Pompeo said.

The development came after Kim this week welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Pyongyang.

The North Korean leader agreed to close a missile testing site, giving new momentum to nuclear negotiations with the US, and said the North could dismantle its best-known nuclear facility at Yongbyon -- provided the US takes "corresponding measures."

Experts praised the positive developments but cautioned much remains to be done, noting the steps Kim has so far taken do not ensure North Korea will get rid of its nuclear weapons.

"Trump still thinks the first (summit) was a major success," Jon Wolfsthal, director of the Nuclear Crisis Group, told AFP.

"He needs a foreign policy success soon to reverse his domestic decline," the former Obama administration official added.

Denuclearization first

Pompeo has said Washington is ready to "immediately" begin negotiating with Pyongyang and has invited his North Korean counterpart to meet on the sidelines of next week's United Nations General Assembly in New York.

But the top US diplomat has quietly ignored North Korea's demand for countermeasures, such as sanctions relief, as the US has long insisted on denuclearization before it rewards Pyongyang.

"Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.&nbsp;

"Denuclearization has to come first," she added. "In order to get to the denuclearization of North Korea, sanctions must be enforced. We cannot let our foot off the gas."

While Washington isn't budging on sanctions, Trump has indicated he is ready to independently offer other concessions, a move Kim may be counting on.

"After a nice letter from (Kim), the president says he's willing to have a summit -- though none of the problems have been fixed," Bruce Klingner, who formerly worked for the CIA and now specializes in Korean and Japanese affairs for the Heritage Foundation think tank, told AFP.

"Pyongyang is trying to decouple Trump from the rest of the administration. They see him as more likely to offer concessions, as he did in Singapore, without demanding things in return -- and Kim is right to think so."

The US could try to use North Korea's eagerness to meet with Trump as some sort of leverage to get concrete steps ahead of the meeting," Klingner added.

Still, many experts view the prospect of new talks positively.&nbsp;

While the announcements made by the North this week are limited, "it is the first time where we have seen this initiative where North Koreans are willing to talk to South Koreans about denuclearization," said Joseph Yun, who was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the Singapore summit invitation.

"The offer is worth pursuing," added Wolfsthal.

Contrary to the all-or-nothing approach espoused by the Trump administration, US officials appear to be engaging in a process of limited reciprocal concessions.&nbsp;

The Singapore summit agreements imply "action for action rather than one party doing everything at once," Yun said.

"Any expectation that North Korea will completely denuclearize, give up nuclear weapons, give up missiles, give up fissile material, destroy sites before anything is done on any other front is completely unrealistic," he added.

More than a year after President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury like the world has never seen," the US leader now boasts of his relationship with North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un.

More than a year after President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury like the world has never seen," the US leader now boasts of his relationship with North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un. "He's calm. I'm calm," Trump said this week. The US leader has claimed a diplomatic win, citing the "tremendous progress" and "great responses" from Pyongyang since he met Kim at a summit in Singapore in June. The historic meeting resulted in a lofty joint statement, though momentum appeared to have stalled in recent weeks, with the two sides unable to agree on how Kim would get rid of his nuclear weapons. But on Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped for a second summit between Trump and Kim "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to denuclearize North Korea. "I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredibly important issue for the entire world," Pompeo said. The development came after Kim this week welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Pyongyang. The North Korean leader agreed to close a missile testing site, giving new momentum to nuclear negotiations with the US, and said the North could dismantle its best-known nuclear facility at Yongbyon -- provided the US takes "corresponding measures." Experts praised the positive developments but cautioned much remains to be done, noting the steps Kim has so far taken do not ensure North Korea will get rid of its nuclear weapons. "Trump still thinks the first (summit) was a major success," Jon Wolfsthal, director of the Nuclear Crisis Group, told AFP. "He needs a foreign policy success soon to reverse his domestic decline," the former Obama administration official added. Denuclearization first Pompeo has said Washington is ready to "immediately" begin negotiating with Pyongyang and has invited his North Korean counterpart to meet on the sidelines of next week's United Nations General Assembly in New York. But the top US diplomat has quietly ignored North Korea's demand for countermeasures, such as sanctions relief, as the US has long insisted on denuclearization before it rewards Pyongyang. "Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "Denuclearization has to come first," she added. "In order to get to the denuclearization of North Korea, sanctions must be enforced. We cannot let our foot off the gas." While Washington isn't budging on sanctions, Trump has indicated he is ready to independently offer other concessions, a move Kim may be counting on. "After a nice letter from (Kim), the president says he's willing to have a summit -- though none of the problems have been fixed," Bruce Klingner, who formerly worked for the CIA and now specializes in Korean and Japanese affairs for the Heritage Foundation think tank, told AFP. "Pyongyang is trying to decouple Trump from the rest of the administration. They see him as more likely to offer concessions, as he did in Singapore, without demanding things in return -- and Kim is right to think so." The US could try to use North Korea's eagerness to meet with Trump as some sort of leverage to get concrete steps ahead of the meeting," Klingner added. Still, many experts view the prospect of new talks positively. While the announcements made by the North this week are limited, "it is the first time where we have seen this initiative where North Koreans are willing to talk to South Koreans about denuclearization," said Joseph Yun, who was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the Singapore summit invitation. "The offer is worth pursuing," added Wolfsthal. Contrary to the all-or-nothing approach espoused by the Trump administration, US officials appear to be engaging in a process of limited reciprocal concessions. The Singapore summit agreements imply "action for action rather than one party doing everything at once," Yun said. "Any expectation that North Korea will completely denuclearize, give up nuclear weapons, give up missiles, give up fissile material, destroy sites before anything is done on any other front is completely unrealistic," he added.

Trump holds on to diplomatic 'success' in North Korea

The world is talking of this Summit as a historic moment with hopes that it will bring peace to Korean Peninsula. Reading between the lines, beyond the niceties and magnificent optics displayed, some realities do emerge, which will indicate that it is beginning of a great gamble by both sides. This issue had crossed the limit of being a bilateral one and it impacts other stakeholders as well, hence this may not be the last call on peace of Korean Peninsula. In real terms North Korea continues to be saddled with continued economic sanctions and US continues to be suspicious of implementation of the complete, irreversible, verifiable denuclearisation, hence will lift sanctions only 'when nukes are no longer an issue'. Both leaders can pat their back as the US has made Kim sign the document on denuclearisation in a manner it suits them, and Kim has been able to get the offensive military exercises/war games off his mind at least for some time, having bought time for the next step.

A happy ending Summit: Was there any other option?

The US and North Korea have called the Summit a historic success, but it was also a compulsion in light of lack of alternatives. It was the only practical option because a failed summit was not suiting either side. At the face value all world leaders have expressed happiness over the Summit and have hoped for a peaceful Korean Peninsula, but it needs to be analysed whether their concerns have been met or otherwise.

-US will continue to be apprehensive till it is verified that N Korea is no more capable to nuke its mainland. The US may have taken off the continuation of military exercises, but it is yet to be clarified if it is going to take off THAAD, which was a concern of China and Russia also.

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<h5>Kim can claim accolade over making President Trump talk to him through nuclear blackmail</h5>
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-North Korea having signed the document, will be forced to think that with economic sanctions being in place, was it a big gamble to give away its only strategic leverage? As an analyst, it looks too good to be true. It, however, remains to be seen that will China allow Kim to be stripped of all nukes. Kim can claim accolade over making President Trump talk to him through nuclear blackmail. This will enhance his credibility in his country as well as in the global arena.

-China highlighting its influence did talk of its efforts in getting both leaders together, but in a subtle message has indirectly shown concern about reasonable security and safety of North Korea. Kim had consulted President

Xi Jinping twice before the Summit, but it is not sure that the document signed is as per the narrative of President Xi or a variation of the same. China will also be concerned about THAAD and continued sanctions, leaving an ambiguity to send their trade items and essentialities to North Korea or otherwise.

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<h5>South Korea will be happy as its efforts to get the two leaders across the table have finally borne fruits, and there is a move forward</h5>
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-Japan will continue to be skeptical of North Korea, because even if North Korea does denuclearize, the missile threat will continue to loom over its territory, notwithstanding a remark by President Trump that Kim has agreed to destroy a missile site.

-South Korea will be happy as its efforts to get the two leaders across the table have finally borne fruits, and there is a move forward. They would genuinely look for peace, as Seoul is within reach of conventional weapons of North Korea.

-Russian may have to wait for clarifications on THAAD deployment, a concern they have been airing earlier.

-India will welcome a peaceful Korean Peninsula but would be keen on some control on North Korea on an alleged proliferation of missile technology to Pakistan.

It remains to be seen as to what the future has for Korean Peninsula, but it was interesting to see the diplomatic negotiations at its best in the run-up for the Summit. It was a commendable diplomatic breakthrough after decades of hostility, but there is still no guarantee that North Korea would follow it up. Equally interesting were the two unpredictable leaders conducting themselves with grace and maturity in a well-choreographed event. It will also be interesting to see that in case of leakages in sanctions by any third country, how will the US respond after display of such niceties? The final test will be the response of North Korea to the international inspectors of nukes.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It remains to be seen as to what the future has for Korean Peninsula, but it was interesting to see the diplomatic negotiations at its best in the run-up for the Summit

The world is talking of this Summit as a historic moment with hopes that it will bring peace to Korean Peninsula. Reading between the lines, beyond the niceties and magnificent optics displayed, some realities do emerge, which will indicate that it is beginning of a great gamble by both sides. This issue had crossed the limit of being a bilateral one and it impacts other stakeholders as well, hence this may not be the last call on peace of Korean Peninsula. In real terms North Korea continues to be saddled with continued economic sanctions and US continues to be suspicious of implementation of the complete, irreversible, verifiable denuclearisation, hence will lift sanctions only 'when nukes are no longer an issue'. Both leaders can pat their back as the US has made Kim sign the document on denuclearisation in a manner it suits them, and Kim has been able to get the offensive military exercises/war games off his mind at least for some time, having bought time for the next step. A happy ending Summit: Was there any other option? The US and North Korea have called the Summit a historic success, but it was also a compulsion in light of lack of alternatives. It was the only practical option because a failed summit was not suiting either side. At the face value all world leaders have expressed happiness over the Summit and have hoped for a peaceful Korean Peninsula, but it needs to be analysed whether their concerns have been met or otherwise. -US will continue to be apprehensive till it is verified that N Korea is no more capable to nuke its mainland. The US may have taken off the continuation of military exercises, but it is yet to be clarified if it is going to take off THAAD, which was a concern of China and Russia also. Kim can claim accolade over making President Trump talk to him through nuclear blackmail × -North Korea having signed the document, will be forced to think that with economic sanctions being in place, was it a big gamble to give away its only strategic leverage? As an analyst, it looks too good to be true. It, however, remains to be seen that will China allow Kim to be stripped of all nukes. Kim can claim accolade over making President Trump talk to him through nuclear blackmail. This will enhance his credibility in his country as well as in the global arena. -China highlighting its influence did talk of its efforts in getting both leaders together, but in a subtle message has indirectly shown concern about reasonable security and safety of North Korea. Kim had consulted President Xi Jinping twice before the Summit, but it is not sure that the document signed is as per the narrative of President Xi or a variation of the same. China will also be concerned about THAAD and continued sanctions, leaving an ambiguity to send their trade items and essentialities to North Korea or otherwise. South Korea will be happy as its efforts to get the two leaders across the table have finally borne fruits, and there is a move forward × -Japan will continue to be skeptical of North Korea, because even if North Korea does denuclearize, the missile threat will continue to loom over its territory, notwithstanding a remark by President Trump that Kim has agreed to destroy a missile site. -South Korea will be happy as its efforts to get the two leaders across the table have finally borne fruits, and there is a move forward. They would genuinely look for peace, as Seoul is within reach of conventional weapons of North Korea. -Russian may have to wait for clarifications on THAAD deployment, a concern they have been airing earlier. -India will welcome a peaceful Korean Peninsula but would be keen on some control on North Korea on an alleged proliferation of missile technology to Pakistan. It remains to be seen as to what the future has for Korean Peninsula, but it was interesting to see the diplomatic negotiations at its best in the run-up for the Summit. It was a commendable diplomatic breakthrough after decades of hostility, but there is still no guarantee that North Korea would follow it up. Equally interesting were the two unpredictable leaders conducting themselves with grace and maturity in a well-choreographed event. It will also be interesting to see that in case of leakages in sanctions by any third country, how will the US respond after display of such niceties? The final test will be the response of North Korea to the international inspectors of nukes. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Trump-Kim Summit was a gamble beyond optics

A jubilant-sounding President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that his "deal" with Kim Jong Un has ended the North Korean nuclear threat, as his top diplomat said he hoped to see "major disarmament" of the country by 2020.

Despite the lack of detail, or binding terms in the joint statement agreed with Kim -- which has alarmed a majority of observers of the nuclear standoff -- Trump struck a resolutely bullish tone.

"There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea," he tweeted in one of a series of early morning pronouncements.

Trump added that everybody "can now feel much safer than the day I took office" and people could "sleep well tonight!"

Critics said the unprecedented encounter between Kim and Trump was more style than substance, producing a document short on specifics about the key issue of Pyongyang's atomic weapons.

But the US president trumpeted the outcome as a "deal" with North Korea and vowed there would be "no more rocket launches, nuclear testing or research!"

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to reporters in Seoul, said the United States hoped for "major disarmament" of North Korea by the end of 2020.

In the summit statement, Kim pledged to "work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" -- a stock phrase favored by Pyongyang that stopped short of longstanding US demands for North Korea to give up its atomic arsenal in a "verifiable" and "irreversible" way.

When questioned on the wording, Pompeo said Trump's intention was to allow the US the opportunity to pursue further productive conversations on the issue with Pyongyang.

"Let me assure you that 'complete' encompasses verifiable in the minds of everyone concerned," Pompeo said.

"One can't completely denuclearize without validating, authenticating."

Pompeo said he expects the US would next speak to North Korean officials "fairly quickly after we return to our home countries," adding he was "very confident" that some form of engagement would occur in the next week.

Meeting of the century

In North Korea, state media praised Kim for "opening a new chapter" in relations with the United States, and said Trump had accepted an invitation to visit the North.

Just months ago, Kim and Trump were trading threats and personal insults as the North conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

Adam Schiff, a top US Democrat and staunch Trump critic, warned the standoff was far from resolved.

"North Korea still has all its nuclear missiles, and we only got a vague promise of future denuclearization from a regime that can't be trusted. North Korea is a real and present threat.&nbsp

"So is a dangerously naive president," Schiff said.

But Victor Cha, a former US pointman on North Korea, gave Trump more credit, writing in The New York Times: "Despite its many flaws, the Singapore summit represents the start of a diplomatic process that takes us away from the brink of war."

Pyongyang has reason to feel confident after the meeting, where Kim stood as an equal with Trump in front of their nations' flags.

In North Korea, the official KCNA news agency described the summit as an "epoch-making meeting" that would help foster "a radical switchover in the most hostile (North Korea)-US relations."

KCNA also asserted Trump had "expressed his intention" to lift sanctions against the North -- something the US president had said would happen "when we are sure that the nukes are no longer a factor."&nbsp

With the headline: "Meeting of the century opens new history in DPRK-US relations," the North's ruling Workers Party official daily Rodong Sinmun splashed no fewer than 33 pictures across four of its usual six pages.

In Pyongyang, commuters crowded round the spread of images.

U Sung Tak, 79, said the future was looking "bright" because Kim was "leading the world's political trend on the Korean peninsula, steering the wheel of history."

Ordinary North Koreans consistently voice unequivocal support for the leadership when speaking to foreign media.

War games

The Singapore summit was a major coup for an isolated and heavily sanctioned regime that has long craved international legitimacy, and whose autocratic leader stands accused of murdering opponents and members of his own family.

"Kim Jong Un got what he wanted at the Singapore Summit: the international prestige and respect of a one-on-one meeting with the American president, the legitimacy of North Korean flags hanging next to American flags in the background," said Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center.

In his post-summit press conference, Trump made the surprise announcement that the US would halt joint military exercises with its security ally Seoul -- something long sought by Pyongyang, which claims the drills are a rehearsal for invasion.

He defended that decision Wednesday, tweeting: "We save a fortune by not doing war games, as long as we are negotiating in good faith - which both sides are!"

The Pentagon could not immediately provide an estimate of how much the drills cost.

Both Seoul and US military officials have said they had no idea the announcement was coming, while Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera warned the drills played a "vital role in East Asia's security."

Still, Japan joined fellow world powers from China to the European Union and Russia in welcoming the summit -- while cautioning it was only a first step towards resolving the stand-off with Pyongyang.

Echoing that stance, Akira Kawasaki of the ICAN anti-nuclear group said the summit was "a great photo-op," but that "the substance needs to be followed up."

Despite the lack of detail, or binding terms in the joint statement agreed with Kim -- which has alarmed a majority of observers of the nuclear standoff -- Trump struck a resolutely bullish tone

A jubilant-sounding President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that his "deal" with Kim Jong Un has ended the North Korean nuclear threat, as his top diplomat said he hoped to see "major disarmament" of the country by 2020. Despite the lack of detail, or binding terms in the joint statement agreed with Kim -- which has alarmed a majority of observers of the nuclear standoff -- Trump struck a resolutely bullish tone. "There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea," he tweeted in one of a series of early morning pronouncements. Trump added that everybody "can now feel much safer than the day I took office" and people could "sleep well tonight!" Critics said the unprecedented encounter between Kim and Trump was more style than substance, producing a document short on specifics about the key issue of Pyongyang's atomic weapons. But the US president trumpeted the outcome as a "deal" with North Korea and vowed there would be "no more rocket launches, nuclear testing or research!" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to reporters in Seoul, said the United States hoped for "major disarmament" of North Korea by the end of 2020. In the summit statement, Kim pledged to "work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" -- a stock phrase favored by Pyongyang that stopped short of longstanding US demands for North Korea to give up its atomic arsenal in a "verifiable" and "irreversible" way. When questioned on the wording, Pompeo said Trump's intention was to allow the US the opportunity to pursue further productive conversations on the issue with Pyongyang. "Let me assure you that 'complete' encompasses verifiable in the minds of everyone concerned," Pompeo said. "One can't completely denuclearize without validating, authenticating." Pompeo said he expects the US would next speak to North Korean officials "fairly quickly after we return to our home countries," adding he was "very confident" that some form of engagement would occur in the next week. Meeting of the century In North Korea, state media praised Kim for "opening a new chapter" in relations with the United States, and said Trump had accepted an invitation to visit the North. Just months ago, Kim and Trump were trading threats and personal insults as the North conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. Adam Schiff, a top US Democrat and staunch Trump critic, warned the standoff was far from resolved. "North Korea still has all its nuclear missiles, and we only got a vague promise of future denuclearization from a regime that can't be trusted. North Korea is a real and present threat. "So is a dangerously naive president," Schiff said. But Victor Cha, a former US pointman on North Korea, gave Trump more credit, writing in The New York Times: "Despite its many flaws, the Singapore summit represents the start of a diplomatic process that takes us away from the brink of war." Pyongyang has reason to feel confident after the meeting, where Kim stood as an equal with Trump in front of their nations' flags. In North Korea, the official KCNA news agency described the summit as an "epoch-making meeting" that would help foster "a radical switchover in the most hostile (North Korea)-US relations." KCNA also asserted Trump had "expressed his intention" to lift sanctions against the North -- something the US president had said would happen "when we are sure that the nukes are no longer a factor." With the headline: "Meeting of the century opens new history in DPRK-US relations," the North's ruling Workers Party official daily Rodong Sinmun splashed no fewer than 33 pictures across four of its usual six pages. In Pyongyang, commuters crowded round the spread of images. U Sung Tak, 79, said the future was looking "bright" because Kim was "leading the world's political trend on the Korean peninsula, steering the wheel of history." Ordinary North Koreans consistently voice unequivocal support for the leadership when speaking to foreign media. War games The Singapore summit was a major coup for an isolated and heavily sanctioned regime that has long craved international legitimacy, and whose autocratic leader stands accused of murdering opponents and members of his own family. "Kim Jong Un got what he wanted at the Singapore Summit: the international prestige and respect of a one-on-one meeting with the American president, the legitimacy of North Korean flags hanging next to American flags in the background," said Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center. In his post-summit press conference, Trump made the surprise announcement that the US would halt joint military exercises with its security ally Seoul -- something long sought by Pyongyang, which claims the drills are a rehearsal for invasion. He defended that decision Wednesday, tweeting: "We save a fortune by not doing war games, as long as we are negotiating in good faith - which both sides are!" The Pentagon could not immediately provide an estimate of how much the drills cost. Both Seoul and US military officials have said they had no idea the announcement was coming, while Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera warned the drills played a "vital role in East Asia's security." Still, Japan joined fellow world powers from China to the European Union and Russia in welcoming the summit -- while cautioning it was only a first step towards resolving the stand-off with Pyongyang. Echoing that stance, Akira Kawasaki of the ICAN anti-nuclear group said the summit was "a great photo-op," but that "the substance needs to be followed up."

World can 'sleep well' after North Korea summit, Trump says

After meeting foreign ministers from South Korea and Japan, <a href="http://wionews.com/world/mikepompeo-says-north-korea-sanctions-to-remain-until-complete-denuclearisation-144374">US secretary of state Mike Pompeo</a> said that peace efforts with North Korea still involved risks as he urged Kim Jong-un to start denuclearising quickly.

"We believe that Kim Jong Un understands the urgency... that we must do this quickly," he said on North Korea dismantling its nuclear infrastructure.

"There are still risks that we won't achieve that goal and more work needs to be done," Pompeo cautioned.

After meeting the foreign minister, Pompeo met Chinese President Xi and foreign minister Wang Yi in Bejing today even as the threat of trade sanction loomed.

China President Xi Jinping told Mike Pompeo that the US and Beijing should make the most of bilateral mechanisms. Pompeo met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and said: "We have made very clear that the sanctions and the economic relief that North Korea will receive will only happen after the full denuclearisation, the complete denuclearisation&nbsp;of North Korea."

Wang said the denuclearisation process would be worked out "through more detailed and specific consultations going forward" and "China stands ready to play a constructive role in that process".

China which is the principal ally of North Korea wants its concerns to be addressed which was highlighted by Wang during his meeting with Pompeo. The US secretary of state had said earlier that he was looking forward to "major disarmament" by North Korea over the next two years.

As peace moves gathered momentum, the US decided to halt military drills along the Koran Peninsula which was announced by Trump during the Singapore summit with Kim. South Korean President &nbsp;President Moon Jae-in said although there were conflicting views but the Trump-Kim meeting was "successful".

However, the South Korean president cautioned that military drills would be kept off the agenda "if North Korea faithfully implements denuclearisation measures and sincere dialogue continues."

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxLrCgji9Jc" width="560"></iframe>

China President Xi Jinping told Mike Pompeo that the US and Beijing should make the most of bilateral mechanisms.

After meeting foreign ministers from South Korea and Japan, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that peace efforts with North Korea still involved risks as he urged Kim Jong-un to start denuclearising quickly. "We believe that Kim Jong Un understands the urgency... that we must do this quickly," he said on North Korea dismantling its nuclear infrastructure. "There are still risks that we won't achieve that goal and more work needs to be done," Pompeo cautioned. After meeting the foreign minister, Pompeo met Chinese President Xi and foreign minister Wang Yi in Bejing today even as the threat of trade sanction loomed. China President Xi Jinping told Mike Pompeo that the US and Beijing should make the most of bilateral mechanisms. Pompeo met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and said: "We have made very clear that the sanctions and the economic relief that North Korea will receive will only happen after the full denuclearisation, the complete denuclearisation of North Korea." Wang said the denuclearisation process would be worked out "through more detailed and specific consultations going forward" and "China stands ready to play a constructive role in that process". China which is the principal ally of North Korea wants its concerns to be addressed which was highlighted by Wang during his meeting with Pompeo. The US secretary of state had said earlier that he was looking forward to "major disarmament" by North Korea over the next two years. As peace moves gathered momentum, the US decided to halt military drills along the Koran Peninsula which was announced by Trump during the Singapore summit with Kim. South Korean President President Moon Jae-in said although there were conflicting views but the Trump-Kim meeting was "successful". However, the South Korean president cautioned that military drills would be kept off the agenda "if North Korea faithfully implements denuclearisation measures and sincere dialogue continues."

'There are still risks involved with North Korea,' cautions Pompeo

Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State&nbsp;Mike&nbsp;Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a joint statement after their Singapore meeting that reaffirmed the North's commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", while Trump "committed to provide security guarantees".

Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises.

"President Trump has been incredibly clear about the sequencing of denuclearisation and relief from the sanctions," Secretary of State Pompeo&nbsp;told reporters after meeting South Korea's president and Japan's foreign minister in Seoul.

"We are going to get complete denuclearisation only then will there be relief from the sanctions," he said.

North Korean state media reported on Wednesday Kim and Trump had recognised the principle of "step-by-step and simultaneous action" to achieve peace and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.

The summit statement provided no details on when North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons programme or how the dismantling might be verified.

Sceptics of how much the meeting achieved pointed to the North Korean leadership's long-held view that nuclear weapons are a bulwark against what it fears are US&nbsp;plans to overthrow it and unite the Korean peninsula.

However, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said the world, through the summit, had escaped the threat of war, echoing Trump's upbeat assessment of his meeting with Kim.

"What's most important was that the people of the world, including those in the United States, Japan and Koreans, have all been able to escape the threat of war, nuclear weapons and missiles," Moon told&nbsp;Pompeo.

Pompeo&nbsp;insisted North Korea was committed to giving up its nuclear arsenal but said it would "be a process, not an easy one".

Kim understood getting rid of his nuclear arsenal needed to be done quickly and there would only be relief from stringent UN&nbsp;sanctions on North Korea after its "complete denuclearisation",Pompeo&nbsp;said.

Moon later said South Korea would be flexible when it comes to military pressure on North Korea if it is sincere about denuclearisation.

Also on Thursday, North and South Korea held their first military talks in more than a decade. The talks followed on from an inter-Korean summit in April at which Moon and Kim agreed to defuse tension and cease "hostile acts".

Speaking later in the day in Beijing,&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;thanked China for its efforts to ensure the Trump-Kim summit happened, but also struck a note of caution.

"I wanted to thank you for the kind words you had for President Trump and work he did to put us in this place where we now believe we have a path forward which can truly, for the first time in so many years, create peace on the peninsula,"&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;told the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi.

"And there is still a lot of work to do. There are still risks that we won't achieve that."

Wang said the meeting brought the Korean peninsula nuclear issue back to the correct track of resolving it peacefully.

"It accords with the all parties' joint interests, including those of the United States and North Korea," he said.

&nbsp;

'EVERYBODY MUCH SAFER'

The United States has long insisted on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation by North Korea.

But the summit statement reference to North Korea committing to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula has used been by North Korea in the past to include a US&nbsp;nuclear umbrella in the region, and echoes promises it has failed to keep.

Trump returned to the United States on Wednesday and took to Twitter to hail the meeting, the first between a sitting US&nbsp;president and a North Korean leader, as a major win for American security.

"Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," Trump tweeted. "There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea."

Democratic critics in the United States said the agreement was short on detail and the Republican president had made too many concessions to Kim, whose country is under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and weapons programmes and is widely condemned for human rights abuses.

Pompeo&nbsp;said Trump's comments about the reduced threat from North Korea were made "with eyes wide open".

"It could be the case that our effort won’t ... work but we are determined to set the conditions so that we can right this failure of decades and reset the conditions for North Korea's participation in the community of nations,"&nbsp;Pompeo&nbsp;said after a trilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

MAINTAIN READINESS

Japan has reacted to Trump's plan to cancel military exercises with South Korea with concern, saying the drills are vital for East Asian security.

Two North Korean missiles flew over Japan last year as North Korea made rapid advances in developing a missile capable of striking the US&nbsp;mainland with a nuclear warhead.

Tokyo is working on arranging a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim, with one possibility being an Abe visit to Pyongyang around August, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

A Japanese government source familiar with the matter told Reuters officials aimed to discuss a summit with North Korean officials at a regional security conference in Mongolia on Thursday and Friday.

Kang said South Korea and the United States shared the same goals and approach to achieving denuclearisation.

"The issue of South Korea-US&nbsp;joint exercises is one that should be discussed," Kang said. "But the issues of the alliance should be dealt with under the premise we maintain a joint ironclad defence posture."

The U.S. intelligence assessment of the nuclear and other military threat posed by North Korea to US and allied forces remained unchanged despite Trump's and Moon's assertions about the North Korean nuclear threat being over, a senior US&nbsp;official responsible for studying the North Korean military said.

US&nbsp;officials said it was unclear what types of training involving US&nbsp;and South Korean troops might cross into Trump's now forbidden zone of "war games". But big, joint US-South Korean exercises appeared off-limits under the new guidance.

"Make no mistake, we are going to maintain the readiness of our forces in South Korea," said one US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official acknowledged, however, it was still not certain how that was going to happen.

The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, which remains in a technical state of war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises

Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a joint statement after their Singapore meeting that reaffirmed the North's commitment to "work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", while Trump "committed to provide security guarantees". Trump later told a news conference he would end joint US-South Korean military exercises. "President Trump has been incredibly clear about the sequencing of denuclearisation and relief from the sanctions," Secretary of State Pompeo told reporters after meeting South Korea's president and Japan's foreign minister in Seoul. "We are going to get complete denuclearisation only then will there be relief from the sanctions," he said. North Korean state media reported on Wednesday Kim and Trump had recognised the principle of "step-by-step and simultaneous action" to achieve peace and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula. The summit statement provided no details on when North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons programme or how the dismantling might be verified. Sceptics of how much the meeting achieved pointed to the North Korean leadership's long-held view that nuclear weapons are a bulwark against what it fears are US plans to overthrow it and unite the Korean peninsula. However, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said the world, through the summit, had escaped the threat of war, echoing Trump's upbeat assessment of his meeting with Kim. "What's most important was that the people of the world, including those in the United States, Japan and Koreans, have all been able to escape the threat of war, nuclear weapons and missiles," Moon told Pompeo. Pompeo insisted North Korea was committed to giving up its nuclear arsenal but said it would "be a process, not an easy one". Kim understood getting rid of his nuclear arsenal needed to be done quickly and there would only be relief from stringent UN sanctions on North Korea after its "complete denuclearisation",Pompeo said. Moon later said South Korea would be flexible when it comes to military pressure on North Korea if it is sincere about denuclearisation. Also on Thursday, North and South Korea held their first military talks in more than a decade. The talks followed on from an inter-Korean summit in April at which Moon and Kim agreed to defuse tension and cease "hostile acts". Speaking later in the day in Beijing, Pompeo thanked China for its efforts to ensure the Trump-Kim summit happened, but also struck a note of caution. "I wanted to thank you for the kind words you had for President Trump and work he did to put us in this place where we now believe we have a path forward which can truly, for the first time in so many years, create peace on the peninsula," Pompeo told the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi. "And there is still a lot of work to do. There are still risks that we won't achieve that." Wang said the meeting brought the Korean peninsula nuclear issue back to the correct track of resolving it peacefully. "It accords with the all parties' joint interests, including those of the United States and North Korea," he said. 'EVERYBODY MUCH SAFER' The United States has long insisted on complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation by North Korea. But the summit statement reference to North Korea committing to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula has used been by North Korea in the past to include a US nuclear umbrella in the region, and echoes promises it has failed to keep. Trump returned to the United States on Wednesday and took to Twitter to hail the meeting, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, as a major win for American security. "Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," Trump tweeted. "There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea." Democratic critics in the United States said the agreement was short on detail and the Republican president had made too many concessions to Kim, whose country is under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and weapons programmes and is widely condemned for human rights abuses. Pompeo said Trump's comments about the reduced threat from North Korea were made "with eyes wide open". "It could be the case that our effort won’t ... work but we are determined to set the conditions so that we can right this failure of decades and reset the conditions for North Korea's participation in the community of nations," Pompeo said after a trilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. MAINTAIN READINESS Japan has reacted to Trump's plan to cancel military exercises with South Korea with concern, saying the drills are vital for East Asian security. Two North Korean missiles flew over Japan last year as North Korea made rapid advances in developing a missile capable of striking the US mainland with a nuclear warhead. Tokyo is working on arranging a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim, with one possibility being an Abe visit to Pyongyang around August, the Yomiuri newspaper reported. A Japanese government source familiar with the matter told Reuters officials aimed to discuss a summit with North Korean officials at a regional security conference in Mongolia on Thursday and Friday. Kang said South Korea and the United States shared the same goals and approach to achieving denuclearisation. "The issue of South Korea-US joint exercises is one that should be discussed," Kang said. "But the issues of the alliance should be dealt with under the premise we maintain a joint ironclad defence posture." The U.S. intelligence assessment of the nuclear and other military threat posed by North Korea to US and allied forces remained unchanged despite Trump's and Moon's assertions about the North Korean nuclear threat being over, a senior US official responsible for studying the North Korean military said. US officials said it was unclear what types of training involving US and South Korean troops might cross into Trump's now forbidden zone of "war games". But big, joint US-South Korean exercises appeared off-limits under the new guidance. "Make no mistake, we are going to maintain the readiness of our forces in South Korea," said one US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official acknowledged, however, it was still not certain how that was going to happen. The United States maintains about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, which remains in a technical state of war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

Mike Pompeo says North Korea sanctions to remain until complete denuclearisation

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