The deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to South Korea has seriously undermined the strategic balance in the region, a white paper on China's national defence revealed, according to Russia-based Sputnik News.

"The United States reinforces its alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, expands military presence and intervention in the region, thus complicating the regional security ... the deployment of the US THAAD missile systems to South Korea has seriously undermined the strategic regional balance and strategic security interests of regional countries," Sputnik News quoted from the paper on Wednesday.

Washington and Seoul agreed to the THAAD battery deployment in July, 2017, in the wake of a string of North Korean missile tests. Installed on a former golf course in the southern county of Seongju, the THAAD system is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles during their final phase of flight.

THAAD's deployment in South Korea has infuriated China, which fears it will weaken its own ballistic missile capabilities. Beijing has imposed a host of measures seen as economic retaliation against the South for the THAAD deployment, including a ban on tour groups.

The THAAD system is built by Lockheed Martin Corp with a powerful Raytheon Co AN/TPY-2 radar, to shootdown short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Raytheon, another US firm, builds its advanced radar.

In March, the US deployed its most advanced air and missile defence system to Israel for the first time

The deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to South Korea has seriously undermined the strategic balance in the region, a white paper on China's national defence revealed, according to Russia-based Sputnik News.

The deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to South Korea has seriously undermined the strategic balance in the region, a white paper on China's national defence revealed, according to Russia-based Sputnik News. "The United States reinforces its alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, expands military presence and intervention in the region, thus complicating the regional security ... the deployment of the US THAAD missile systems to South Korea has seriously undermined the strategic regional balance and strategic security interests of regional countries," Sputnik News quoted from the paper on Wednesday. Washington and Seoul agreed to the THAAD battery deployment in July, 2017, in the wake of a string of North Korean missile tests. Installed on a former golf course in the southern county of Seongju, the THAAD system is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles during their final phase of flight. THAAD's deployment in South Korea has infuriated China, which fears it will weaken its own ballistic missile capabilities. Beijing has imposed a host of measures seen as economic retaliation against the South for the THAAD deployment, including a ban on tour groups. The THAAD system is built by Lockheed Martin Corp with a powerful Raytheon Co AN/TPY-2 radar, to shootdown short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Raytheon, another US firm, builds its advanced radar. In March, the US deployed its most advanced air and missile defence system to Israel for the first time

US THAAD system deployment to South Korea undermines regional strategic balance, says China

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-acquisition-of-us-f-35-fighter-aimed-at-opening-gate-to-invade-north-north-korea-state-media-234830">South Korea</a> said it fired warning shots at a Russian military aircraft on Tuesday after it violated the country's airspace off its east coast.&nbsp;

The Russian jet breached <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-temporarily-suspends-boeing-737-max-service-after-china-singapore-stops-service-202856">South Korean airspace</a> twice prompting the Air Force to scramble fighter jets and fire warning shots, an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.&nbsp;

The first violation occurred just after 9:00 am (midnight GMT Monday) and lasted three minutes.&nbsp;

The plane returned half an hour later, breaching the airspace for four minutes this time, the South's military said.

In response, the Air Force deployed multiple F-15k and F-16k jets to intercept the plane and fired flares after sending a message to the aircraft.

The official said it was the first time a Russian plane has violated South Korean airspace, adding that the military was investigating the matter.

The encounter occurred near the easternmost islets of Dokdo, disputed islands controlled by the South but claimed by Japan, the military said.&nbsp;

Seoul's defence ministry plans to protest Russian officials later in the day.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the incident.

South Korea said it fired warning shots at a Russian military aircraft on Tuesday after it violated the country's airspace off its east coast. The Russian jet breached South Korean airspace twice prompting the Air Force to scramble fighter jets and fire warning shots, an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.

South Korea said it fired warning shots at a Russian military aircraft on Tuesday after it violated the country's airspace off its east coast. The Russian jet breached South Korean airspace twice prompting the Air Force to scramble fighter jets and fire warning shots, an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP. The first violation occurred just after 9:00 am (midnight GMT Monday) and lasted three minutes. The plane returned half an hour later, breaching the airspace for four minutes this time, the South's military said. In response, the Air Force deployed multiple F-15k and F-16k jets to intercept the plane and fired flares after sending a message to the aircraft. The official said it was the first time a Russian plane has violated South Korean airspace, adding that the military was investigating the matter. The encounter occurred near the easternmost islets of Dokdo, disputed islands controlled by the South but claimed by Japan, the military said. Seoul's defence ministry plans to protest Russian officials later in the day. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the incident.

South Korea says fired warning shots at Russian military jet

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democracy-dprk-style-north-korea-holds-election-202292">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un</a> voted in nationwide local elections on Sunday that registered the near 100 per cent turnout claimed for every ballot held in the nuclear-armed state.

Given the absence of any competition among candidates, elections in the North are essentially a political ritual which, observers say, allows the authorities to claim a popular mandate while reinforcing loyalty to Kim's regime.

The 99.98 per cent turnout this year was a 0.01 per cent improvement on the figures registered in 2015.

Watch: Election of local representatives in North Korea

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/election-of-local-representatives-in-north-korea-237445/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Only those overseas "on foreign tour or working in oceans" were unable to vote, the North's state-run agency KCNA reported Sunday, adding that even "voters troubled with aging or illness cast their ballots into mobile ballot boxes".&nbsp;

The isolated nation holds local elections every four years to elect representatives to provincial, city and county assemblies. Typically, 99 per cent of voters in the de facto single-party state take part in the polls and 99 per cent of them cast "yes" votes for uncontested candidates.

The regime touts the high turnout as an example of its "single-minded unity" to glorify the "Korean-style people-centred socialism".&nbsp;

Kim visited a polling station in North Hamgyong province and voted for two candidates named Ju Song Ho and Jong Song Sik running for county assemblies in the area, KCNA reported. &nbsp;

He "warmly encouraged them to become the faithful servants of the people by fulfilling their duties to live up to the anticipation of the people, being aware of being the representatives of the people", KCNA said. &nbsp;

Kim himself ran in 2014 for the rubber-stamp legislature known as the Supreme People's Assembly, managing a perfect turnout with 100 per cent of votes in his favour.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un voted in nationwide local elections on Sunday that registered the near 100 per cent turnout claimed for every ballot held in the nuclear-armed state.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un voted in nationwide local elections on Sunday that registered the near 100 per cent turnout claimed for every ballot held in the nuclear-armed state. Given the absence of any competition among candidates, elections in the North are essentially a political ritual which, observers say, allows the authorities to claim a popular mandate while reinforcing loyalty to Kim's regime. The 99.98 per cent turnout this year was a 0.01 per cent improvement on the figures registered in 2015. Watch: Election of local representatives in North Korea Only those overseas "on foreign tour or working in oceans" were unable to vote, the North's state-run agency KCNA reported Sunday, adding that even "voters troubled with aging or illness cast their ballots into mobile ballot boxes". The isolated nation holds local elections every four years to elect representatives to provincial, city and county assemblies. Typically, 99 per cent of voters in the de facto single-party state take part in the polls and 99 per cent of them cast "yes" votes for uncontested candidates. The regime touts the high turnout as an example of its "single-minded unity" to glorify the "Korean-style people-centred socialism". Kim visited a polling station in North Hamgyong province and voted for two candidates named Ju Song Ho and Jong Song Sik running for county assemblies in the area, KCNA reported. He "warmly encouraged them to become the faithful servants of the people by fulfilling their duties to live up to the anticipation of the people, being aware of being the representatives of the people", KCNA said. Kim himself ran in 2014 for the rubber-stamp legislature known as the Supreme People's Assembly, managing a perfect turnout with 100 per cent of votes in his favour.

North Korea leader votes in elections with 99.98 per cent turnout: Report

From beer to pens, here's why South Koreans boycott Japanese brands

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/calls-for-boycott-of-japan-grow-in-south-korea-as-diplomatic-row-simmers-233755">South Korea</a>'s central bank delivered a surprise interest rate cut on Thursday, and shaved this year's growth forecast to the lowest in a decade, as a brewing dispute with Japan piled more pressure on the trade-dependent economy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/equity-gauges-on-a-weak-note-yes-bank-drops-over-11-per-cent-236782">The Bank of Korea</a> is not alone in adopting the easier monetary policy, taking into account the dovish stance of global central banks and deteriorating economic conditions. Asia's fourth-largest economy has stuttered in the past few quarters due to slowing demand and rising risks from the US-China trade war.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol told a news conference the central bank has room to respond to any changes in economic conditions, which analysts took as indicating another policy easing was on the table.

The BOK cut the base rate by 25 basis points to 1.50 per cent - the first reduction in three years and lowest since November - sooner than analysts had expected. A Reuters poll had predicted a move at the Aug. 30 meeting.

"Various remarks from the governor today indicated another cut was possible soon, such as his refusing to deny that markets were pricing in another cut this year and his comment that the bank still has policy room to operate," said Park Seok-gil, economist at JPMorgan in Seoul.

Treasury bond futures jumped on expectations for another rate cut, although stock and currency traders shrugged off Thursday's rate decision.

The central bank followed the rate cut by lowering this year's economic growth forecast to 2.2 per cent, just three months after it cut the projection to 2.5 per cent from 2.6 per cent. It also trimmed its inflation estimate to 0.7 pe cent from 1.1 per cent previously, which was already below its 2 per cent target.

"The policy board decided to lower the interest rate to support the economic recovery as both the growth and inflation trends were weaker than previously thought," the governor said.

"Our economic assessment reflected Japan's imposition of export restrictions as they will have considerable effects on our economy," he added, referring to Japan's curbs on exports to South Korea of key materials for chip and display production.

Lee emphasised the government needed to maintain strict measures aimed at containing housing prices while monetary policy was focused on risks from slowing economic growth.

Japan curbs deal a fresh blow

Korean bond prices had already pencilled in a rate cut or two in the near term especially since the central bank chief and the finance minister both suggested the time for policy easing was near.

Indonesia's central bank is also expected to begin an easing cycle with a rate cut later on Thursday, ahead of an anticipated Federal Reserve reduction of US rates at the end of July.

The BOK has come under more pressure to cut rates after the first-quarter GDP and inflation fell short of expectations and the US-China tariff dispute remains unresolved.

Early this month, South Korea's economy was dealt an additional blow as Japan announced plans to tighten restrictions on exports of materials for making chips and smartphone displays to its smaller neighbour over a diplomatic row.

Analysts say it is too early to estimate the damage but the curbs could affect South Korea's economy at least by hurting profits at the country's computer chip and smartphone makers as well as hitting sentiment for consumption and investment.

Global investment banks have downgraded their forecasts for South Korea's 2019 economic growth, with some expecting the pace to slow below 2 per cent from 2.7 per cent set last year.

South Korea's economy surprisingly contracted in the first quarter from the previous three-month period, while annual inflation has stayed below its 2 per cent target for the past seven successive months.

South Korea's central bank delivered a surprise interest rate cut on Thursday, and shaved this year's growth forecast to the lowest in a decade, as a brewing dispute with Japan piled more pressure on the trade-dependent economy.

South Korea's central bank delivered a surprise interest rate cut on Thursday, and shaved this year's growth forecast to the lowest in a decade, as a brewing dispute with Japan piled more pressure on the trade-dependent economy. The Bank of Korea is not alone in adopting the easier monetary policy, taking into account the dovish stance of global central banks and deteriorating economic conditions. Asia's fourth-largest economy has stuttered in the past few quarters due to slowing demand and rising risks from the US-China trade war. Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol told a news conference the central bank has room to respond to any changes in economic conditions, which analysts took as indicating another policy easing was on the table. The BOK cut the base rate by 25 basis points to 1.50 per cent - the first reduction in three years and lowest since November - sooner than analysts had expected. A Reuters poll had predicted a move at the Aug. 30 meeting. "Various remarks from the governor today indicated another cut was possible soon, such as his refusing to deny that markets were pricing in another cut this year and his comment that the bank still has policy room to operate," said Park Seok-gil, economist at JPMorgan in Seoul. Treasury bond futures jumped on expectations for another rate cut, although stock and currency traders shrugged off Thursday's rate decision. The central bank followed the rate cut by lowering this year's economic growth forecast to 2.2 per cent, just three months after it cut the projection to 2.5 per cent from 2.6 per cent. It also trimmed its inflation estimate to 0.7 pe cent from 1.1 per cent previously, which was already below its 2 per cent target. "The policy board decided to lower the interest rate to support the economic recovery as both the growth and inflation trends were weaker than previously thought," the governor said. "Our economic assessment reflected Japan's imposition of export restrictions as they will have considerable effects on our economy," he added, referring to Japan's curbs on exports to South Korea of key materials for chip and display production. Lee emphasised the government needed to maintain strict measures aimed at containing housing prices while monetary policy was focused on risks from slowing economic growth. Japan curbs deal a fresh blow Korean bond prices had already pencilled in a rate cut or two in the near term especially since the central bank chief and the finance minister both suggested the time for policy easing was near. Indonesia's central bank is also expected to begin an easing cycle with a rate cut later on Thursday, ahead of an anticipated Federal Reserve reduction of US rates at the end of July. The BOK has come under more pressure to cut rates after the first-quarter GDP and inflation fell short of expectations and the US-China tariff dispute remains unresolved. Early this month, South Korea's economy was dealt an additional blow as Japan announced plans to tighten restrictions on exports of materials for making chips and smartphone displays to its smaller neighbour over a diplomatic row. Analysts say it is too early to estimate the damage but the curbs could affect South Korea's economy at least by hurting profits at the country's computer chip and smartphone makers as well as hitting sentiment for consumption and investment. Global investment banks have downgraded their forecasts for South Korea's 2019 economic growth, with some expecting the pace to slow below 2 per cent from 2.7 per cent set last year. South Korea's economy surprisingly contracted in the first quarter from the previous three-month period, while annual inflation has stayed below its 2 per cent target for the past seven successive months.

South Korea central bank surprises with rate cut, likely to loosen again

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) on Thursday said it expects a stronger half-year on <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-soon-to-issue-5g-license-as-it-enters-crucial-period-223979&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjzz7_2pr7jAhWKiXAKHdeuASUQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Jz3ha5QNLHaEe2H2YzeoJ">5G telecoms</a> demand, and that a dispute over chip-making materials between Japan and South Korea in its most uncertain factor.

The world's largest contract chipmaker reported a decline in second-quarter profit but said demand is likely to recover during the rest of 2019 particularly from smartphone makers, hampered at present by the impact of a Sino-US&nbsp;trade war.

"Although our business continues to be impacted by a global slowing economy ... we have also passed the bottom of the cycle of our business and again began to see demand increasing," Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman Chung Ching Wei told analysts during an earnings briefing.

Taiwan's supply chain manufacturers have been navigating slowing global demand for smartphones - a primary source of revenue - as well as market disruption stemming from tit-for-tat import tariffs between China and the United States, plus the latter's ban on US companies doing business with Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

Adding to risk factors, Japan last week tightened curbs on exports of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea, home to the world's biggest memory chip makers, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and SK Hynix Inc.

TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said the dispute is a major uncertainty for the coming months as it is likely to impact technology supply chains, as Japan dominates the market for the materials in question.

Earlier, TSMC, a proxy for technology demand as its clients include iPhone maker Apple and chip leader Qualcomm Inc, reported a 7.6% decline in April-June net profit at T$66.77 billion ($2.15 billion), meeting analyst estimates.

Revenue rose 3.3% to T$241 billion but fell 1.4% to $7.75 billion in US&nbsp;dollar terms - still topping both the firm's forecast and the average of 23 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

Business in the third quarter will be driven by increased demand for fifth-generation telecommunications (5G) equipment as well as for smartphones spurred by new product launches, and the fourth quarter will be even stronger, Wei said.

TSMC forecast a gross profit margin of 46% to 48% for the third quarter, and an operating margin of 35% to 37%, compared with 47.4% and 36.6%, respectively, a year earlier.

The chipmaker also said it expected annual capital expenditure for the year to exceed the high end of its earlier forecast of $10 billion to $11 billion due to strong 5G demand.

Even so, analysts were cautious about TSMC's growth outlook for the coming months, citing a slower-than-expected introduction of 5G technology and still-tepid demand for smartphones, which they said accounted for nearly half of its first-quarter sales.

"With a still-slow demand recovery and excessive inventory, we think wafer orders from fabless companies might remain weak," Fubon Securities analyst Sherman Shang wrote in a research note prior to TSMC's earnings announcement.

TSMC's short-term downside, however, could be supported by "major customers' recovery in 2020 from a very low base in 2019, such as Apple," Shang wrote.

Indicating evolving market conditions, the spread of accelerating the spread of 5G networks helped Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML Holding NV, a supplier to TSMC, beat analysts' second-quarter earnings estimates on Wednesday.

Prior to TSMC's announcement, shares in the chipmaker closed up 0.8% versus a 0.25% fall in the wider market. The stock has risen around 13% so far this year.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) on Thursday said it expects a stronger half-year on 5G telecoms demand, and that a dispute over chip-making materials between Japan and South Korea in its most uncertain factor.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) on Thursday said it expects a stronger half-year on 5G telecoms demand, and that a dispute over chip-making materials between Japan and South Korea in its most uncertain factor. The world's largest contract chipmaker reported a decline in second-quarter profit but said demand is likely to recover during the rest of 2019 particularly from smartphone makers, hampered at present by the impact of a Sino-US trade war. "Although our business continues to be impacted by a global slowing economy ... we have also passed the bottom of the cycle of our business and again began to see demand increasing," Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman Chung Ching Wei told analysts during an earnings briefing. Taiwan's supply chain manufacturers have been navigating slowing global demand for smartphones - a primary source of revenue - as well as market disruption stemming from tit-for-tat import tariffs between China and the United States, plus the latter's ban on US companies doing business with Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Adding to risk factors, Japan last week tightened curbs on exports of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea, home to the world's biggest memory chip makers, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and SK Hynix Inc. TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said the dispute is a major uncertainty for the coming months as it is likely to impact technology supply chains, as Japan dominates the market for the materials in question. Earlier, TSMC, a proxy for technology demand as its clients include iPhone maker Apple and chip leader Qualcomm Inc, reported a 7.6% decline in April-June net profit at T$66.77 billion ($2.15 billion), meeting analyst estimates. Revenue rose 3.3% to T$241 billion but fell 1.4% to $7.75 billion in US dollar terms - still topping both the firm's forecast and the average of 23 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv. Business in the third quarter will be driven by increased demand for fifth-generation telecommunications (5G) equipment as well as for smartphones spurred by new product launches, and the fourth quarter will be even stronger, Wei said. TSMC forecast a gross profit margin of 46% to 48% for the third quarter, and an operating margin of 35% to 37%, compared with 47.4% and 36.6%, respectively, a year earlier. The chipmaker also said it expected annual capital expenditure for the year to exceed the high end of its earlier forecast of $10 billion to $11 billion due to strong 5G demand. Even so, analysts were cautious about TSMC's growth outlook for the coming months, citing a slower-than-expected introduction of 5G technology and still-tepid demand for smartphones, which they said accounted for nearly half of its first-quarter sales. "With a still-slow demand recovery and excessive inventory, we think wafer orders from fabless companies might remain weak," Fubon Securities analyst Sherman Shang wrote in a research note prior to TSMC's earnings announcement. TSMC's short-term downside, however, could be supported by "major customers' recovery in 2020 from a very low base in 2019, such as Apple," Shang wrote. Indicating evolving market conditions, the spread of accelerating the spread of 5G networks helped Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML Holding NV, a supplier to TSMC, beat analysts' second-quarter earnings estimates on Wednesday. Prior to TSMC's announcement, shares in the chipmaker closed up 0.8% versus a 0.25% fall in the wider market. The stock has risen around 13% so far this year.

TSMC expects 5G earnings boost, flags South Korea-Japan spat as risk

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-weekly-jobless-claims-fall-to-three-month-low-235066">United States</a> will "do what it can do" to help defuse a worsening political and economic dispute between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-acquisition-of-us-f-35-fighter-aimed-at-opening-gate-to-invade-north-north-korea-state-media-234830">South Korea</a> and Japan, a senior US diplomat said on Wednesday, as South Korea warned that the row would have global repercussions.

The United States has been hesitant to publicly wade into the feud between its allies, but the dispute, which threatens global supplies of memory chips and smartphones, has overshadowed the visit by David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for East Asia policy.

Stilwell told reporters in the South Korean capital, Seoul, that he took the situation seriously but did not elaborate on what steps Washington might be willing to take and said fundamentally it was up to South Korea and Japan to resolve their differences.

"We hope that resolution will happen soon," he said.

"The United States, as a close friend and ally to both, will do what it can do to support their efforts to resolve it."

Last week, Stilwell had told Japan's NHK broadcaster the United States would not intervene in the dispute, and instead encouraged dialogue between Washington's two biggest allies in Asia to settle it.

Simmering tension, particularly over a case for compensation of South Koreans forced to work for Japanese occupiers during World War Two, took a sharp turn for the worse this month, when Japan restricted exports of high-tech materials to South Korea.

Japan has denied that the dispute over compensation for labourers is behind the export curbs, even though one of its ministers cited broken trust with South Korea over the labour dispute in announcing the restrictions.

Instead, Japan has cited "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to South Korea, with Japanese media reporting some items ended up in North Korea.

South Korea has denied that.

The export curbs could hurt global technology companies, including the operations of South Korean tech giant Samsung in the Texas state capital of Austin, a South Korean government source told reporters.

"It will adversely affect companies ranging from Apple, Amazon, Dell, Sony and billions of consumers all over the world," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive diplomatic issues.

If Japan went so far as to drop South Korea from its "white list" of countries with minimum trade restrictions, it would cause a "tremendous amount of problems" and strain ties between Japan, South Korea, and the United States, the source added.

When asked whether the South Korean government was considering retaliatory measures, the source said South Korea preferred to resolve the dispute diplomatically.

South Korean Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki repeated his call for Japan to lift the curbs, while adding that South Korea would soon unveil plans to make its supply chain more independent.

"The government is working on comprehensive plans to reduce the country's dependence on Japan's materials, components and equipment industries," he said at the start of a regular meeting of ministers responsible for various aspects of the economy.

Forced Labour Dispute

Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's deputy chief cabinet secretary, urged South Korea to take "appropriate steps" to resolve the labour issue, which was reignited by a South Korean court ruling late last year that ordered Japanese companies to pay compensation.

"There is no change to our stance that we strongly urge South Korea to take appropriate and timely steps to comply with international law, and accept an arbitrator in accordance with the treaty," he said.

Japan believes the issue of compensation for its wartime actions was settled under a 1965 treaty.

When asked about media reports that Japan was considering seeking damages from South Korea if Japanese corporate assets were sold off to compensate labourers, Nishimura said the government would respond firmly and was considering options to "protect Japanese companies’ legitimate economic activities".

The dispute is also bleeding into North Korea policy, a key agenda item for Stilwell, who arrived on Tuesday.

The Japanese government has distanced itself from Japanese media reports that South Korea violated international sanctions by exporting banned goods to North Korea, saying it had said no such thing.

Nevertheless, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called the reported accusation a "grave challenge".

On Tuesday, a South Korean intelligence official fired back, telling lawmakers that Japan had been "lukewarm and passive" in enforcing U.N. sanctions.

Relations between the neighbours have long been plagued by memories of Japan’s 1910-45 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.

The United States will "do what it can do" to help defuse a worsening political and economic dispute between South Korea and Japan, a senior US diplomat said on Wednesday, as South Korea warned that the row would have global repercussions.

The United States will "do what it can do" to help defuse a worsening political and economic dispute between South Korea and Japan, a senior US diplomat said on Wednesday, as South Korea warned that the row would have global repercussions. The United States has been hesitant to publicly wade into the feud between its allies, but the dispute, which threatens global supplies of memory chips and smartphones, has overshadowed the visit by David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for East Asia policy. Stilwell told reporters in the South Korean capital, Seoul, that he took the situation seriously but did not elaborate on what steps Washington might be willing to take and said fundamentally it was up to South Korea and Japan to resolve their differences. "We hope that resolution will happen soon," he said. "The United States, as a close friend and ally to both, will do what it can do to support their efforts to resolve it." Last week, Stilwell had told Japan's NHK broadcaster the United States would not intervene in the dispute, and instead encouraged dialogue between Washington's two biggest allies in Asia to settle it. Simmering tension, particularly over a case for compensation of South Koreans forced to work for Japanese occupiers during World War Two, took a sharp turn for the worse this month, when Japan restricted exports of high-tech materials to South Korea. Japan has denied that the dispute over compensation for labourers is behind the export curbs, even though one of its ministers cited broken trust with South Korea over the labour dispute in announcing the restrictions. Instead, Japan has cited "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to South Korea, with Japanese media reporting some items ended up in North Korea. South Korea has denied that. The export curbs could hurt global technology companies, including the operations of South Korean tech giant Samsung in the Texas state capital of Austin, a South Korean government source told reporters. "It will adversely affect companies ranging from Apple, Amazon, Dell, Sony and billions of consumers all over the world," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive diplomatic issues. If Japan went so far as to drop South Korea from its "white list" of countries with minimum trade restrictions, it would cause a "tremendous amount of problems" and strain ties between Japan, South Korea, and the United States, the source added. When asked whether the South Korean government was considering retaliatory measures, the source said South Korea preferred to resolve the dispute diplomatically. South Korean Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki repeated his call for Japan to lift the curbs, while adding that South Korea would soon unveil plans to make its supply chain more independent. "The government is working on comprehensive plans to reduce the country's dependence on Japan's materials, components and equipment industries," he said at the start of a regular meeting of ministers responsible for various aspects of the economy. Forced Labour Dispute Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's deputy chief cabinet secretary, urged South Korea to take "appropriate steps" to resolve the labour issue, which was reignited by a South Korean court ruling late last year that ordered Japanese companies to pay compensation. "There is no change to our stance that we strongly urge South Korea to take appropriate and timely steps to comply with international law, and accept an arbitrator in accordance with the treaty," he said. Japan believes the issue of compensation for its wartime actions was settled under a 1965 treaty. When asked about media reports that Japan was considering seeking damages from South Korea if Japanese corporate assets were sold off to compensate labourers, Nishimura said the government would respond firmly and was considering options to "protect Japanese companies’ legitimate economic activities". The dispute is also bleeding into North Korea policy, a key agenda item for Stilwell, who arrived on Tuesday. The Japanese government has distanced itself from Japanese media reports that South Korea violated international sanctions by exporting banned goods to North Korea, saying it had said no such thing. Nevertheless, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called the reported accusation a "grave challenge". On Tuesday, a South Korean intelligence official fired back, telling lawmakers that Japan had been "lukewarm and passive" in enforcing U.N. sanctions. Relations between the neighbours have long been plagued by memories of Japan’s 1910-45 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.

US diplomat vows to help South Korea, Japan resolve worsening dispute

Talks on getting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-hopes-us-north-korea-can-be-more-creative-in-nuclear-talks-236358">North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons</a> are at risk because the United States looks set to break a promise not to hold military exercises with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-acquisition-of-us-f-35-fighter-aimed-at-opening-gate-to-invade-north-north-korea-state-media-234830">South Korea</a>, North Korea said on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump revitalised efforts to persuade the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/north-korea-remembers-kim-il-sung-on-25-death-anniversary-233997">North</a> to give up its nuclear weapons last month when he arranged a spur-of-the-moment meeting with North Korea`s Kim Jong Un on the border between the two Koreas.

Trump said they had agreed to resume so-called working-level talks, stalled since their second summit in February collapsed. The negotiations are expected in the coming weeks.

But a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman cast doubt on that, saying the United States and South Korea were pressing ahead with exercises called Dong Maeng this summer, which he called a "rehearsal for war".

"We will make a decision regarding working-level talks with the United States while watching US moves going forward," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency.

The exercises are expected in August.

North Korea has for years denounced military exercises between the United States and South Korea.

"It is clear that the exercises are a real-time training, rehearsal for war to militarily crush our republic," the North Korean spokesman said in a separate statement, adding that Trump has reaffirmed at last month`s meeting with Kim that the exercises would be halted.

Trump, in his first meeting with Kim in Singapore in June last year, said he would stop exercises, after the two leaders agreed to work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and to improve ties.

While the main annual South Korean-US exercises have been stopped, they still hold smaller drills.

Since the Singapore summit, North Korea has not tested any nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles, though it tested new short-range missiles in May.

"As the United States is failing to follow through on its own commitment, the reasoning for us to remain in the agreement is fading away," the North Korean spokesman said, referring to a declaration the two leaders agreed to at their Singapore summit.

Talks on getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons are at risk because the United States looks set to break a promise not to hold military exercises with South Korea, North Korea said on Tuesday.

Talks on getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons are at risk because the United States looks set to break a promise not to hold military exercises with South Korea, North Korea said on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump revitalised efforts to persuade the North to give up its nuclear weapons last month when he arranged a spur-of-the-moment meeting with North Korea`s Kim Jong Un on the border between the two Koreas. Trump said they had agreed to resume so-called working-level talks, stalled since their second summit in February collapsed. The negotiations are expected in the coming weeks. But a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman cast doubt on that, saying the United States and South Korea were pressing ahead with exercises called Dong Maeng this summer, which he called a "rehearsal for war". "We will make a decision regarding working-level talks with the United States while watching US moves going forward," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. The exercises are expected in August. North Korea has for years denounced military exercises between the United States and South Korea. "It is clear that the exercises are a real-time training, rehearsal for war to militarily crush our republic," the North Korean spokesman said in a separate statement, adding that Trump has reaffirmed at last month`s meeting with Kim that the exercises would be halted. Trump, in his first meeting with Kim in Singapore in June last year, said he would stop exercises, after the two leaders agreed to work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and to improve ties. While the main annual South Korean-US exercises have been stopped, they still hold smaller drills. Since the Singapore summit, North Korea has not tested any nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles, though it tested new short-range missiles in May. "As the United States is failing to follow through on its own commitment, the reasoning for us to remain in the agreement is fading away," the North Korean spokesman said, referring to a declaration the two leaders agreed to at their Singapore summit.

Nuclear talks at risk if US-South Korea exercises go ahead: North Korea

Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko said on Tuesday it was "regrettable" that the South Korean government had made what he said was an erroneous explanation after the two sides sat down for a working-level meeting over Japan's export controls.

The feud between the two deepened over the weekend when they contested accounts of a frosty meeting last week on the dispute, which could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays.

Tokyo lodged a protest against Seoul, saying it had broken an agreement on what the two sides would disclose from the Friday discussions on Japan's curbs of exports to Korea of some materials used to make high-tech equipment, a Japanese trade ministry official said at the weekend.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) also disputed a Korean official's statement that Seoul had asked Japan on Friday to withdraw the restrictions.

But a Korean trade ministry official shot back that Seoul had "clearly demanded Japan withdraw its trade restrictions at yesterday’s meeting, and there should be no disagreement over that matter with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/more-acrimony-in-japan-south-korea-row-as-tokyo-lodges-protest-235529&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipm7SR97jjAhVK-2EKHV0YAdcQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ep2wU2z8egmK_dl6grAZj">Japan</a>."

He told Reuters the two sides had discussed what they would disclose but that there was no agreement.

At a regular briefing on Tuesday, Seko disputed that claim, saying the officials had spent about an hour towards the end of the five-hour meeting to discuss and agree on what to disclose to media.

Japan recently tightened restrictions on the export of three materials used in high-tech equipment, citing what it has called "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/calls-for-boycott-of-japan-grow-in-south-korea-as-diplomatic-row-simmers-233755">South Korea</a>, as well as a lack of consultations about export controls.

But the dispute also appears to be rooted in a decades-old wartime disagreement. It comes amid deep frustration in Japan over what Tokyo sees as Seoul's failure to act in response to a South Korean court ruling ordering a Japanese company to compensate former forced labourers from the Second World War.

Seko repeated Japan's stance that its latest move - taken for reasons of national security - fell under the jurisdiction of individual countries and did not require checks from international bodies.

"The claim that (our latest steps) go against free trade ... is completely unfounded. If the topic is raised at the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) general council, we will firmly explain Japan's stance," Seko said.

Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko said on Tuesday it was "regrettable" that the South Korean government had made what he said was an erroneous explanation after the two sides sat down for a working-level meeting over Japan's export controls.

Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko said on Tuesday it was "regrettable" that the South Korean government had made what he said was an erroneous explanation after the two sides sat down for a working-level meeting over Japan's export controls. The feud between the two deepened over the weekend when they contested accounts of a frosty meeting last week on the dispute, which could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays. Tokyo lodged a protest against Seoul, saying it had broken an agreement on what the two sides would disclose from the Friday discussions on Japan's curbs of exports to Korea of some materials used to make high-tech equipment, a Japanese trade ministry official said at the weekend. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) also disputed a Korean official's statement that Seoul had asked Japan on Friday to withdraw the restrictions. But a Korean trade ministry official shot back that Seoul had "clearly demanded Japan withdraw its trade restrictions at yesterday’s meeting, and there should be no disagreement over that matter with Japan." He told Reuters the two sides had discussed what they would disclose but that there was no agreement. At a regular briefing on Tuesday, Seko disputed that claim, saying the officials had spent about an hour towards the end of the five-hour meeting to discuss and agree on what to disclose to media. Japan recently tightened restrictions on the export of three materials used in high-tech equipment, citing what it has called "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to South Korea, as well as a lack of consultations about export controls. But the dispute also appears to be rooted in a decades-old wartime disagreement. It comes amid deep frustration in Japan over what Tokyo sees as Seoul's failure to act in response to a South Korean court ruling ordering a Japanese company to compensate former forced labourers from the Second World War. Seko repeated Japan's stance that its latest move - taken for reasons of national security - fell under the jurisdiction of individual countries and did not require checks from international bodies. "The claim that (our latest steps) go against free trade ... is completely unfounded. If the topic is raised at the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) general council, we will firmly explain Japan's stance," Seko said.

Japan trade minister blasts South Korea for 'mistaken' explanation after bilateral meeting

A row between <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/calls-for-boycott-of-japan-grow-in-south-korea-as-diplomatic-row-simmers-233755&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjkh4bL67HjAhWQOnAKHdK0CDwQFjAHegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rNFlubgai0uu1K36l6Dq6">Japan and South Korea</a> escalated on Saturday, with contested accounts of a frosty meeting the day before that had failed to make progress on a dispute that could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays.

Tokyo lodged a protest against Seoul, saying it had broken an agreement on what the two sides would disclose from the Friday discussions on Japan's curbs of exports to Korea of some materials used to make high-tech equipment, said Japanese trade ministry official Jun Iwamatsu.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-restricts-chip-smartphone-materials-exports-to-south-korea-231877&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjl1rby67HjAhWGFYgKHYb8B_QQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw29aGx03LnTm9o7nxEPuTA6">Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI)</a> also disputed a Korean official's statement that Seoul had asked Japan on Friday to withdraw the restrictions.

But a Korean trade ministry official shot back that Seoul had "clearly demanded Japan withdraw its trade restrictions at yesterday’s meeting, and there should be no disagreement over that matter with Japan."

He told Reuters the two sides had discussed what they would disclose but that there was no agreement.

"I am frustrated," said the Korean official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Japan recently tightened restrictions on the export of three materials used in high-tech equipment, citing what it has called "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to South Korea, as well as a lack of consultations about export controls.

But the dispute also appears to be rooted in a decades-old wartime disagreement. It comes amid deep frustration in Japan over what Tokyo sees as Seoul's failure to act in response to a South Korean court ruling ordering a Japanese company to compensate former forced labourers from the Second World War.

In the Friday talks, South Korean officials expressed regret over Japan's export restrictions and asked Tokyo to remove them, participant Han Cheol-hee, a trade ministry director, told reporters as he was leaving Japan on Saturday.

In response, Iwamatsu, director of METI's trade control policy division, told a hastily arranged news conference: "We've checked the record of the meeting ... We found no clear comment asking for the withdrawal."

Iwamatsu said the two sides had agreed on what they would disclose from the talks but that the Korean official went beyond the agreement.&nbsp;

"We believe this is something that affects our relationship of trust," he said.

One reason for the sensitivity over characterising the talks could be a Japanese fear that if Korea can assert that it used consultations and unsuccessfully sought to have Tokyo withdraw the curbs, Seoul could justify escalating the matter to the World Trade Organisation.

"The nature of the meeting is not a consultation, but an occasion where Japan gives an explanation after getting a request from the South Korean government," Iwamatsu said.

"Therefore we would like to correct expression from a South Korean official that the meeting can appropriately be described as consultation for problem-solving."

Friday's talks began with two negotiators from each side facing off in stony silence in a small meeting room, without greeting each other and with the Japanese officials not standing or bowing when their Korean counterparts entered.

A Japanese official later explained that the bureaucrats had earlier met and exchanged greetings. South Korean media, however, reported there was a "cold reception" for their officials, and that the meeting took place in a room that looked like a "garage".

A row between Japan and South Korea escalated on Saturday, with contested accounts of a frosty meeting the day before that had failed to make progress on a dispute that could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays.

A row between Japan and South Korea escalated on Saturday, with contested accounts of a frosty meeting the day before that had failed to make progress on a dispute that could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays. Tokyo lodged a protest against Seoul, saying it had broken an agreement on what the two sides would disclose from the Friday discussions on Japan's curbs of exports to Korea of some materials used to make high-tech equipment, said Japanese trade ministry official Jun Iwamatsu. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) also disputed a Korean official's statement that Seoul had asked Japan on Friday to withdraw the restrictions. But a Korean trade ministry official shot back that Seoul had "clearly demanded Japan withdraw its trade restrictions at yesterday’s meeting, and there should be no disagreement over that matter with Japan." He told Reuters the two sides had discussed what they would disclose but that there was no agreement. "I am frustrated," said the Korean official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Japan recently tightened restrictions on the export of three materials used in high-tech equipment, citing what it has called "inadequate management" of sensitive items exported to South Korea, as well as a lack of consultations about export controls. But the dispute also appears to be rooted in a decades-old wartime disagreement. It comes amid deep frustration in Japan over what Tokyo sees as Seoul's failure to act in response to a South Korean court ruling ordering a Japanese company to compensate former forced labourers from the Second World War. In the Friday talks, South Korean officials expressed regret over Japan's export restrictions and asked Tokyo to remove them, participant Han Cheol-hee, a trade ministry director, told reporters as he was leaving Japan on Saturday. In response, Iwamatsu, director of METI's trade control policy division, told a hastily arranged news conference: "We've checked the record of the meeting ... We found no clear comment asking for the withdrawal." Iwamatsu said the two sides had agreed on what they would disclose from the talks but that the Korean official went beyond the agreement. "We believe this is something that affects our relationship of trust," he said. One reason for the sensitivity over characterising the talks could be a Japanese fear that if Korea can assert that it used consultations and unsuccessfully sought to have Tokyo withdraw the curbs, Seoul could justify escalating the matter to the World Trade Organisation. "The nature of the meeting is not a consultation, but an occasion where Japan gives an explanation after getting a request from the South Korean government," Iwamatsu said. "Therefore we would like to correct expression from a South Korean official that the meeting can appropriately be described as consultation for problem-solving." Friday's talks began with two negotiators from each side facing off in stony silence in a small meeting room, without greeting each other and with the Japanese officials not standing or bowing when their Korean counterparts entered. A Japanese official later explained that the bureaucrats had earlier met and exchanged greetings. South Korean media, however, reported there was a "cold reception" for their officials, and that the meeting took place in a room that looked like a "garage".

More acrimony in Japan-South Korea row as Tokyo lodges protest

South Korea's acquisition of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hell-bent-on-hostile-acts-despite-wanting-to-talk-north-korea-232880">American F-35 stealth fighter jets</a> will force North Korea to develop and test "special armaments" to destroy the new weapons, North Korea's state media said on Thursday, citing a government researcher.

South Korean authorities are "impudent and pitiful" for "talking loudly about reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south" while buying more weapons from the United States, an unnamed policy research director at the Institute for American Studies of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.

"There is no room for doubt that the delivery of 'F-35A', which is also called an 'invisible lethal weapon', is aimed at securing military supremacy over the neighbouring countries in the region and especially opening a 'gate' to invading the north in time of emergency on the Korean peninsula," the statement said.

"We, on our part, have no other choice but to develop and test the special armaments to completely destroy the lethal weapons reinforced in south Korea."

South Korea took delivery of its first two F-35 jets in March, with more slated to arrive this year. It has agreed to buy a total of 40 of the advanced aircraft, the last to be delivered by 2021.

North Korea's latest criticism of South Korea's military acquisition as an "extremely dangerous action which will trigger our reaction" comes as inter-Korean relations have stalled.

South Korean leader Moon Jae-in was left on the sidelines of a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump at the inter-Korean border in June, and there have been few signs that relations have improved.

"The south Korean authorities had better come to their senses before it is too late, shattering the preposterous illusions that an opportunity would come for improved inter-Korean relations if they follow in the footsteps of the United States," the statement said.

South Korea's acquisition of American F-35 stealth fighter jets will force North Korea to develop and test "special armaments" to destroy the new weapons, North Korea's state media said on Thursday, citing a government researcher.

South Korea's acquisition of American F-35 stealth fighter jets will force North Korea to develop and test "special armaments" to destroy the new weapons, North Korea's state media said on Thursday, citing a government researcher. South Korean authorities are "impudent and pitiful" for "talking loudly about reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south" while buying more weapons from the United States, an unnamed policy research director at the Institute for American Studies of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. "There is no room for doubt that the delivery of 'F-35A', which is also called an 'invisible lethal weapon', is aimed at securing military supremacy over the neighbouring countries in the region and especially opening a 'gate' to invading the north in time of emergency on the Korean peninsula," the statement said. "We, on our part, have no other choice but to develop and test the special armaments to completely destroy the lethal weapons reinforced in south Korea." South Korea took delivery of its first two F-35 jets in March, with more slated to arrive this year. It has agreed to buy a total of 40 of the advanced aircraft, the last to be delivered by 2021. North Korea's latest criticism of South Korea's military acquisition as an "extremely dangerous action which will trigger our reaction" comes as inter-Korean relations have stalled. South Korean leader Moon Jae-in was left on the sidelines of a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump at the inter-Korean border in June, and there have been few signs that relations have improved. "The south Korean authorities had better come to their senses before it is too late, shattering the preposterous illusions that an opportunity would come for improved inter-Korean relations if they follow in the footsteps of the United States," the statement said.

South Korea's acquisition of US F-35 fighter aimed at 'opening gate' to invade north: North Korea state media

North Korea remembers Kim II-Sung on 25th death anniversary

After impressing the audience as well as critics in India, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/gully-boy-review-ranveer-singh-alia-bhatts-film-has-multiple-heroes-197285">Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy' </a>is now winning accolades outside of the country. Now the Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt starrer has won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at the 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea.

NETPAC Jury Committee, comprised of NETPAC members and film professionals, select the best Asian Film from World Fantastic Blue section, which features newer genres and varied stories of comedy, fantasy and drama.

'Gully Boy' released in February in India and was based on the lives of street rappers in Mumbai. The film has performed well in the Indian and overseas market.

The film will also be screened at the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in July.&nbsp;

Akhtar has also recently made the Indian film industry proud by joining the list of new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/anurag-kashyap-zoya-akhtar-anupam-kher-join-hollywood-celebs-to-be-a-part-of-the-oscars-academy-232241">members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences</a> that organises the annual Oscar awards.

After impressing the audience as well as critics in India, Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy' is now winning accolades outside of the country. Now the Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt starrer has won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at the 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea.

After impressing the audience as well as critics in India, Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy' is now winning accolades outside of the country. Now the Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt starrer has won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at the 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea. NETPAC Jury Committee, comprised of NETPAC members and film professionals, select the best Asian Film from World Fantastic Blue section, which features newer genres and varied stories of comedy, fantasy and drama. 'Gully Boy' released in February in India and was based on the lives of street rappers in Mumbai. The film has performed well in the Indian and overseas market. The film will also be screened at the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in July. Akhtar has also recently made the Indian film industry proud by joining the list of new members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that organises the annual Oscar awards.

Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy' wins at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, South Korea

Calls in South Korea for a boycott of Japanese goods in response to Tokyo's curbs on the export of high-tech material to South Korea picked up on Friday, as a dispute over compensation for forced wartime labour roiled ties between the US allies.

It is the latest flashpoint in a relationship long over-shadowed by South Korean resentment of Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula, in particular South Korean "comfort women", a Japanese euphemism for women forced to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War Two.

Japan apologised to the women as part of a 2015 deal and provided a $9.4 million fund to help them.

Advocacy groups for the women have criticised the fund and South Korea dissolved it on Friday, despite Japan's warnings that such action could damage ties.

"This is totally unacceptable for Japan. We've made stern representations to the South Korean side," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said in Tokyo.

The bitterness over the forced labour issue could disrupt global supplies of memory chips and smartphones.

Japan said on Monday it would tighten restrictions on the export of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea. The curbs took effect on Thursday, fuelling South Korean calls for retaliation.

Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix Inc - the world's top memory chipmakers, and suppliers to Apple and China's Huawei Technologies - could face delays if the curbs drag on.

"A boycott is the most immediate way for citizens to express their anger," said Choi Gae-Yeon of the activist group Movement for One Korea, that staged protests in front of a Japanese car showroom and a retailer in Seoul this week.

"Many people are angry at the attitude of the Japanese government," she said.

Boycott

The row over forced labour exploded last year when a South Korean court ordered Japan's Nippon Steel &amp; Sumitomo Metal Corp and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to South Korean plaintiffs.

Japan maintains that the issue was fully settled in 1965 when the two countries restored diplomatic ties, and has denounced the ruling as "unthinkable".

Nearly 27,000 people had by Friday signed a petition posted on the South Korean presidential office website calling for a boycott of Japanese products and for tourists not to visit.

The government must respond to a petition that gets 200,000 signatures in a month.

Some Korean social media users posted "Boycott Japan" messages and shared a link to a list of Japanese brands that could be targeted, including Toyota Motor and Fast Retailing's Uniqlo.

Toyota's South Korean unit declined comment, and Fast Retailing's South Korean unit did not have an immediate comment.

"Japan boycott movement" was among the most searched-for terms on South Korea's main online search engine Naver.

A South Korean actor on Thursday deleted photographs he posted on social media of a visit he made to Japan after online criticism.

Tourism-related shares fell this week due to concern about reduced demand for travel to Japan. Tour agency Hana Tour fell 3.4 per cent on Thursday before paring losses on Friday.

South Korea imported $54.6 billion worth of goods from Japan in 2018, and paid for $11.5 billion worth of its services.

South Korea exported $30.5 billion in goods and $8.7 billion in services to Japan in the same year, according to South Korean customs and central bank data.

Calls in South Korea for a boycott of Japanese goods in response to Tokyo's curbs on the export of high-tech material to South Korea picked up on Friday, as a dispute over compensation for forced wartime labour roiled ties between the US allies.

Calls in South Korea for a boycott of Japanese goods in response to Tokyo's curbs on the export of high-tech material to South Korea picked up on Friday, as a dispute over compensation for forced wartime labour roiled ties between the US allies. It is the latest flashpoint in a relationship long over-shadowed by South Korean resentment of Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula, in particular South Korean "comfort women", a Japanese euphemism for women forced to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War Two. Japan apologised to the women as part of a 2015 deal and provided a $9.4 million fund to help them. Advocacy groups for the women have criticised the fund and South Korea dissolved it on Friday, despite Japan's warnings that such action could damage ties. "This is totally unacceptable for Japan. We've made stern representations to the South Korean side," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said in Tokyo. The bitterness over the forced labour issue could disrupt global supplies of memory chips and smartphones. Japan said on Monday it would tighten restrictions on the export of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea. The curbs took effect on Thursday, fuelling South Korean calls for retaliation. Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix Inc - the world's top memory chipmakers, and suppliers to Apple and China's Huawei Technologies - could face delays if the curbs drag on. "A boycott is the most immediate way for citizens to express their anger," said Choi Gae-Yeon of the activist group Movement for One Korea, that staged protests in front of a Japanese car showroom and a retailer in Seoul this week. "Many people are angry at the attitude of the Japanese government," she said. Boycott The row over forced labour exploded last year when a South Korean court ordered Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to South Korean plaintiffs. Japan maintains that the issue was fully settled in 1965 when the two countries restored diplomatic ties, and has denounced the ruling as "unthinkable". Nearly 27,000 people had by Friday signed a petition posted on the South Korean presidential office website calling for a boycott of Japanese products and for tourists not to visit. The government must respond to a petition that gets 200,000 signatures in a month. Some Korean social media users posted "Boycott Japan" messages and shared a link to a list of Japanese brands that could be targeted, including Toyota Motor and Fast Retailing's Uniqlo. Toyota's South Korean unit declined comment, and Fast Retailing's South Korean unit did not have an immediate comment. "Japan boycott movement" was among the most searched-for terms on South Korea's main online search engine Naver. A South Korean actor on Thursday deleted photographs he posted on social media of a visit he made to Japan after online criticism. Tourism-related shares fell this week due to concern about reduced demand for travel to Japan. Tour agency Hana Tour fell 3.4 per cent on Thursday before paring losses on Friday. South Korea imported $54.6 billion worth of goods from Japan in 2018, and paid for $11.5 billion worth of its services. South Korea exported $30.5 billion in goods and $8.7 billion in services to Japan in the same year, according to South Korean customs and central bank data.

Calls for boycott of Japan grow in South Korea as diplomatic row simmers

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-restricts-chip-smartphone-materials-exports-to-south-korea-231877">South Korea</a> said on Wednesday it sacked an army commander and rebuked other senior officers after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/iran-and-north-korea-highlight-pitfalls-of-trumps-maximum-pressure-strategy-202154">North Korean</a> fishing boat piloted by defectors went undetected in South Korean waters for more than two days last month.

The incident has raised concerns about potential lapses in South Korea's security during fragile talks to end a technical state of war with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War.

The small wooden boat spent more than two days in waters south of the Northern Limit Line, which separates areas controlled by the two Koreas, before docking at the port of Samcheok.

The ship's arrival on June 15 was spotted by closed-circuit television cameras, but authorities failed to identify the vessel as North Korean, said Choi Byung-hwan, vice minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The four fishermen waited, expecting to face South Korean security forces who never came. One man approached a South Korean resident and asked to use a telephone, Choi said, and police were alerted.

The commander of the South Korean Army's 8th Corps, which oversees the area in eastern South Korea where the boat docked, was removed from his command, the defence ministry said.

The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff received a warning, and two other senior military commanders were referred to a disciplinary committee, the ministry said.

"Our analysis found that there was a failure in our security operation," Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo told reporters in the capital Seoul.

"This failure was a grave error that cannot be acceptable in any case," he added.

Two of the fishermen said they wanted to stay in South Korea, officials said, and the other two asked to go home.

At least 546 North Koreans defected to South Korea in the first six months of this year, up from 487 in the same period last year, South Korea's unification ministry said on Tuesday, according to Yonhap news agency.

Most North Korean escapees make their way through China and Southeast Asia, rather than attempting to cross the heavily guarded border between North and South Korea. 
&nbsp;

South Korea said on Wednesday it sacked an army commander and rebuked other senior officers after a North Korean fishing boat piloted by defectors went undetected in South Korean waters for more than two days last month.

South Korea said on Wednesday it sacked an army commander and rebuked other senior officers after a North Korean fishing boat piloted by defectors went undetected in South Korean waters for more than two days last month. The incident has raised concerns about potential lapses in South Korea's security during fragile talks to end a technical state of war with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War. The small wooden boat spent more than two days in waters south of the Northern Limit Line, which separates areas controlled by the two Koreas, before docking at the port of Samcheok. The ship's arrival on June 15 was spotted by closed-circuit television cameras, but authorities failed to identify the vessel as North Korean, said Choi Byung-hwan, vice minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The four fishermen waited, expecting to face South Korean security forces who never came. One man approached a South Korean resident and asked to use a telephone, Choi said, and police were alerted. The commander of the South Korean Army's 8th Corps, which oversees the area in eastern South Korea where the boat docked, was removed from his command, the defence ministry said. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff received a warning, and two other senior military commanders were referred to a disciplinary committee, the ministry said. "Our analysis found that there was a failure in our security operation," Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo told reporters in the capital Seoul. "This failure was a grave error that cannot be acceptable in any case," he added. Two of the fishermen said they wanted to stay in South Korea, officials said, and the other two asked to go home. At least 546 North Koreans defected to South Korea in the first six months of this year, up from 487 in the same period last year, South Korea's unification ministry said on Tuesday, according to Yonhap news agency. Most North Korean escapees make their way through China and Southeast Asia, rather than attempting to cross the heavily guarded border between North and South Korea.

South Korea sacks army commander over North Korea defector boat

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour.

The move, which takes effect from July 4, comes after South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate people forced into wartime labour, an issue Tokyo says was resolved when the countries resumed diplomatic relations decades ago.

"The export control system is built based on international relations of trust," Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in announcing the move.

"After reviews by relevant ministries, it must be said that the relations of trust between Japan and South Korea have been significantly harmed," METI added.

The new restrictions affect chemicals including fluorinated polyimide and hydrogen fluoride, as well as transfer of manufacturing technologies, removing them from a list that effectively allowed expedited export.

It means that exporters will now have to apply for permission for each batch they wish to export to South Korea, a process that takes around 90 days each time, local media reported.

METI said it would also begin soliciting public comment on the removal of South Korea from a list of "white" countries that face minimal restrictions on technology transfer with national security implications.

Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

And tensions have grown after a series of rulings from South Korean courts ordering Japanese firms that used wartime forced labour to compensate victims.

Last month, Tokyo proposed the issue be put to arbitration under the terms of an agreement signed by the two countries in 1965, when ties were normalised.

South Korea countered with a proposal for local and Japanese firms to set up a voluntary compensation fund, which Tokyo flatly rejected as "unacceptable".

When relations were normalised, Tokyo agreed a reparations package that included grants and cheap loans intended to cover victims of various wartime policies.

Japan argues that package should have permanently resolved the issue.

Analysts said the measure could harm Japanese producers, noting shares in some of the firms that make the affected chemicals were falling on Monday despite a rally in the market overall.

"It could have a short-term negative impact on Japanese manufacturers... whose sales to major South Korean producers constitute 10 to 20 per cent of their overall sales," said Kazuyoshi Saito, a chip analyst at IwaiCosmo Securities.

He pointed out that the measures do not amount to an export ban, but would make exports more complicated.

"At this point, the expected impact is a slowing of export procedures, which may temporarily affect both South Korean makers and Japanese suppliers," he told AFP

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour.

Japan said Monday it will tighten regulations on the export to South Korea of several chemicals used in chip and smartphone production amid a row with Seoul on wartime forced labour. The move, which takes effect from July 4, comes after South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate people forced into wartime labour, an issue Tokyo says was resolved when the countries resumed diplomatic relations decades ago. "The export control system is built based on international relations of trust," Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in announcing the move. "After reviews by relevant ministries, it must be said that the relations of trust between Japan and South Korea have been significantly harmed," METI added. The new restrictions affect chemicals including fluorinated polyimide and hydrogen fluoride, as well as transfer of manufacturing technologies, removing them from a list that effectively allowed expedited export. It means that exporters will now have to apply for permission for each batch they wish to export to South Korea, a process that takes around 90 days each time, local media reported. METI said it would also begin soliciting public comment on the removal of South Korea from a list of "white" countries that face minimal restrictions on technology transfer with national security implications. Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. And tensions have grown after a series of rulings from South Korean courts ordering Japanese firms that used wartime forced labour to compensate victims. Last month, Tokyo proposed the issue be put to arbitration under the terms of an agreement signed by the two countries in 1965, when ties were normalised. South Korea countered with a proposal for local and Japanese firms to set up a voluntary compensation fund, which Tokyo flatly rejected as "unacceptable". When relations were normalised, Tokyo agreed a reparations package that included grants and cheap loans intended to cover victims of various wartime policies. Japan argues that package should have permanently resolved the issue. Analysts said the measure could harm Japanese producers, noting shares in some of the firms that make the affected chemicals were falling on Monday despite a rally in the market overall. "It could have a short-term negative impact on Japanese manufacturers... whose sales to major South Korean producers constitute 10 to 20 per cent of their overall sales," said Kazuyoshi Saito, a chip analyst at IwaiCosmo Securities. He pointed out that the measures do not amount to an export ban, but would make exports more complicated. "At this point, the expected impact is a slowing of export procedures, which may temporarily affect both South Korean makers and Japanese suppliers," he told AFP

Japan restricts chip, smartphone materials exports to South Korea

US President Trump became the first sitting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-calls-kim-trump-in-demilitarized-zone-meeting-historic-231862">US&nbsp;president to set foot in North Korea</a> on Sunday when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.

But there has been little sign that North Korea and the United States are any closer to narrowing differences on the nuclear issue.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo told reporters shortly before departing to South Korea that a fresh round of talks will likely happen "sometime in July" and the North's negotiators would be foreign ministry diplomats.

Pompeo made clear in a tweet later that the United States believed that sanctions put in place under UN Security Council resolutions needed to remain in place as talks moved forward.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-kim-jong-un-makes-history-at-korean-border-231727/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We remain ready to engage (North Korea) in negotiations, but remain firm on the implementation of UNSCRs ahead of denuclearisation," he said.

The meeting, initiated by a spur-of-the-moment tweet by Trump that Kim said took him by surprise, once again displayed the rapport between the two. But they are no closer to narrowing the gap between their positions since they walked away from their summit in February in Vietnam.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Presidents <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/moonriver365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@moonriver365</a> are committed to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DPRK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DPRK</a>. U.S.-ROK coordination is key. We remain ready to engage the DPRK in negotiations, but remain firm on the implementation of UNSCRs ahead of denuclearization. <a href="https://t.co/LY0JmrIaYc">pic.twitter.com/LY0JmrIaYc</a>
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1145338337990971392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The two men shook hands warmly and expressed hopes for peace when they met for the third time in just over a year on the old Cold War frontier that for decades has symbolised the hostility between their countries, which are technically still at war.

Trump, escorted by Kim, briefly crossed a military demarcation line into the North side of the Joint Security Area (JSA), patrolled by soldiers from both Koreas.

Moments later, they returned to the southern side and joined South Korea's President Moon Jae-in for a brief chat, marking an unprecedented three-way gathering.

Trump and Kim then held a closed-door meeting for nearly an hour.

"We just had a very, very good meeting," Trump said after the talks. "We'll see what can happen."

He said both sides would set up teams to push forward stalled talks aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, adding "speed is not the thing."

Pope Francis, making his weekly address in St. Peter's Square, praised the meeting. "I salute the protagonists, with a prayer that such a significant gesture will be a further step on the road to peace, not only on that peninsula, but for the good of the entire world," he said.

Trump and Kim met for the first time in Singapore in June last year, and agreed to improve relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But the second summit in Hanoi broke down after the two sides failed to narrow differences between a US&nbsp;demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and a North Korean demand for sanctions relief.

North Korea has pursued nuclear and missile programmes for years in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, and easing tensions with North Korea is one of the US president's top foreign policy priorities.

The DMZ was set up after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a truce, leaving North Korea and the United States still technically at war.

US President Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea on Sunday when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.

US President Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea on Sunday when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks. But there has been little sign that North Korea and the United States are any closer to narrowing differences on the nuclear issue. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo told reporters shortly before departing to South Korea that a fresh round of talks will likely happen "sometime in July" and the North's negotiators would be foreign ministry diplomats. Pompeo made clear in a tweet later that the United States believed that sanctions put in place under UN Security Council resolutions needed to remain in place as talks moved forward. "We remain ready to engage (North Korea) in negotiations, but remain firm on the implementation of UNSCRs ahead of denuclearisation," he said. The meeting, initiated by a spur-of-the-moment tweet by Trump that Kim said took him by surprise, once again displayed the rapport between the two. But they are no closer to narrowing the gap between their positions since they walked away from their summit in February in Vietnam. Presidents @realDonaldTrump & @moonriver365 are committed to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of #DPRK. U.S.-ROK coordination is key. We remain ready to engage the DPRK in negotiations, but remain firm on the implementation of UNSCRs ahead of denuclearization. pic.twitter.com/LY0JmrIaYc — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 30, 2019 × The two men shook hands warmly and expressed hopes for peace when they met for the third time in just over a year on the old Cold War frontier that for decades has symbolised the hostility between their countries, which are technically still at war. Trump, escorted by Kim, briefly crossed a military demarcation line into the North side of the Joint Security Area (JSA), patrolled by soldiers from both Koreas. Moments later, they returned to the southern side and joined South Korea's President Moon Jae-in for a brief chat, marking an unprecedented three-way gathering. Trump and Kim then held a closed-door meeting for nearly an hour. "We just had a very, very good meeting," Trump said after the talks. "We'll see what can happen." He said both sides would set up teams to push forward stalled talks aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, adding "speed is not the thing." Pope Francis, making his weekly address in St. Peter's Square, praised the meeting. "I salute the protagonists, with a prayer that such a significant gesture will be a further step on the road to peace, not only on that peninsula, but for the good of the entire world," he said. Trump and Kim met for the first time in Singapore in June last year, and agreed to improve relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But the second summit in Hanoi broke down after the two sides failed to narrow differences between a US demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and a North Korean demand for sanctions relief. North Korea has pursued nuclear and missile programmes for years in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, and easing tensions with North Korea is one of the US president's top foreign policy priorities. The DMZ was set up after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a truce, leaving North Korea and the United States still technically at war.

Remain engaged in North Korea but firm on sanctions ahead of denuclearisation: Pompeo

Demilitarised Zone: A look at the world's last Cold War frontier

US President Donald Trump&nbsp;has become the first sitting US president to set foot inside North Korea when he crossed over the demarcation line.&nbsp;

Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shook hands in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea.

"It's nice to see you again," Kim reportedly told President Trump. "I never expected to meet you in this place."

About Trump stepping into North Korea, Kim Jong-un told&nbsp;"It's a very courageous and determined act."

Trump thanked Kim, and added that the two of them have "a great friendship".

It was a "great day for the world", Trump said after meeting North Korean leader Kim.

"It's an honour for me to be here," Trump added, as the two men talked with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Seoul's side of the border.

"We met and liked each other from day one," Trump added.

Kim and Trump also had an informal chat amid the media scrum.

Trump said ''We are hearing from Kim directly''.

“You hear that voice, no one hears this voice, he doesn’t do press conferences,” he said.

Trump said he wants to thank Kim for responding to his Twitter invitation to meet.

“If he didn’t show up the press was going to make me look very bad,” said Trump.

“If you look back two-and-a-half years, before I was president, it was a very very bad situation, a very dangerous situation for North Korea, South Korea, for the world. The relationship we have developed has been so much for so many people,” Trump added.

“Thank you for asking me to step over that line, I didn’t know if you were going to ask me to do that, I thought you might, but I was ready to do that if you asked,” he added.

Trump called the meeting “very historic”.

Earlier Trump arrived Sunday in the DMZ accompanied by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

An earnest-looking Trump toured an observation post overlooking North Korean territory, with a US military officer pointing out the sights.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump has become the first sitting US president to set foot inside North Korea when he crossed over the demarcation line. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shook hands in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea.

US President Donald Trump has become the first sitting US president to set foot inside North Korea when he crossed over the demarcation line. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shook hands in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea. "It's nice to see you again," Kim reportedly told President Trump. "I never expected to meet you in this place." About Trump stepping into North Korea, Kim Jong-un told "It's a very courageous and determined act." Trump thanked Kim, and added that the two of them have "a great friendship". It was a "great day for the world", Trump said after meeting North Korean leader Kim. "It's an honour for me to be here," Trump added, as the two men talked with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Seoul's side of the border. "We met and liked each other from day one," Trump added. Kim and Trump also had an informal chat amid the media scrum. Trump said ''We are hearing from Kim directly''. “You hear that voice, no one hears this voice, he doesn’t do press conferences,” he said. Trump said he wants to thank Kim for responding to his Twitter invitation to meet. “If he didn’t show up the press was going to make me look very bad,” said Trump. “If you look back two-and-a-half years, before I was president, it was a very very bad situation, a very dangerous situation for North Korea, South Korea, for the world. The relationship we have developed has been so much for so many people,” Trump added. “Thank you for asking me to step over that line, I didn’t know if you were going to ask me to do that, I thought you might, but I was ready to do that if you asked,” he added. Trump called the meeting “very historic”. Earlier Trump arrived Sunday in the DMZ accompanied by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. An earnest-looking Trump toured an observation post overlooking North Korean territory, with a US military officer pointing out the sights.

Trump becomes first sitting US president to set foot inside North Korea 

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will meet President Trump at the Demilitarized Zone, the border between North and South Korea, Mr. Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in told reporters.

Donald Trump holds bilateral with Moon Jae-in

US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have just wrapped up a joint press conference, where they confirmed they would be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in hold press conference

Donald Trump meets Kim Jong-un, becomes first sitting United States president to set foot in North Korea

US President Donald Trump arrived at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas on Sunday ahead of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The expected encounter, only suggested a day earlier by Trump on Twitter, comes with negotiations over the North's nuclear programme in stalemate since the leaders' last summit in Vietnam in February.

Accompanied by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, an earnest-looking Trump visited a guard post in the northernmost part of the South Korean side of the DMZ, looking into the North, where he will speak with US and South Korean servicemen.

Trump and Kim are expected to meet at the Joint Security Area patrolled by soldiers from both Koreas near the inter-Korean border.

Trump is expected to hold a brief encounter with Kim in the DMZ, which would be their third face-to-face meeting after a historic initial summit in Singapore and a second in Hanoi that collapsed without an agreement.

The two would "just shake hands quickly and say hello because we haven't seen each other since Vietnam", Trump said earlier.

US President Donald Trump arrived at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas on Sunday ahead of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The expected encounter, only suggested a day earlier by Trump on Twitter, comes with negotiations over the North's nuclear programme in stalemate since the leaders' last summit in Vietnam in February.

US President Donald Trump arrived at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas on Sunday ahead of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The expected encounter, only suggested a day earlier by Trump on Twitter, comes with negotiations over the North's nuclear programme in stalemate since the leaders' last summit in Vietnam in February. Accompanied by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, an earnest-looking Trump visited a guard post in the northernmost part of the South Korean side of the DMZ, looking into the North, where he will speak with US and South Korean servicemen. Trump and Kim are expected to meet at the Joint Security Area patrolled by soldiers from both Koreas near the inter-Korean border. Trump is expected to hold a brief encounter with Kim in the DMZ, which would be their third face-to-face meeting after a historic initial summit in Singapore and a second in Hanoi that collapsed without an agreement. The two would "just shake hands quickly and say hello because we haven't seen each other since Vietnam", Trump said earlier.

Trump lands at demilitarised zone ahead of meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong-un

US President Donald Trump Sunday voiced a willingness to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Washington, as the two men held historic discussions in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Koreas.

"I would invite him right now, to the White House," Trump said as the pair met for the third time after summits in Singapore last year and a second meeting Hanoi in February that collapsed without an agreement.

Trump met Kim on the southern side of the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone separating the two Koreas.

Meanwhile, North Korean leader said that his "wonderful" relationship with US President Donald Trump would enable the two longtime enemies to get over obstructions, with their nuclear talks at a stalemate.

"I am convinced our relationship will enable us to overcome barriers standing in the way," said Kim, adding as the two leaders held talks in the Demilitarized Zone that their close ties enabled a meeting to happen "just overnight," Kim said.

Trump added he was "proud" to walk across the border dividing North Korean territory from the South as the two men met.

"I was proud to step over that line," he said as they sat down for discussions after shaking hands in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, in a hastily arranged but historic encounter.

US President Donald Trump Sunday voiced a willingness to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Washington, as the two men held historic discussions in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Koreas.

US President Donald Trump Sunday voiced a willingness to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Washington, as the two men held historic discussions in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Koreas. "I would invite him right now, to the White House," Trump said as the pair met for the third time after summits in Singapore last year and a second meeting Hanoi in February that collapsed without an agreement. Trump met Kim on the southern side of the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone separating the two Koreas. Meanwhile, North Korean leader said that his "wonderful" relationship with US President Donald Trump would enable the two longtime enemies to get over obstructions, with their nuclear talks at a stalemate. "I am convinced our relationship will enable us to overcome barriers standing in the way," said Kim, adding as the two leaders held talks in the Demilitarized Zone that their close ties enabled a meeting to happen "just overnight," Kim said. Trump added he was "proud" to walk across the border dividing North Korean territory from the South as the two men met. "I was proud to step over that line," he said as they sat down for discussions after shaking hands in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, in a hastily arranged but historic encounter.

Trump says he 'would invite' North Korean leader Kim to White House

In an unprecedented historic development, US President Donald Trump crossed into North Korea and met its leader Kim Jong-un. With this Donald Trump has become the first sitting US President to be in North Korea.

Kim, standing alongside with US president said, "President trump has just walked across the demarcation line. He is the first US president to visit our country."

Explaining, "This is an expression of his willingness to eliminate all the unfortunate past and open a new future"

After this, both sides held talks for almost an hour at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which divides the Korean peninsula.

Calling the day's event as "legendary" and "great for the world" US president said, "We went and met at the line, meeting at the line, I said, would you like me to come across, he said, I would be so honoured and that is the way it worked out".

The US has announced that the stalled talks with North Korea will resume. But American sanctions on North Korea remains but at some point during the negotiations, "things can happen", Trump said.

United States Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun under the aegis of US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo will be leading the American team of negotiators while North Korea will be setting a new team.

Asked if negotiators of the previous North Korean team is alive, Trump said, "well, I think they are. I can tell you the main person is. I know that we know that, and we hope rest are too".

US President's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law and Jared Kushner, South Korean president Moon Jae-in were also present at the DMZ.

US President arrived in South Korea on Saturday and had on Twitter called for a meet with the North Korean leader. In Osaka, Japan where he was for 14th G20 Summit, Trump had tweeted, "I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!"

This is the third meeting between US President with North Korean leader after Singapore, Hanoi meet.&nbsp;

In an unprecedented historic development, US President Donald Trump crossed into North Korea and met its leader Kim Jong-un. With this Donald Trump has become the first sitting US President to be in North Korea.

In an unprecedented historic development, US President Donald Trump crossed into North Korea and met its leader Kim Jong-un. With this Donald Trump has become the first sitting US President to be in North Korea. Kim, standing alongside with US president said, "President trump has just walked across the demarcation line. He is the first US president to visit our country." Explaining, "This is an expression of his willingness to eliminate all the unfortunate past and open a new future" After this, both sides held talks for almost an hour at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which divides the Korean peninsula. Calling the day's event as "legendary" and "great for the world" US president said, "We went and met at the line, meeting at the line, I said, would you like me to come across, he said, I would be so honoured and that is the way it worked out". The US has announced that the stalled talks with North Korea will resume. But American sanctions on North Korea remains but at some point during the negotiations, "things can happen", Trump said. United States Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun under the aegis of US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo will be leading the American team of negotiators while North Korea will be setting a new team. Asked if negotiators of the previous North Korean team is alive, Trump said, "well, I think they are. I can tell you the main person is. I know that we know that, and we hope rest are too". US President's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law and Jared Kushner, South Korean president Moon Jae-in were also present at the DMZ. US President arrived in South Korea on Saturday and had on Twitter called for a meet with the North Korean leader. In Osaka, Japan where he was for 14th G20 Summit, Trump had tweeted, "I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!" This is the third meeting between US President with North Korean leader after Singapore, Hanoi meet.

US President Trump sets foot in North Korea, agrees with Kim to resume stalled talks

North Korea on Thursday warned the South to stop "meddling" in talks between Pyongyang and Washington, repudiating its neighbour days before US President Donald Trump arrives in Seoul amid a nuclear deadlock.

Talks have been stalled since February when a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed, after they failed to agree on what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief.

The two sides have had minimal contact and Trump is due to fly to Seoul at the weekend for a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. 
The dovish Moon said Wednesday that "behind-the-scenes talks" were going on between the US and the North with a view to preparing for a third summit.

"Also underway is dialogue between the South and the North through diverse channels," he added in a written interview with leading media.

Seoul has also recently approved $8 million in food aid for the North. 
But an official at the North's foreign ministry slammed the South on Thursday, saying it was trying to raise its standing by posing as a "mediator".

In a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, he said the US and North Korea were the "direct parties", adding: "It is absolutely not an issue where the south Korean government can meddle in."

If the North had to contact Washington, it can use the "already existing communication channel", he said, stressing it will "never be done through the South Korean government".

"South Korean officials are acting as if there are various exchanges and behind-the-scenes talks between the North and south, there are none," he added.

The statement also reminded Washington that it did not have "much time left" until Kim's end-of-year deadline to adopt a new approach to revive dialogue.

Moon, who favours engagement with Pyongyang, brokered the talks between Trump and Kim last year and has held three summits with the North Korean leader.

Trump's visit to the South had fuelled media speculation over a possible trilateral summit with Kim and Moon, but Trump himself has said he will not be meeting Kim.

North Korea on Thursday warned the South to stop "meddling" in talks between Pyongyang and Washington, repudiating its neighbour days before US President Donald Trump arrives in Seoul amid a nuclear deadlock.

North Korea on Thursday warned the South to stop "meddling" in talks between Pyongyang and Washington, repudiating its neighbour days before US President Donald Trump arrives in Seoul amid a nuclear deadlock. Talks have been stalled since February when a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed, after they failed to agree on what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. The two sides have had minimal contact and Trump is due to fly to Seoul at the weekend for a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The dovish Moon said Wednesday that "behind-the-scenes talks" were going on between the US and the North with a view to preparing for a third summit. "Also underway is dialogue between the South and the North through diverse channels," he added in a written interview with leading media. Seoul has also recently approved $8 million in food aid for the North. But an official at the North's foreign ministry slammed the South on Thursday, saying it was trying to raise its standing by posing as a "mediator". In a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, he said the US and North Korea were the "direct parties", adding: "It is absolutely not an issue where the south Korean government can meddle in." If the North had to contact Washington, it can use the "already existing communication channel", he said, stressing it will "never be done through the South Korean government". "South Korean officials are acting as if there are various exchanges and behind-the-scenes talks between the North and south, there are none," he added. The statement also reminded Washington that it did not have "much time left" until Kim's end-of-year deadline to adopt a new approach to revive dialogue. Moon, who favours engagement with Pyongyang, brokered the talks between Trump and Kim last year and has held three summits with the North Korean leader. Trump's visit to the South had fuelled media speculation over a possible trilateral summit with Kim and Moon, but Trump himself has said he will not be meeting Kim.

North Korea slams South for 'meddling' in talks with US

Time was running out for the United States to formulate a new strategy to revive denuclearisation talks, a senior North Korean diplomat said on Thursday, as a US envoy for North Korea is set to visit South Korea ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/north-koreas-missile-tests-not-breach-of-trust-us-president-donald-trump-217629">President Donald Trump</a>'s trip.

Negotiations have been stalled since the second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February collapsed over differences between the US calls for complete denuclearisation and Kim's demands for sanctions relief.

Kim has said a third meeting would be possible only if Washington adopted a more flexible approach, setting a year-end deadline.

The United States is in behind-the-scenes talks with North Korea over a possible third summit and has proposed reopening working-level negotiations, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday.

Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea who has led working-level talks, is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Thursday ahead of Trump, who is due in South Korea at the weekend after visiting Japan for the G20 summit.

The United States and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-visit-south-korea-as-pompeo-raises-hope-for-new-north-korea-talks-after-letter-230158">North Korea</a> have held working-level meetings in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, but it was unclear whether Biegun will attend such talks this time.

Kwon Jong Gun, director-general for US affairs at the North's foreign ministry, said the United States continues to speak of dialogue while "becoming more and more desperate in its hostile acts."

He did not elaborate, but a foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that the recent US extension of sanctions against North Korea was an act of hostility and an outright challenge to the first summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last year.

"The dialogue would not open by itself through the United States repeatedly talks about resumption of dialogue like a parrot without considering any realistic proposal that would fully conform with the interests of both sides," Kwon said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency.

"If the United States is to move towards producing a result, time will not be enough."

In contrast, US officials have raised hopes for a restart of official talks following a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday called a fresh round of nuclear talks a "very real possibility," following a letter sent to Kim by Trump.

KCNA has said Trump's letter had "excellent content" and Kim would "seriously contemplate" it, without elaborating.

Trump is expected to send "some kind of message" to the North from the DMZ during his trip, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on Thursday.

Trump tried to go to the DMZ, where Kim and Moon held a historic first summit last year, on a 2017 visit to South Korea, but heavy fog prevented it.

Trump said on Wednesday he would not meet with Kim during his stay in the South and US officials have declined to comment on whether Trump will travel to the DMZ.

Kwon said any new talks should be led by a "counterpart who has a good sense of communication."

The North has accused Pompeo of making "gangster-like" demands and urged a replacement with someone "more mature" while lauding the rapport Kim has built with Trump.

Wednesday's statement by the North singled out his recent remarks that more than 80 per cent of the North Korean economy had been affected by sanctions as "reckless" and "sophistry."

Biegun is scheduled to meet with his counterpart Lee Do-hoon and other Seoul officials on Friday to explore ways to reopen nuclear talks, a South Korean foreign ministry spokesman said.

But there are few signs that the United States and North Korea are any closers to a deal, with both saying they are open to talks but calling for the other side to change policy.

Reclusive North Korea has for years pursued missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

Tension has mounted since the breakdown of the Hanoi summit. The North tested new short-range missiles in May and Washington imposed fresh sanctions and seized a North Korean ship suspected of illicit coal shipments.

Seoul's unification minister said on Thursday that inter-Korea commercial projects that could channel millions of dollars a year to Pyongyang could be leveraged to boost nuclear talks.

But the North said Seoul will never mediate between Washington and Pyongyang.

"As is globally known, the DPRK-US relations are moving forward on the basis of the personal relations" between Kim and Trump, Kwon said, using the initials of North Korea's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"Therefore, there will be no such happening where anything will go through the South Korean authorities."

Time was running out for the United States to formulate a new strategy to revive denuclearisation talks, a senior North Korean diplomat said on Thursday, as a US envoy for North Korea is set to visit South Korea ahead of President Donald Trump's trip.

Time was running out for the United States to formulate a new strategy to revive denuclearisation talks, a senior North Korean diplomat said on Thursday, as a US envoy for North Korea is set to visit South Korea ahead of President Donald Trump's trip. Negotiations have been stalled since the second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February collapsed over differences between the US calls for complete denuclearisation and Kim's demands for sanctions relief. Kim has said a third meeting would be possible only if Washington adopted a more flexible approach, setting a year-end deadline. The United States is in behind-the-scenes talks with North Korea over a possible third summit and has proposed reopening working-level negotiations, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday. Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea who has led working-level talks, is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Thursday ahead of Trump, who is due in South Korea at the weekend after visiting Japan for the G20 summit. The United States and North Korea have held working-level meetings in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, but it was unclear whether Biegun will attend such talks this time. Kwon Jong Gun, director-general for US affairs at the North's foreign ministry, said the United States continues to speak of dialogue while "becoming more and more desperate in its hostile acts." He did not elaborate, but a foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that the recent US extension of sanctions against North Korea was an act of hostility and an outright challenge to the first summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last year. "The dialogue would not open by itself through the United States repeatedly talks about resumption of dialogue like a parrot without considering any realistic proposal that would fully conform with the interests of both sides," Kwon said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency. "If the United States is to move towards producing a result, time will not be enough." In contrast, US officials have raised hopes for a restart of official talks following a recent exchange of letters between Trump and Kim. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday called a fresh round of nuclear talks a "very real possibility," following a letter sent to Kim by Trump. KCNA has said Trump's letter had "excellent content" and Kim would "seriously contemplate" it, without elaborating. Trump is expected to send "some kind of message" to the North from the DMZ during his trip, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on Thursday. Trump tried to go to the DMZ, where Kim and Moon held a historic first summit last year, on a 2017 visit to South Korea, but heavy fog prevented it. Trump said on Wednesday he would not meet with Kim during his stay in the South and US officials have declined to comment on whether Trump will travel to the DMZ. Kwon said any new talks should be led by a "counterpart who has a good sense of communication." The North has accused Pompeo of making "gangster-like" demands and urged a replacement with someone "more mature" while lauding the rapport Kim has built with Trump. Wednesday's statement by the North singled out his recent remarks that more than 80 per cent of the North Korean economy had been affected by sanctions as "reckless" and "sophistry." Biegun is scheduled to meet with his counterpart Lee Do-hoon and other Seoul officials on Friday to explore ways to reopen nuclear talks, a South Korean foreign ministry spokesman said. But there are few signs that the United States and North Korea are any closers to a deal, with both saying they are open to talks but calling for the other side to change policy. Reclusive North Korea has for years pursued missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Tension has mounted since the breakdown of the Hanoi summit. The North tested new short-range missiles in May and Washington imposed fresh sanctions and seized a North Korean ship suspected of illicit coal shipments. Seoul's unification minister said on Thursday that inter-Korea commercial projects that could channel millions of dollars a year to Pyongyang could be leveraged to boost nuclear talks. But the North said Seoul will never mediate between Washington and Pyongyang. "As is globally known, the DPRK-US relations are moving forward on the basis of the personal relations" between Kim and Trump, Kwon said, using the initials of North Korea's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Therefore, there will be no such happening where anything will go through the South Korean authorities."

North Korea says time running out for fresh talks as US envoy due in South Korea

Kang Mi-sook, 62, begins each weekday on the road, driving around with her motorised fridge filled with yoghurt-like drinks and greeting familiar faces on her usual route through the streets of Seoul.

'Yoghurt lady' delivers treats and companionship to South Korea's elderly

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-again-denies-columnists-rape-allegations-says-shes-not-my-type-230149">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a> will visit South Korea this weekend after an exchange of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-sent-me-birthday-wishes-it-was-a-friendly-letter-trump-230119">letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un boosted</a> hopes for a resumption of talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program.

Trump is set to arrive in South Korea for a two-day visit on Saturday and will meet President Moon Jae-in on Sunday, following a summit of G20 leaders in Japan, Moon's spokeswoman, Ko Min-jung, said on Monday.

The announcement came hours after US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped a letter Trump sent to Kim could pave the way for a revival of talks that have been stalled since a failed second summit between Trump and Kim in February.

Trump and Moon would have "in-depth discussions on ways to work together to foster lasting peace," Ko told a news briefing.

Trump told reporters at the White House that Kim had sent him birthday wishes. "It was just a very friendly letter both ways. We have a very good relationship," he said.

Pompeo, who spoke of Trump's letter to Kim before leaving Washington on Sunday for a trip to the Middle East and Asia, said Washington was ready to resume talks with North Korea immediately.

Watch:&nbsp;Kim Jong-un receives excellent letter from Trump

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kim-jong-un-receives-excellent-letter-from-trump-229786/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I'm hopeful that this will provide a good foundation for us to begin ... these important discussions with the North Koreans," Pompeo told reporters.

Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, a South Korean official said.

A Trump administration official briefing reporters on a conference call said Trump had no plans to meet Kim during his visit to South Korea, and declined to comment when asked whether Trump would travel to the DMZ.

Trump wanted to go to the DMZ on a 2017 trip to South Korea but heavy fog prevented it. Kim and Moon held their historic first summit in the DMZ last year.

Trump and Kim held their first, groundbreaking summit in Singapore in June last year, agreeing to establish new relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

But a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed when the two sides were unable to bridge differences between US&nbsp;demands for denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

The director of the US&nbsp;Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, told Fox News on Monday that the intelligence community continued to assess that Kim Jong Un was not ready to give up his nuclear weapons.

Stephen Biegun, the US&nbsp;special envoy for North Korea, said on Wednesday that Washington had no preconditions for talks but that progress would require meaningful and verifiable North Korean steps to denuclearise.

The State Department said Biegun, who led working-level talks with North Korea in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, would visit Seoul from Thursday until Sunday for meetings with South Korean officials.

'Excellent'

Tension mounted last month when North Korea test-fired a series of short-range ballistic missiles, although Trump and South Korea both played down the tests.

One June 11, Trump said he had received a very warm, "beautiful" letter from Kim, adding he thought something positive would happen.

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, said on Sunday that Kim had received a letter from Trump, which he described as being "of excellent content", but did not disclose any details.

KCNA said Kim "would seriously contemplate the interesting content".

Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Asian Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, said Trump may have proposed a new round of working-level talks but that a major breakthrough was unlikely for now.

"North Korea has to show what the final state of denuclearisation would look like and what road map it has toward that end, but it's not desirable to reopen talks just to manage the situation after recent weapons tests," Shin told Reuters.

Pompeo, who will also be in Seoul for Trump's visit, did not discuss the contents of the president's letter, but said Washington had been working to lay foundations for discussions.

"I think we're in a better place," he said.

Asked if working-level discussions would begin soon, Pompeo said,&nbsp;"I think the remarks you saw out of North Korea this morning suggest that may well be a very good possibility. We're ready to go, we're literally prepared to go at a moment's notice if the North Koreans indicate that they're prepared for those discussions."

Joseph Yun, Biegun's predecessor as special envoy for North Korea, told a panel discussion at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies that he expected there to be a third summit between Trump and Kim and it would probably take place "sooner rather than later."

Victor Cha, a former White House official involved in past negotiations with North Korea, told the same event he expected Trump to go to the DMZ and noted Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea last week.

"Whenever you see high-level letter and then the Chinese and North Koreans meeting, that's kind of like the set-up for a third meeting," he said.

"The question is, is he going to make a big statement at the DMZ ... is he going to do it with President Moon. Are there going to be other surprises? This president likes surprises."

US President Donald Trump will visit South Korea this weekend after an exchange of letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un boosted hopes for a resumption of talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump will visit South Korea this weekend after an exchange of letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un boosted hopes for a resumption of talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program. Trump is set to arrive in South Korea for a two-day visit on Saturday and will meet President Moon Jae-in on Sunday, following a summit of G20 leaders in Japan, Moon's spokeswoman, Ko Min-jung, said on Monday. The announcement came hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped a letter Trump sent to Kim could pave the way for a revival of talks that have been stalled since a failed second summit between Trump and Kim in February. Trump and Moon would have "in-depth discussions on ways to work together to foster lasting peace," Ko told a news briefing. Trump told reporters at the White House that Kim had sent him birthday wishes. "It was just a very friendly letter both ways. We have a very good relationship," he said. Pompeo, who spoke of Trump's letter to Kim before leaving Washington on Sunday for a trip to the Middle East and Asia, said Washington was ready to resume talks with North Korea immediately. Watch: Kim Jong-un receives excellent letter from Trump "I'm hopeful that this will provide a good foundation for us to begin ... these important discussions with the North Koreans," Pompeo told reporters. Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, a South Korean official said. A Trump administration official briefing reporters on a conference call said Trump had no plans to meet Kim during his visit to South Korea, and declined to comment when asked whether Trump would travel to the DMZ. Trump wanted to go to the DMZ on a 2017 trip to South Korea but heavy fog prevented it. Kim and Moon held their historic first summit in the DMZ last year. Trump and Kim held their first, groundbreaking summit in Singapore in June last year, agreeing to establish new relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. But a second summit in Vietnam in February collapsed when the two sides were unable to bridge differences between US demands for denuclearisation and North Korean demands for sanctions relief. The director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, told Fox News on Monday that the intelligence community continued to assess that Kim Jong Un was not ready to give up his nuclear weapons. Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, said on Wednesday that Washington had no preconditions for talks but that progress would require meaningful and verifiable North Korean steps to denuclearise. The State Department said Biegun, who led working-level talks with North Korea in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, would visit Seoul from Thursday until Sunday for meetings with South Korean officials. 'Excellent' Tension mounted last month when North Korea test-fired a series of short-range ballistic missiles, although Trump and South Korea both played down the tests. One June 11, Trump said he had received a very warm, "beautiful" letter from Kim, adding he thought something positive would happen. North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, said on Sunday that Kim had received a letter from Trump, which he described as being "of excellent content", but did not disclose any details. KCNA said Kim "would seriously contemplate the interesting content". Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Asian Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, said Trump may have proposed a new round of working-level talks but that a major breakthrough was unlikely for now. "North Korea has to show what the final state of denuclearisation would look like and what road map it has toward that end, but it's not desirable to reopen talks just to manage the situation after recent weapons tests," Shin told Reuters. Pompeo, who will also be in Seoul for Trump's visit, did not discuss the contents of the president's letter, but said Washington had been working to lay foundations for discussions. "I think we're in a better place," he said. Asked if working-level discussions would begin soon, Pompeo said, "I think the remarks you saw out of North Korea this morning suggest that may well be a very good possibility. We're ready to go, we're literally prepared to go at a moment's notice if the North Koreans indicate that they're prepared for those discussions." Joseph Yun, Biegun's predecessor as special envoy for North Korea, told a panel discussion at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies that he expected there to be a third summit between Trump and Kim and it would probably take place "sooner rather than later." Victor Cha, a former White House official involved in past negotiations with North Korea, told the same event he expected Trump to go to the DMZ and noted Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea last week. "Whenever you see high-level letter and then the Chinese and North Koreans meeting, that's kind of like the set-up for a third meeting," he said. "The question is, is he going to make a big statement at the DMZ ... is he going to do it with President Moon. Are there going to be other surprises? This president likes surprises."

Trump to visit South Korea as Pompeo raises hope for new North Korea talks after letter

Chinese equipment provider Huawei has proposed to sign an agreement, including "no back door", with the Indian government to allay any security concerns it may have regarding its network equipment. The company is facing heat in the Indian market following the ban of Huawei in the US market, which has been followed by Australia and Japan. However, some countries are yet to take a decision.

Huawei ready for 'no back door' pact

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