The Winter Olympics due to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-president-willing-to-hold-summit-with-kim-jong-un-29072">begin in&nbsp;Pyeongchang, South Korea next month </a>has been overtaken by events on the Korean peninsula with North Korea set to send a delegation to participate in the games.

North Korean figure <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-to-send-team-to-winter-games-south-to-consider-easing-bans-after-talks-28995">skaters &nbsp;Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik </a>who had missed the deadline for the Winter Games may still participate with both Koreas intent on making the &quot;peace games&quot; a success.

The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline and are now relying on a helping hand from the International Olympic Committee(IOC)

Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, competed in figure skating competition in Germany and Finland last year. In fact, the pair competed in skating competition in Oberstdorf, southern Germany as North Korean leader Kim was testing his ballistic missile in the region.

Korean sports officials are hoping that &nbsp;Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik get a nod from the IOC to compete in the games next month.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, North Korea&#39;s IOC representative, Chang Ung said the duo would &quot;probably participate&quot; in Pyeongchang and the IOC on its part is also reportedly providing equipment to the athletes with officials keen to see the duo at the games.

The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline

The Winter Olympics due to begin in Pyeongchang, South Korea next month has been overtaken by events on the Korean peninsula with North Korea set to send a delegation to participate in the games. North Korean figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik who had missed the deadline for the Winter Games may still participate with both Koreas intent on making the "peace games" a success. The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline and are now relying on a helping hand from the International Olympic Committee(IOC) Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, competed in figure skating competition in Germany and Finland last year. In fact, the pair competed in skating competition in Oberstdorf, southern Germany as North Korean leader Kim was testing his ballistic missile in the region. Korean sports officials are hoping that Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik get a nod from the IOC to compete in the games next month. Meanwhile, North Korea's IOC representative, Chang Ung said the duo would "probably participate" in Pyeongchang and the IOC on its part is also reportedly providing equipment to the athletes with officials keen to see the duo at the games.

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics: 2 North Korean skaters seek date with destiny at 'peace games'

South Korean President Moon Jae-in credited US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Wednesday for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued.

The talks were held on Tuesday on the South Korean side of the demilitarised zone, which has divided the two Koreas since 1953, after a prolonged period of tension on the Korean peninsula over the North&#39;s missile and nuclear programmes.

North Korea ramped up its missile launches last year and also conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, resulting in some of the strongest international sanctions yet.

The latest sanctions sought to drastically cut the North&#39;s access to refined petroleum imports and earnings from workers abroad. Pyongyang called the steps an &quot;act of war&quot;.

Seoul and Pyongyang agreed at Tuesday&#39;s talks, the first since December 2015, to resolve all problems between them through dialogue and also to revive military consultations so that accidental conflict could be averted.&nbsp;

&quot;I think President Trump deserves big credit for bringing about the inter-Korean talks, I want to show my gratitude,&quot; Moon told reporters at his New Year&#39;s news conference. &quot;It could be a resulting work of the US-led sanctions and pressure.&quot;

Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un exchanged threats and insults over the past year, raising fears of a new war on the peninsula. South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

Basic stance

Washington had raised concerns that the overtures by North Korea could drive a wedge between it and Seoul, but Moon said his government did not differ with the United States over how to respond to the threats posed by Pyongyang.

&quot;This initial round of talks is for the improvement of relations between North and South Korea. Our task going forward is to draw North Korea to talks aimed at the denuclearisation of the North,&quot; Moon said. &quot;(It&#39;s) our basic stance that will never be given up.&quot;

Moon said he was open to meeting North Korea&#39;s leader at any time to improve bilateral ties, and if the conditions were right and &quot;certain achievements are guaranteed&quot;.

&quot;The purpose of it shouldn&rsquo;t talk for the sake of talks,&quot; he said.

However, Pyongyang said it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were only aimed at the United States, not its &quot;brethren&quot; in South Korea, nor Russia or China, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remained far off.

North Korea`s Rodong Sinmun newspaper said all problems would be resolved through efforts by the Korean people alone.

&quot;If the North and South abandon external forces and cooperate together, we will be able to fully solve all problems to match our people&#39;s needs and our joint prosperity,&quot; it said.

Washington still welcomed Tuesday`s talks as a first step towards solving the North Korean nuclear crisis. The US&nbsp;State Department said it would be interested in joining future talks, with the aim of denuclearising the North.

The United States, which still has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings. Trump later called them &quot;a good thing&quot; and said he would be willing to speak to Kim.

Lee Woo-young, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said it was wise of Moon to praise Trump, his sanctions and pressure campaign.

&quot;By doing that, he can help the US&nbsp;build logic for moving toward negotiations and turning around the state of affairs in the future, so when they were ready to talk to the North, they can say the North came out of isolation because the sanctions were effective.&quot;

The United States and Canada are set to host a conference of about 20 foreign ministers on January 16 in Vancouver to discuss North Korea, without the participation of China, Pyongyang&#39;s sole major ally and biggest trade partner.

China would not attend the meeting and is resolutely opposed to it, said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

&quot;It will only create divisions within the international community and harm joint efforts to appropriately resolve the Korean peninsula nuclear issue,&quot; he told a regular briefing on Wednesday.

Large Olympics delegation

Pyongyang also said it would send a large delegation to next month&#39;s Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Washington agreed with Seoul last week to postpone until after the Olympics joint military exercises that Pyongyang denounces as rehearsals for invasion. But it also said the apparent North-South thaw had not altered the US&nbsp;intelligence assessment of the North&rsquo;s weapons programmes.

The United States has also warned that all options, including military, are on the table in dealing with the North.

&quot;We cannot say talks are the sole answer,&quot; Moon said. &quot;If North Korea engages in provocations again or does not show sincerity in resolving this issue, the international community will continue applying strong pressure and sanctions.&quot;

Seoul said on Tuesday it was prepared to offer financial assistance and lift some unilateral sanctions temporarily so North Koreans could attend the Olympics. North Korea said its delegation would include athletes and officials, among others.

However, Moon said on Wednesday South Korea had no plans for now to ease unilateral sanctions against North Korea, or revive economic exchanges that could run foul of United Nations sanctions.&nbsp;

Moon also said his government would continue working towards recovering the honour and dignity of former &quot;comfort women&quot;, a euphemism for those forced to work in Japan&#39;s wartime brothels.

But historical issues should be separated from bilateral efforts with Japan to safeguard peace on the Korean peninsula, he added.

&quot;It&#39;s very important we keep a good relationship with Japan,&quot; Moon said.

On Tuesday, South Korea said it would not seek to renegotiate a 2015 deal with Japan despite determining that the pact was insufficient to resolve the divisive issue, and urged Japan for more action to help the women.

The talks were held on Tuesday on the South Korean side of the demilitarised zone, which has divided the two Koreas since 1953

South Korean President Moon Jae-in credited US President Donald Trump on Wednesday for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued. The talks were held on Tuesday on the South Korean side of the demilitarised zone, which has divided the two Koreas since 1953, after a prolonged period of tension on the Korean peninsula over the North's missile and nuclear programmes. North Korea ramped up its missile launches last year and also conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, resulting in some of the strongest international sanctions yet. The latest sanctions sought to drastically cut the North's access to refined petroleum imports and earnings from workers abroad. Pyongyang called the steps an "act of war". Seoul and Pyongyang agreed at Tuesday's talks, the first since December 2015, to resolve all problems between them through dialogue and also to revive military consultations so that accidental conflict could be averted. "I think President Trump deserves big credit for bringing about the inter-Korean talks, I want to show my gratitude," Moon told reporters at his New Year's news conference. "It could be a resulting work of the US-led sanctions and pressure." Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un exchanged threats and insults over the past year, raising fears of a new war on the peninsula. South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. Basic stance Washington had raised concerns that the overtures by North Korea could drive a wedge between it and Seoul, but Moon said his government did not differ with the United States over how to respond to the threats posed by Pyongyang. "This initial round of talks is for the improvement of relations between North and South Korea. Our task going forward is to draw North Korea to talks aimed at the denuclearisation of the North," Moon said. "(It's) our basic stance that will never be given up." Moon said he was open to meeting North Korea's leader at any time to improve bilateral ties, and if the conditions were right and "certain achievements are guaranteed". "The purpose of it shouldn’t talk for the sake of talks," he said. However, Pyongyang said it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were only aimed at the United States, not its "brethren" in South Korea, nor Russia or China, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remained far off. North Korea`s Rodong Sinmun newspaper said all problems would be resolved through efforts by the Korean people alone. "If the North and South abandon external forces and cooperate together, we will be able to fully solve all problems to match our people's needs and our joint prosperity," it said. Washington still welcomed Tuesday`s talks as a first step towards solving the North Korean nuclear crisis. The US State Department said it would be interested in joining future talks, with the aim of denuclearising the North. The United States, which still has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings. Trump later called them "a good thing" and said he would be willing to speak to Kim. Lee Woo-young, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said it was wise of Moon to praise Trump, his sanctions and pressure campaign. "By doing that, he can help the US build logic for moving toward negotiations and turning around the state of affairs in the future, so when they were ready to talk to the North, they can say the North came out of isolation because the sanctions were effective." The United States and Canada are set to host a conference of about 20 foreign ministers on January 16 in Vancouver to discuss North Korea, without the participation of China, Pyongyang's sole major ally and biggest trade partner. China would not attend the meeting and is resolutely opposed to it, said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang. "It will only create divisions within the international community and harm joint efforts to appropriately resolve the Korean peninsula nuclear issue," he told a regular briefing on Wednesday. Large Olympics delegation Pyongyang also said it would send a large delegation to next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea. Washington agreed with Seoul last week to postpone until after the Olympics joint military exercises that Pyongyang denounces as rehearsals for invasion. But it also said the apparent North-South thaw had not altered the US intelligence assessment of the North’s weapons programmes. The United States has also warned that all options, including military, are on the table in dealing with the North. "We cannot say talks are the sole answer," Moon said. "If North Korea engages in provocations again or does not show sincerity in resolving this issue, the international community will continue applying strong pressure and sanctions." Seoul said on Tuesday it was prepared to offer financial assistance and lift some unilateral sanctions temporarily so North Koreans could attend the Olympics. North Korea said its delegation would include athletes and officials, among others. However, Moon said on Wednesday South Korea had no plans for now to ease unilateral sanctions against North Korea, or revive economic exchanges that could run foul of United Nations sanctions. Moon also said his government would continue working towards recovering the honour and dignity of former "comfort women", a euphemism for those forced to work in Japan's wartime brothels. But historical issues should be separated from bilateral efforts with Japan to safeguard peace on the Korean peninsula, he added. "It's very important we keep a good relationship with Japan," Moon said. On Tuesday, South Korea said it would not seek to renegotiate a 2015 deal with Japan despite determining that the pact was insufficient to resolve the divisive issue, and urged Japan for more action to help the women.

South Korea's Moon says Trump deserves 'big' credit for North Korea talks

A day after officials from both the Koreas met at the Peace House of Panmunjom truce village, South Korean President, Moon Jae-In, announced his plan to hold a summit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-Un.&nbsp;

He was willing to hold a summit &quot;at any time&quot;, he said, as long as it was &quot;under the right conditions&quot;.

&quot;It is only the beginning,&quot; Moon told a press conference Wednesday. &quot;Yesterday was the first step and I think we had a good start,&quot; Moon added.&nbsp;

Moon expressed his desire to discuss denuclearisation with North Korea.&nbsp;

&quot;But it cannot be a meeting for meeting&#39;s sake. To hold a summit, the right conditions must be created and certain outcomes must be guaranteed,&quot; he noted.

Earlier on Tuesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-hails-korea-talks-despite-norths-rejection-of-denuclearisation-29057">US President Donald Trump hailed the &#39;Korea meet</a>&#39; describing it as an event that may resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.&nbsp;

The Pyongyang regime has also decided to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-to-attend-olympics-in-rival-south-29052">send its athletes to the Winter Olympics</a> in the South.

The South Korean President has been lobbying to bring its Northern counterpart to discuss banned weapons programmes.&nbsp;

Moon insisted that his regime does not differ in opinion with the US and that they &quot;shared an understanding about security, were working together and were both threatened by the North&#39;s nuclear weapons and missiles.&quot;

The United States, on the other hand, has called for the North Korean regime to halt its nuclear testing to facilitate any ties with the Trump administration.&nbsp;

Moon also noted that &quot;stronger sanctions and pressures (on North Korea) could further heighten tensions and lead to accidental armed conflicts&quot;. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

He (Kim Jong-Un) was willing to hold a summit 'at any time', Moon said

A day after officials from both the Koreas met at the Peace House of Panmunjom truce village, South Korean President, Moon Jae-In, announced his plan to hold a summit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-Un. He was willing to hold a summit "at any time", he said, as long as it was "under the right conditions". "It is only the beginning," Moon told a press conference Wednesday. "Yesterday was the first step and I think we had a good start," Moon added. Moon expressed his desire to discuss denuclearisation with North Korea. "But it cannot be a meeting for meeting's sake. To hold a summit, the right conditions must be created and certain outcomes must be guaranteed," he noted. Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump hailed the 'Korea meet' describing it as an event that may resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis. The Pyongyang regime has also decided to send its athletes to the Winter Olympics in the South. The South Korean President has been lobbying to bring its Northern counterpart to discuss banned weapons programmes. Moon insisted that his regime does not differ in opinion with the US and that they "shared an understanding about security, were working together and were both threatened by the North's nuclear weapons and missiles." The United States, on the other hand, has called for the North Korean regime to halt its nuclear testing to facilitate any ties with the Trump administration. Moon also noted that "stronger sanctions and pressures (on North Korea) could further heighten tensions and lead to accidental armed conflicts". (With inputs from AFP)

South Korean President willing to hold summit with North Korea's Kim

North Korea will send its athletes to the Winter Olympics in the South, the rivals said Tuesday, after their first formal talks in more than two years following high tensions over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear weapons programme.

At the meeting in Panmunjom -- the truce village in the Demilitarised Zone that splits the peninsula -- the two sides also decided to hold military talks and to restore a military hotline closed since February 2016.

It came after Seoul responded to a New Year speech by the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un last week with an offer of high-level dialogue, and last week a civilian hotline was restored after an almost two-year suspension.

Seoul and Olympic organisers have been keen for Pyongyang -- which boycotted the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea&#39;s capital -- to take part in what they repeatedly proclaimed a &quot;peace Olympics&quot; in Pyeongchang next month.

But the North gave no indication it would do so until Kim&#39;s speech, pursuing its banned weapons programmes in defiance of United Nations sanctions, launching missiles capable of reaching the US and detonating its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

&quot;The North Korean side will dispatch a high-level delegation, National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, cheerleaders, art performers&#39; squad, spectators, a taekwondo demonstration team and a press corps and the South will provide necessary amenities and facilities,&quot; they said in a joint statement.&nbsp;

The US cautiously welcomed the talks, warning that the North&#39;s invitation to the Games must not undermine international efforts to isolate Kim&#39;s regime.

US officials would work with Seoul to ensure that the North&#39;s participation &quot;does not violate the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council over North Korea&#39;s unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs&quot;, the State Department said in a statement.

It added that President Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In had already agreed &quot;to continue the campaign of maximum pressure on North Korea toward the goal of complete and verifiable denuclearization.&quot;

New Year&#39;s gift

For the talks, the North&#39;s delegation walked over the Military Demarcation Line marking the border to the Peace House venue on the southern side, just yards from where a defector ran across in a hail of bullets two months ago.

Looking businesslike, the South&#39;s Unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon and the North&#39;s chief delegate Ri Son-Gwon shook hands at the entrance to the building, and again across the negotiating table.

Ri wore a badge on his left lapel bearing an image of the country&#39;s founding father Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il, while Cho sported one depicting the South Korean flag.&nbsp;

&quot;Let&#39;s present the people with a precious new year&#39;s gift,&quot; said Ri. &quot;There is a saying that a journey taken by two lasts longer than the one travelled alone.&quot;

The atmosphere was friendlier than at past meetings, and Cho told Ri: &quot;The people have a strong desire to see the North and South move toward peace and reconciliation.&quot;

But there was no mention in the joint statement of the proposal by Seoul to resume reunions of families left divided by the Korean War, which Pyongyang has previously refused to do unless several of its citizens are returned by the South.

Ri also told South Korean journalists that denuclearisation was not on the table and not an issue for the two to discuss.

&quot;The target of all our nuclear and hydrogen bombs and ICBMs and all other sophisticated weapons is the US,&quot; he said. &quot;These weapons are not aimed at our brethren.&quot;

There were &quot;many problems&quot; to settle between the two sides, he added, warning of &quot;unexpected obstacles&quot; down the road.

Peace Olympics

Olympic organisers welcomed the North&#39;s participation in Pyeongchang and a Unification ministry official dubbed the Games &quot;a Peace Festival&quot;.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said Pyongyang&#39;s decision to take part was a &quot;great step forward in the Olympic spirit&quot;.

Only two athletes from the North have so far qualified for the Games, but hundreds of young female North Korean cheerleaders have created a buzz at three previous international sporting events in the South.

Any high-level delegation accompanying the team could include Kim&#39;s younger sister Yo-Jong -- a senior member of the ruling Workers&#39; Party, according to South Korean reports.&nbsp;

The Unification ministry official said the meeting &quot;laid the foundation for restoring the severed inter-Korean ties and normalising them&quot;.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the progress, especially plans to hold military talks and reopen the military hotline.&nbsp;

&quot;The re-establishment and strengthening of such channels is critical to lowering the risk of miscalculation or misunderstanding,&quot; his spokesman said in a statement.

It remains unclear when the proposed military talks -- which would be the first of their kind since 2014 -- would be held.

Lim Eul-Chul, a professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said the North&#39;s participation would &quot;help turn South Korean public sentiment about the North more favourable&quot;.

Pyongyang would then probably seek to resume lucrative joint economic projects, such as the suspended Kaesong industrial complex, he added -- although it is unclear whether that would be in compliance with UN sanctions.

Pyongyang&#39;s state media reiterated its condemnations of Trump on Tuesday, but Lim said the North &quot;appears to be trying to use the improvement in ties with the South as a springboard to resume talks with the US, which holds the key to controlling or possibly easing sanctions.&quot;

The United States and South Korea agreed last week to delay their joint military exercises until after the Games, apparently to help calm nerves.

North Korea will send its athletes to the Winter Olympics in the South after their first formal talks in more than two years

North Korea will send its athletes to the Winter Olympics in the South, the rivals said Tuesday, after their first formal talks in more than two years following high tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme. At the meeting in Panmunjom -- the truce village in the Demilitarised Zone that splits the peninsula -- the two sides also decided to hold military talks and to restore a military hotline closed since February 2016. It came after Seoul responded to a New Year speech by the North's leader Kim Jong-Un last week with an offer of high-level dialogue, and last week a civilian hotline was restored after an almost two-year suspension. Seoul and Olympic organisers have been keen for Pyongyang -- which boycotted the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea's capital -- to take part in what they repeatedly proclaimed a "peace Olympics" in Pyeongchang next month. But the North gave no indication it would do so until Kim's speech, pursuing its banned weapons programmes in defiance of United Nations sanctions, launching missiles capable of reaching the US and detonating its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. "The North Korean side will dispatch a high-level delegation, National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, cheerleaders, art performers' squad, spectators, a taekwondo demonstration team and a press corps and the South will provide necessary amenities and facilities," they said in a joint statement. The US cautiously welcomed the talks, warning that the North's invitation to the Games must not undermine international efforts to isolate Kim's regime. US officials would work with Seoul to ensure that the North's participation "does not violate the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council over North Korea's unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs", the State Department said in a statement. It added that President Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In had already agreed "to continue the campaign of maximum pressure on North Korea toward the goal of complete and verifiable denuclearization." New Year's gift For the talks, the North's delegation walked over the Military Demarcation Line marking the border to the Peace House venue on the southern side, just yards from where a defector ran across in a hail of bullets two months ago. Looking businesslike, the South's Unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon and the North's chief delegate Ri Son-Gwon shook hands at the entrance to the building, and again across the negotiating table. Ri wore a badge on his left lapel bearing an image of the country's founding father Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il, while Cho sported one depicting the South Korean flag. "Let's present the people with a precious new year's gift," said Ri. "There is a saying that a journey taken by two lasts longer than the one travelled alone." The atmosphere was friendlier than at past meetings, and Cho told Ri: "The people have a strong desire to see the North and South move toward peace and reconciliation." But there was no mention in the joint statement of the proposal by Seoul to resume reunions of families left divided by the Korean War, which Pyongyang has previously refused to do unless several of its citizens are returned by the South. Ri also told South Korean journalists that denuclearisation was not on the table and not an issue for the two to discuss. "The target of all our nuclear and hydrogen bombs and ICBMs and all other sophisticated weapons is the US," he said. "These weapons are not aimed at our brethren." There were "many problems" to settle between the two sides, he added, warning of "unexpected obstacles" down the road. Peace Olympics Olympic organisers welcomed the North's participation in Pyeongchang and a Unification ministry official dubbed the Games "a Peace Festival". International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said Pyongyang's decision to take part was a "great step forward in the Olympic spirit". Only two athletes from the North have so far qualified for the Games, but hundreds of young female North Korean cheerleaders have created a buzz at three previous international sporting events in the South. Any high-level delegation accompanying the team could include Kim's younger sister Yo-Jong -- a senior member of the ruling Workers' Party, according to South Korean reports. The Unification ministry official said the meeting "laid the foundation for restoring the severed inter-Korean ties and normalising them". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the progress, especially plans to hold military talks and reopen the military hotline. "The re-establishment and strengthening of such channels is critical to lowering the risk of miscalculation or misunderstanding," his spokesman said in a statement. It remains unclear when the proposed military talks -- which would be the first of their kind since 2014 -- would be held. Lim Eul-Chul, a professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said the North's participation would "help turn South Korean public sentiment about the North more favourable". Pyongyang would then probably seek to resume lucrative joint economic projects, such as the suspended Kaesong industrial complex, he added -- although it is unclear whether that would be in compliance with UN sanctions. Pyongyang's state media reiterated its condemnations of Trump on Tuesday, but Lim said the North "appears to be trying to use the improvement in ties with the South as a springboard to resume talks with the US, which holds the key to controlling or possibly easing sanctions." The United States and South Korea agreed last week to delay their joint military exercises until after the Games, apparently to help calm nerves.

North Korea to attend Olympics in rival South

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kamala-mills-fire-hotelier-arrested-for-sheltering-accused-29051">Kamala Mills fire: Hotelier arrested for sheltering accused</a>

The Mumbai Police have arrested a Juhu-based hotelier for sheltering three owners of &#39;1 Above&#39; pub, after a police probe, Vishal Kariya confessed to having sheltered the accused trio -- Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar -- at his Juhu residence.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">Pakistan has suspended military intelligence cooperation with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">: Defence </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060">minister</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-has-suspended-military-intelligence-cooperation-with-us-defence-minister-khurram-dastgir-khan-29060"> Khurram Dastgir Khan</a>

Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said today that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048">Our weapons &#39;are only aimed&#39; at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048">United</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-weapons-are-only-aimed-at-at-united-states-north-korea-official-29048"> States: North Korea official</a>

North Korea said after its first talks with South Korea in more than two years that it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were aimed only at the United States, not its &quot;brethren&quot; in South Korea. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dominos-ceo-patrick-doyle-to-step-down-in-june-29058">Domino&#39;s CEO Patrick Doyle to step down in June</a>

Patrick Doyle, Domino&#39;s chief executive officer will step down this June, the fast-food giant announced Tuesday, he will be replaced by Domino&#39;s current chief of international business, Richard Allison.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/six-including-four-policemen-killed-in-quetta-blast-29034">Pakistan: Six including five policemen killed in Quetta suicide bombing</a>

Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta&#39;s Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building.&nbsp;

Kamala Mills fire: Hotelier arrested for sheltering accused The Mumbai Police have arrested a Juhu-based hotelier for sheltering three owners of '1 Above' pub, after a police probe, Vishal Kariya confessed to having sheltered the accused trio -- Kripesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar -- at his Juhu residence. Pakistan has suspended military intelligence cooperation with US: Defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan Pakistan defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said today that his country has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the US as relations between the two allies continued to nosedive. Our weapons 'are only aimed' at United States: North Korea official North Korea said after its first talks with South Korea in more than two years that it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were aimed only at the United States, not its "brethren" in South Korea. Domino's CEO Patrick Doyle to step down in June Patrick Doyle, Domino's chief executive officer will step down this June, the fast-food giant announced Tuesday, he will be replaced by Domino's current chief of international business, Richard Allison. Pakistan: Six including five policemen killed in Quetta suicide bombing Five police personnel and a passerby were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday when a suspected suicide bomb rocked Quetta's Zarghoon road near the Balochistan Assembly building.

WION Morning News Brief, January 10, 2018

North and South Korea held their first talks in over two years on Tuesday, which Washington welcomed as a first step to solving the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, even though Pyongyang said those were aimed only at the United States and not up for discussion.

The US&nbsp;State Department said Washington would be interested in joining future talks, but stuck to its insistence that they must be aimed at denuclearisation, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remains far off.

In a joint statement after 11 hours of talks, North and South Korea said they had agreed to hold the military to military talks and that North Korea would send a large delegation to next month&#39;s Winter Olympics in South Korea.

However, North Korea made a &quot;strong complaint&quot; after Seoul proposed talks to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.

&quot;Clearly this is a positive development,&quot; a spokesman for the US&nbsp;State Department, Steve Goldstein, said of the joint statement while adding: &quot;We would like nuclear talks to occur; we want denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. This is a good first step in that process.&quot;

North and South Korea said they agreed to meet again to resolve problems and avert accidental conflict, amid high tension over North Korea&#39;s program to develop nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

&quot;All our weapons, including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and ballistic missiles, are only aimed at the United States, not our brethren, nor China and Russia,&quot; Pyongyang&#39;s chief negotiator, Ri Son Gwon, said.

&quot;This is not a matter between North and South Korea, and to bring up this issue would cause negative consequences and risks turning all of today&#39;s good achievement into nothing,&quot; Ri said in closing remarks.

The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the United States being the only potential target of North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged threats and insults in the past year, raising fears of a new war on the peninsula.

The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but Trump later called them &quot;a good thing&quot; and said he would be willing to speak to Kim.

&quot;At the appropriate time, we&#39;ll get involved,&quot; Trump said on Saturday, although US-North Korean talks appear unlikely anytime soon, given entrenched positions on both sides.

The United States has warned that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea.

Washington agreed with Seoul last week to postpone joint military exercises that Pyongyang denounces as rehearsals for invasion until after the Olympics, but the North-South thaw has not altered the US&nbsp;intelligence assessment of North Korea&rsquo;s weapons programs.&nbsp;

The consensus, according to US&nbsp;officials familiar with the classified analysis, is that Kim remains convinced the United States is determined to overthrow him and that only a nuclear arsenal that threatens America can deter that.

One official said the North-South talks were likely to follow the pattern of past diplomatic efforts, in which the North has benefited from additional food and other aid without making any concessions on the weapons front.

The additional danger now, said a second official, was that Kim would seek to use the talks to take advantage of Trump&#39;s sometimes bellicose rhetoric to try to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul.

On Tuesday, UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the talks, particularly the agreement to hold military-to-military talks, calling this &quot;critical to lowering the risk of miscalculation&quot;.

He also welcomed North Korea&#39;s decision to send a delegation to the Olympics and said he hoped for the resumption of dialogue leading to denuclearisation.

In spite of the North Korean negotiator`s remarks, South Korea&#39;s Unification Ministry said it believed Tuesday&#39;s talks could lead to the discussion of a &quot;fundamental resolution&quot; of the nuclear issue.

&quot;We will closely coordinate with the United States, China, Japan and other neighbours in this process,&quot; it said, adding that Seoul had asked Pyongyang to halt acts that stoke tension.

Tuesday&#39;s meeting followed a year of ramped-up North Korean missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, which prompted a US-led campaign to toughen UN&nbsp;sanctions.

High hopes

Earlier on Tuesday, Seoul said it was prepared to lift some unilateral sanctions temporarily so North Koreans could visit for the Olympics. North Korea said its delegation would include athletes, high-ranking officials, a cheering squad, art performers, reporters and spectators.

Talks to work out details would be held soon, the South&#39;s Unification Ministry said.

Tuesday&#39;s talks were the first between the two Koreas since 2015 and were held at the Peace House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village.

Seoul said it proposed reunions of divided families in time for February&#39;s Lunar New Year holiday, but the joint statement made no mention of any agreement on this.

Seoul said North Korea had finished technical work to restore a military hotline, with normal communications set to resume on Wednesday.

North Korea cut communications in February 2016, following South Korea&#39;s decision to shut down a jointly run industrial park.

Seoul also said North Korea responded &quot;positively&quot; to the South&#39;s proposal for athletes from both sides to march together in the Olympic opening ceremony.

Such a joint parade has not happened since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea and welcomed all positive steps. Russia echoed the sentiment. &quot;This is exactly the kind of dialogue that we said was necessary,&quot; a Kremlin spokesman said.

Some US-based analysts have hailed the talks as an opening for diplomacy, but others see an attempt by North Korea to weaken US&nbsp;pressure so that it is eventually accepted as a nuclear-armed state.

Evans Revere, a former senior US&nbsp;diplomat for East Asia, said that by engaging Seoul, North Korea was clearly seeking to weaken the US-South Korean alliance and it was important that Seoul had raised the nuclear issue to show it was not just a US-North Korea matter.

The US State Department said Washington would be interested in joining future talks, but stuck to its insistence that they must be aimed at denuclearisation

North and South Korea held their first talks in over two years on Tuesday, which Washington welcomed as a first step to solving the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, even though Pyongyang said those were aimed only at the United States and not up for discussion. The US State Department said Washington would be interested in joining future talks, but stuck to its insistence that they must be aimed at denuclearisation, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remains far off. In a joint statement after 11 hours of talks, North and South Korea said they had agreed to hold the military to military talks and that North Korea would send a large delegation to next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea. However, North Korea made a "strong complaint" after Seoul proposed talks to denuclearise the Korean peninsula. "Clearly this is a positive development," a spokesman for the US State Department, Steve Goldstein, said of the joint statement while adding: "We would like nuclear talks to occur; we want denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. This is a good first step in that process." North and South Korea said they agreed to meet again to resolve problems and avert accidental conflict, amid high tension over North Korea's program to develop nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. "All our weapons, including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and ballistic missiles, are only aimed at the United States, not our brethren, nor China and Russia," Pyongyang's chief negotiator, Ri Son Gwon, said. "This is not a matter between North and South Korea, and to bring up this issue would cause negative consequences and risks turning all of today's good achievement into nothing," Ri said in closing remarks. The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the United States being the only potential target of North Korea's nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged threats and insults in the past year, raising fears of a new war on the peninsula. The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but Trump later called them "a good thing" and said he would be willing to speak to Kim. "At the appropriate time, we'll get involved," Trump said on Saturday, although US-North Korean talks appear unlikely anytime soon, given entrenched positions on both sides. The United States has warned that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea. Washington agreed with Seoul last week to postpone joint military exercises that Pyongyang denounces as rehearsals for invasion until after the Olympics, but the North-South thaw has not altered the US intelligence assessment of North Korea’s weapons programs. The consensus, according to US officials familiar with the classified analysis, is that Kim remains convinced the United States is determined to overthrow him and that only a nuclear arsenal that threatens America can deter that. One official said the North-South talks were likely to follow the pattern of past diplomatic efforts, in which the North has benefited from additional food and other aid without making any concessions on the weapons front. The additional danger now, said a second official, was that Kim would seek to use the talks to take advantage of Trump's sometimes bellicose rhetoric to try to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul. On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the talks, particularly the agreement to hold military-to-military talks, calling this "critical to lowering the risk of miscalculation". He also welcomed North Korea's decision to send a delegation to the Olympics and said he hoped for the resumption of dialogue leading to denuclearisation. In spite of the North Korean negotiator`s remarks, South Korea's Unification Ministry said it believed Tuesday's talks could lead to the discussion of a "fundamental resolution" of the nuclear issue. "We will closely coordinate with the United States, China, Japan and other neighbours in this process," it said, adding that Seoul had asked Pyongyang to halt acts that stoke tension. Tuesday's meeting followed a year of ramped-up North Korean missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, which prompted a US-led campaign to toughen UN sanctions. High hopes Earlier on Tuesday, Seoul said it was prepared to lift some unilateral sanctions temporarily so North Koreans could visit for the Olympics. North Korea said its delegation would include athletes, high-ranking officials, a cheering squad, art performers, reporters and spectators. Talks to work out details would be held soon, the South's Unification Ministry said. Tuesday's talks were the first between the two Koreas since 2015 and were held at the Peace House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village. Seoul said it proposed reunions of divided families in time for February's Lunar New Year holiday, but the joint statement made no mention of any agreement on this. Seoul said North Korea had finished technical work to restore a military hotline, with normal communications set to resume on Wednesday. North Korea cut communications in February 2016, following South Korea's decision to shut down a jointly run industrial park. Seoul also said North Korea responded "positively" to the South's proposal for athletes from both sides to march together in the Olympic opening ceremony. Such a joint parade has not happened since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China. China's Foreign Ministry said it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea and welcomed all positive steps. Russia echoed the sentiment. "This is exactly the kind of dialogue that we said was necessary," a Kremlin spokesman said. Some US-based analysts have hailed the talks as an opening for diplomacy, but others see an attempt by North Korea to weaken US pressure so that it is eventually accepted as a nuclear-armed state. Evans Revere, a former senior US diplomat for East Asia, said that by engaging Seoul, North Korea was clearly seeking to weaken the US-South Korean alliance and it was important that Seoul had raised the nuclear issue to show it was not just a US-North Korea matter.

US hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearisation

North Korea said during rare talks with the South on Tuesday it will send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea next month and Seoul said it was prepared to lift some sanctions temporarily to facilitate the visit if needed.

North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad.

The talks are being closely watched by world leaders eager for any sign of a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula amid rising fears over North Korea&#39;s missile launches and development of nuclear weapons in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

South Korea has unilaterally banned several North Korean officials from entering the country in response to Pyongyang&#39;s ramped-up missile and nuclear tests, conducted despite international pressure.

However, some South Korean officials have said they see the Olympics as a possible opportunity for easing tensions.

Foreign ministry spokesman Roh Kyu-deok said Seoul would consider whether it needed to take &quot;prior steps&quot;, together with the U.N. Security Council and other relevant countries, to help the North Koreans visit for the Olympics.

At Tuesday&#39;s talks, the first since December 2015, Seoul proposed inter-Korean military discussions to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and a reunion of family members in time for February&#39;s Lunar New Year holiday, South Korea&#39;s vice unification minister Chun Hae-sung said.

South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games&#39; opening ceremony and other joint activities between during the Winter Olympics, Chun told reporters outside the talks.

Athletes from the two Koreas have paraded together at the opening and closing ceremonies of major international games before, although it has not been seen since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China after relations chilled under nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South.

It would also be the first time since 2005 for the North to send its female cheerleaders, dubbed the &quot;cheering squad of beauty&quot; by South Korean media.

Peace House

The meetings continued on Tuesday afternoon after the two sides broke up for separate lunches. Officials began speaking at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the three-storey Peace House just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village.

&quot;North Korea said that they are determined to make today&rsquo;s talks fruitful, and make it a groundbreaking opportunity,&quot; South Korea&#39;s Chun said.

Chun also said the South Koreans proposed resuming negotiations over the North&#39;s nuclear programme but there was no specific response from the North Koreans.

However, North Korean officials said during the meeting they were open to promoting reconciliation between the two countries through dialogue and negotiation, according to Chun.

The head of the North Korean delegation, Ri Son Gwon, said in opening remarks: &quot;We came to this meeting today with the thought of giving our brethren, who have high hopes for this dialogue, invaluable results as the first present of the year .&quot;

Good present

North Korea entered the talks with a &quot;serious and sincere stance&quot;, said Ri, chairman of the North&#39;s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon expressed optimism as the meeting began.

&quot;Our talks began after North and South Korea were severed for a long time, but I believe the first step is half the trip,&quot; said Cho. &quot;It would be good for us to make that &#39;good present&#39; you mentioned earlier.&quot;

&quot;Everything feels slightly new as we have not had talks in a while,&quot; he said.

Just before the delegation drove into the demilitarised zone, some 20 South Koreans were seen waving a banner that read: &quot;We wish the success of the high-ranking inter-Korean talks&quot;.

One man was spotted waving a flag with a unified Korean peninsula.

The delegations were made up of five senior officials from each side.

The North Korean delegation walked over the border inside the joint security area to the Peace House around 0030 GMT, an official from the South&#39;s Unification Ministry told reporters.

The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but U.S. President Donald Trump later called the talks &quot;a good thing&quot;.

Trump has said he would like to see talks go beyond the Olympics. &quot;At the appropriate time, we&#39;ll get involved,&quot; he said.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea take place and welcomed all positive steps.

North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad

North Korea said during rare talks with the South on Tuesday it will send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea next month and Seoul said it was prepared to lift some sanctions temporarily to facilitate the visit if needed. North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad. The talks are being closely watched by world leaders eager for any sign of a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula amid rising fears over North Korea's missile launches and development of nuclear weapons in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions. South Korea has unilaterally banned several North Korean officials from entering the country in response to Pyongyang's ramped-up missile and nuclear tests, conducted despite international pressure. However, some South Korean officials have said they see the Olympics as a possible opportunity for easing tensions. Foreign ministry spokesman Roh Kyu-deok said Seoul would consider whether it needed to take "prior steps", together with the U.N. Security Council and other relevant countries, to help the North Koreans visit for the Olympics. At Tuesday's talks, the first since December 2015, Seoul proposed inter-Korean military discussions to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and a reunion of family members in time for February's Lunar New Year holiday, South Korea's vice unification minister Chun Hae-sung said. South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games' opening ceremony and other joint activities between during the Winter Olympics, Chun told reporters outside the talks. Athletes from the two Koreas have paraded together at the opening and closing ceremonies of major international games before, although it has not been seen since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China after relations chilled under nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South. It would also be the first time since 2005 for the North to send its female cheerleaders, dubbed the "cheering squad of beauty" by South Korean media. Peace House The meetings continued on Tuesday afternoon after the two sides broke up for separate lunches. Officials began speaking at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the three-storey Peace House just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village. "North Korea said that they are determined to make today’s talks fruitful, and make it a groundbreaking opportunity," South Korea's Chun said. Chun also said the South Koreans proposed resuming negotiations over the North's nuclear programme but there was no specific response from the North Koreans. However, North Korean officials said during the meeting they were open to promoting reconciliation between the two countries through dialogue and negotiation, according to Chun. The head of the North Korean delegation, Ri Son Gwon, said in opening remarks: "We came to this meeting today with the thought of giving our brethren, who have high hopes for this dialogue, invaluable results as the first present of the year ." Good present North Korea entered the talks with a "serious and sincere stance", said Ri, chairman of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon expressed optimism as the meeting began. "Our talks began after North and South Korea were severed for a long time, but I believe the first step is half the trip," said Cho. "It would be good for us to make that 'good present' you mentioned earlier." "Everything feels slightly new as we have not had talks in a while," he said. Just before the delegation drove into the demilitarised zone, some 20 South Koreans were seen waving a banner that read: "We wish the success of the high-ranking inter-Korean talks". One man was spotted waving a flag with a unified Korean peninsula. The delegations were made up of five senior officials from each side. The North Korean delegation walked over the border inside the joint security area to the Peace House around 0030 GMT, an official from the South's Unification Ministry told reporters. The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but U.S. President Donald Trump later called the talks "a good thing". Trump has said he would like to see talks go beyond the Olympics. "At the appropriate time, we'll get involved," he said. China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea take place and welcomed all positive steps.

After talks, South Korea to consider easing ban on North Korea

With tension on the Korean Peninsula higher than it&rsquo;s been for years and fears are surging on all sides that a full-blown conflict is nearer than ever. But as the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang gets ever more lurid, with missile and warhead tests on one side and military exercises and flypasts on the other, it&rsquo;s easy to forget that North and South Korea have made serious efforts to defrost their relationship before.

On July 7 1988, with the Cold War coming to an end, South Korean President Rho Tae-woo announced his plan to &ldquo;actively promote exchanges of visits between the people of South and North Korea, including politicians, businessmen, journalists, religious leaders, cultural leaders, artists, academics and students&rdquo;. This South Korean policy, called Nordpolitik, was modelled on West Germany&rsquo;s Ostpolitik. But it took more than ten years to begin these exchanges.

In 2000, the two leaders of South and North Korea met in Pyongyang for the first time since the division of the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Kim Dae-jung reassured North Korean Leader Kim Jong-il, who was worried that North Korea would meet a fate similar to East Germany, that the South Korean proposal for a peacebuilding process was not to absorb North Korea, but to promote peaceful coexistence.

After their first summit, the South and North Korean governments expanded several cross-border peacebuilding activities, such as humanitarian, development, and economic cooperation, business, and socio-cultural exchanges. Within a few years, as part of these activities, more than half a million people crossed the border between North and South Korea. Almost 2m South Korean tourists visited North Korea.

And yet today, the inter-Korean peacebuilding of the 2000s looks like a long-lost dream. What went wrong?

Pushed to the limit

Some say the breaking point was the hardline changes in US and South Korean policy toward North Korea after 9/11, epitomised by George W. Bush&rsquo;s &ldquo;Axis of Evil&rdquo; speech. Others say the north is to blame because of its nuclear ambitions. But what both arguments have in common is North Korea&rsquo;s deep sense of insecurity, which goes back more than 60 years.

When Japan was defeated in World War II, the Korean independence movement and its provisional government, who had long fought Japanese colonial rule, were not recognised as victors. Instead, the northern half of Korea was put under Soviet control and the south was occupied by the US, effectively dividing the Korean peninsula in two.

The first North Korean leader, Kim Il-sung, seemed convinced he could resolve this division by force, but his attack on South Korea in 1950 and the ensuing Korean War almost cost North Korea its existence. Only Chinese intervention saved it, and the war was suspended (though not ended) by the Armistice Treaty of 1953.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTFreay3bOA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe></figure>

&nbsp;

But North Korean memories of how US bombers destroyed their country and how close the US came to using the atomic bomb on North Korea, are still very much alive, and may be stronger after the end of the Cold War.

North Korean leaders have for decades used the spectre of an American attack to justify their authoritarian rule. The continuous economic sanctions and displays of military power by the US and South Korea did not deter North Korean plans to develop nuclear weapons in order to ensure its survival, and instead seem to have given the North Korean dictatorship fodder for its rhetoric.

Not backing down

As if to validate the rhetoric of the North Korean regime, the US president, Donald Trump, successfully persuaded South Korea to purchase more American weapons during his recent visit to East Asia. The US and South Korea are planning yet another joint military drill from December 4-8, in which about 230 warfare aircraft will participate in a show of force.

Meanwhile, North Korea fired another ballistic missile on November 28, once again claiming that their development of nuclear and missile technology is not &ldquo;to pose any threat to any country&rdquo;, but to defend North Korea from the US threat.

Putting aside debate around the nature of the North Korean regime, the insecurity experienced by a conflict party is not a phenomenon unique to the Korean conflict. Several contemporary peace processes, such as the Northern Ireland peace process, show that without addressing the issue of insecurity, any agreement would not be possible.

Would peacebuilding mean simply appeasing a regime that is playing with nuclear fire &ndash; or is it perhaps a better option than &ldquo;smart sanctions&rdquo; and military exercises? For South Korean civil society groups, who can remember crossing borders, building relationships, and re-humanising each other, peacebuilding is still regarded as the best way to neutralise the nuclear ambitions of the North Korean leadership and improve the human rights conditions of the North Korean people.

After all, it is about coming up with a more effective strategy for peace in the Korean peninsula, and beyond. If war is not an option, the inevitable process to build peace must resume.

As if to validate the rhetoric of the North Korean regime, the US president, Donald Trump, successfully persuaded South Korea to purchase more American weapons during his recent visit to East Asia. The US and South Korea are planning yet another joint military drill from December 4-8, in which about 230 warfare aircraft will participate in a show of force.

Meanwhile, North Korea fired another ballistic missile on November 28, once again claiming that their development of nuclear and missile technology is not &ldquo;to pose any threat to any country&rdquo;, but to defend North Korea from the US threat.

Putting aside debate around the nature of the North Korean regime, the insecurity experienced by a conflict party is not a phenomenon unique to the Korean conflict. Several contemporary peace processes, such as the Northern Ireland peace process, show that without addressing the issue of insecurity, any agreement would not be possible.

Would peacebuilding mean simply appeasing a regime that is playing with nuclear fire &ndash; or is it perhaps a better option than &ldquo;smart sanctions&rdquo; and military exercises? For South Korean civil society groups, who can remember crossing borders, building relationships, and re-humanising each other, peacebuilding is still regarded as the best way to neutralise the nuclear ambitions of the North Korean leadership and improve the human rights conditions of the North Korean people.

After all, it is about coming up with a <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09512748.2015.1022586?scroll=top&amp;needAccess=true">more effective strategy</a> for peace in the Korean peninsula, and beyond. If war is not an option, the inevitable process to build peace must resume.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-two-koreas-have-tried-to-make-peace-before-and-they-could-do-so-again-86809" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

For South Korean civil society, who can remember crossing borders, building relationships, and re-humanising each other, peacebuilding is still regarded as the best way to neutralise the nuclear ambitions of the North Korean leadership and improve the human rights conditions of the North Koreans.

With tension on the Korean Peninsula higher than it’s been for years and fears are surging on all sides that a full-blown conflict is nearer than ever. But as the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang gets ever more lurid, with missile and warhead tests on one side and military exercises and flypasts on the other, it’s easy to forget that North and South Korea have made serious efforts to defrost their relationship before. On July 7 1988, with the Cold War coming to an end, South Korean President Rho Tae-woo announced his plan to “actively promote exchanges of visits between the people of South and North Korea, including politicians, businessmen, journalists, religious leaders, cultural leaders, artists, academics and students”. This South Korean policy, called Nordpolitik, was modelled on West Germany’s Ostpolitik. But it took more than ten years to begin these exchanges. In 2000, the two leaders of South and North Korea met in Pyongyang for the first time since the division of the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Kim Dae-jung reassured North Korean Leader Kim Jong-il, who was worried that North Korea would meet a fate similar to East Germany, that the South Korean proposal for a peacebuilding process was not to absorb North Korea, but to promote peaceful coexistence. After their first summit, the South and North Korean governments expanded several cross-border peacebuilding activities, such as humanitarian, development, and economic cooperation, business, and socio-cultural exchanges. Within a few years, as part of these activities, more than half a million people crossed the border between North and South Korea. Almost 2m South Korean tourists visited North Korea. And yet today, the inter-Korean peacebuilding of the 2000s looks like a long-lost dream. What went wrong? Pushed to the limit Some say the breaking point was the hardline changes in US and South Korean policy toward North Korea after 9/11, epitomised by George W. Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech. Others say the north is to blame because of its nuclear ambitions. But what both arguments have in common is North Korea’s deep sense of insecurity, which goes back more than 60 years. When Japan was defeated in World War II, the Korean independence movement and its provisional government, who had long fought Japanese colonial rule, were not recognised as victors. Instead, the northern half of Korea was put under Soviet control and the south was occupied by the US, effectively dividing the Korean peninsula in two. The first North Korean leader, Kim Il-sung, seemed convinced he could resolve this division by force, but his attack on South Korea in 1950 and the ensuing Korean War almost cost North Korea its existence. Only Chinese intervention saved it, and the war was suspended (though not ended) by the Armistice Treaty of 1953. But North Korean memories of how US bombers destroyed their country and how close the US came to using the atomic bomb on North Korea, are still very much alive, and may be stronger after the end of the Cold War. North Korean leaders have for decades used the spectre of an American attack to justify their authoritarian rule. The continuous economic sanctions and displays of military power by the US and South Korea did not deter North Korean plans to develop nuclear weapons in order to ensure its survival, and instead seem to have given the North Korean dictatorship fodder for its rhetoric. Not backing down As if to validate the rhetoric of the North Korean regime, the US president, Donald Trump, successfully persuaded South Korea to purchase more American weapons during his recent visit to East Asia. The US and South Korea are planning yet another joint military drill from December 4-8, in which about 230 warfare aircraft will participate in a show of force. Meanwhile, North Korea fired another ballistic missile on November 28, once again claiming that their development of nuclear and missile technology is not “to pose any threat to any country”, but to defend North Korea from the US threat. Putting aside debate around the nature of the North Korean regime, the insecurity experienced by a conflict party is not a phenomenon unique to the Korean conflict. Several contemporary peace processes, such as the Northern Ireland peace process, show that without addressing the issue of insecurity, any agreement would not be possible. Would peacebuilding mean simply appeasing a regime that is playing with nuclear fire – or is it perhaps a better option than “smart sanctions” and military exercises? For South Korean civil society groups, who can remember crossing borders, building relationships, and re-humanising each other, peacebuilding is still regarded as the best way to neutralise the nuclear ambitions of the North Korean leadership and improve the human rights conditions of the North Korean people. After all, it is about coming up with a more effective strategy for peace in the Korean peninsula, and beyond. If war is not an option, the inevitable process to build peace must resume. As if to validate the rhetoric of the North Korean regime, the US president, Donald Trump, successfully persuaded South Korea to purchase more American weapons during his recent visit to East Asia. The US and South Korea are planning yet another joint military drill from December 4-8, in which about 230 warfare aircraft will participate in a show of force. Meanwhile, North Korea fired another ballistic missile on November 28, once again claiming that their development of nuclear and missile technology is not “to pose any threat to any country”, but to defend North Korea from the US threat. Putting aside debate around the nature of the North Korean regime, the insecurity experienced by a conflict party is not a phenomenon unique to the Korean conflict. Several contemporary peace processes, such as the Northern Ireland peace process, show that without addressing the issue of insecurity, any agreement would not be possible. Would peacebuilding mean simply appeasing a regime that is playing with nuclear fire – or is it perhaps a better option than “smart sanctions” and military exercises? For South Korean civil society groups, who can remember crossing borders, building relationships, and re-humanising each other, peacebuilding is still regarded as the best way to neutralise the nuclear ambitions of the North Korean leadership and improve the human rights conditions of the North Korean people. After all, it is about coming up with a more effective strategy for peace in the Korean peninsula, and beyond. If war is not an option, the inevitable process to build peace must resume. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Opinion: Are two Koreas serious in defrosting the relationship?

North Korea offered to send a high-level delegation to attend next month&#39;s Winter Olympics in the South on Tuesday as the two rivals held their <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-and-south-korea-begin-talks-in-truce-village-28934">first official talks</a> in more than two years, Seoul said.

&quot;The North side proposed dispatching a high-level delegation, National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, supporters, art performers, observers, a taekwondo demonstration team and journalists to the Games, which will be held in Pyeongchang next month,&quot; the South&#39;s vice unification minster Chun Hae-Sung told journalists.

The South, meanwhile, proposed holding reunions during next month&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/would-like-to-see-north-korea-get-involved-in-winter-olympics-trump-28774">Winter Olympics</a> for families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The issue is one of the most emotive legacies of the conflict and the South urged that the meetings be held at the Lunar New Year, which falls in the middle of the Pyeongchang Games, the South&#39;s vice unification minister Chun Hae-Sung told journalists.

South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games&#39; opening ceremony and other joint activities between the two nations during the Games, Chun told reporters.

The talks are being held at Panmunjom, the truce village in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the peninsula.

The much-awaited talks are a result of Kim Jong-Un New Year&#39;s speech in which he held out an olive branch to his neighbours signalling his intention to send his country&#39;s athletes to the Winter Games. South Korea was quick to respond to the peace overtures by quickly asking for dialogue between the two countries at a venue acceptable to both.

Seoul&#39;s five-member delegation, led by unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon, travelled to Panmunjom in a convoy of vehicles, passing a group of well-wishers holding a banner at a checkpoint leading towards the DMZ.

The North&#39;s group, of similar size and led by senior official Ri Son-Gwon, walked over the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom for the talks, pictures showed - just yards from where a defector ran across in a hail of bullets two months ago.

Looking businesslike, Cho and Ri shook hands at the entrance to the Peace House, the building on the southern side where the discussions were being held, and again across the table.

In accordance with standard practice in the North, Ri wore a badge on his left lapel bearing an image of the country`s founding father Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il. Cho also wore a lapel badge, depicting the South Korean flag.

&quot;The people have a strong desire to see the North and South move toward peace and reconciliation,&quot; Cho said. It was a radically different tone from the rhetoric of recent months, which have seen Kim and US President Donald Trump trade personal insults and bellicose <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-to-keep-kim-jong-un-on-his-toes-nikki-haley-on-nuclear-button-tweet-28895">threats of war</a>, while Pyongyang has launched missiles capable of reaching the US mainland and carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date.

The South, meanwhile, proposed holding reunions during next month's Winter Olympics for families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea offered to send a high-level delegation to attend next month's Winter Olympics in the South on Tuesday as the two rivals held their first official talks in more than two years, Seoul said. "The North side proposed dispatching a high-level delegation, National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, supporters, art performers, observers, a taekwondo demonstration team and journalists to the Games, which will be held in Pyeongchang next month," the South's vice unification minster Chun Hae-Sung told journalists. The South, meanwhile, proposed holding reunions during next month's Winter Olympics for families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War. The issue is one of the most emotive legacies of the conflict and the South urged that the meetings be held at the Lunar New Year, which falls in the middle of the Pyeongchang Games, the South's vice unification minister Chun Hae-Sung told journalists. South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games' opening ceremony and other joint activities between the two nations during the Games, Chun told reporters. The talks are being held at Panmunjom, the truce village in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the peninsula. The much-awaited talks are a result of Kim Jong-Un New Year's speech in which he held out an olive branch to his neighbours signalling his intention to send his country's athletes to the Winter Games. South Korea was quick to respond to the peace overtures by quickly asking for dialogue between the two countries at a venue acceptable to both. Seoul's five-member delegation, led by unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon, travelled to Panmunjom in a convoy of vehicles, passing a group of well-wishers holding a banner at a checkpoint leading towards the DMZ. The North's group, of similar size and led by senior official Ri Son-Gwon, walked over the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom for the talks, pictures showed - just yards from where a defector ran across in a hail of bullets two months ago. Looking businesslike, Cho and Ri shook hands at the entrance to the Peace House, the building on the southern side where the discussions were being held, and again across the table. In accordance with standard practice in the North, Ri wore a badge on his left lapel bearing an image of the country`s founding father Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il. Cho also wore a lapel badge, depicting the South Korean flag. "The people have a strong desire to see the North and South move toward peace and reconciliation," Cho said. It was a radically different tone from the rhetoric of recent months, which have seen Kim and US President Donald Trump trade personal insults and bellicose threats of war, while Pyongyang has launched missiles capable of reaching the US mainland and carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date.

North Korea offers to send high-level delegation to Olympics during talks with South Korea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-and-south-korea-begin-talks-in-truce-village-28934">North and South Korea begin talks in truce village</a>

North and South Korea began talks in the border truce village of Panmunjom today as tensions between the two countries over Kim&#39;s repeated ballistic tests faded.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-would-welcome-challenge-from-oprah-winfrey-for-president-28935">Trump would welcome challenge from Oprah Winfrey for president</a>

US President Donald Trump would gladly face Oprah Winfrey as an opponent in the 2020 presidential race, a White House spokesman said on Monday after social media buzz from her speech at an award show thrust her name into the political arena.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-deport-2-lakh-salvadorans-28943">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-deport-2-lakh-salvadorans-28943"> to deport 2 lakh Salvadorans</a>

The United States has announced to terminate the provisional residency permits of about 2,00,000 Salvadorans living in the country since 2001.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/reports-says-china-shuts-128000-harmful-websites-in-2017-journalists-denied-access-to-files-related-to-tibet-and-taiwan-28936">China shut 128,000 &#39;harmful&#39; websites in 2017: Report</a>

In order to achieve the mission of &quot;tightening control&quot; over internet content, China banned 128,000 websites containing obscene information, a report said.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/todays-google-doodle-is-on-nobel-prize-winner-biochemist-har-gobind-khorana-28945">Google doodle on Indian-American biochemist Har Gobind Khorana</a>

Google doodle honoured Indian American biochemist, Har Gobind Khorana who shared 1968 Nobel Prize for physiology or medician with Marshall W Nirenberg and Robert W Holley on his 96th birthday.

North and South Korea begin talks in truce village North and South Korea began talks in the border truce village of Panmunjom today as tensions between the two countries over Kim's repeated ballistic tests faded. Trump would welcome challenge from Oprah Winfrey for president US President Donald Trump would gladly face Oprah Winfrey as an opponent in the 2020 presidential race, a White House spokesman said on Monday after social media buzz from her speech at an award show thrust her name into the political arena. US to deport 2 lakh Salvadorans The United States has announced to terminate the provisional residency permits of about 2,00,000 Salvadorans living in the country since 2001. China shut 128,000 'harmful' websites in 2017: Report In order to achieve the mission of "tightening control" over internet content, China banned 128,000 websites containing obscene information, a report said. Google doodle on Indian-American biochemist Har Gobind Khorana Google doodle honoured Indian American biochemist, Har Gobind Khorana who shared 1968 Nobel Prize for physiology or medician with Marshall W Nirenberg and Robert W Holley on his 96th birthday.

WION Morning News Brief, January 9, 2018

North and South Korea <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-to-keep-kim-jong-un-on-his-toes-nikki-haley-on-nuclear-button-tweet-28895">began talks in the border truce village </a>of Panmunjom today as tensions between the two countries over Kim&#39;s repeated ballistic tests faded.

Unification minister Cho Myung-Gyun who is leading the delegation said he would be discussing North Korea&#39;s participation in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics and look to improve relations with its neighbour.

&quot;We will do our best to ensure that the Pyeongchang Olympics and Paralympics will take place as a peace festival and that this meeting will serve as the first step for improving &nbsp;South-North ties,&quot; Cho said.

One of the agendas during the meeting would be the size and membership of the North Korean delegation for the winter games, including accommodation details.

Reports said North Korean athletes may stay on a cruise ship near the games venue.

Cho had earlier participated in talks with North Korea in the 90s, his counterpart &nbsp;Ri Son-Gwon, the chief delegate from the North has also been in a similar role as the head of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification of Korea.

The much-awaited talks are a result of &nbsp;Kim Jong-Un New Year&#39;s speech in which he held out an olive branch to his neighbours signalling his intention to send his country&#39;s athletes to the Winter Games, South Korea was quick to respond to the peace overtures by quickly asking for dialogue between the two countries at a venue acceptable to both. 
&nbsp;

Unification minister Cho Myung-Gyun who is leading the delegation

North and South Korea began talks in the border truce village of Panmunjom today as tensions between the two countries over Kim's repeated ballistic tests faded. Unification minister Cho Myung-Gyun who is leading the delegation said he would be discussing North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics and look to improve relations with its neighbour. "We will do our best to ensure that the Pyeongchang Olympics and Paralympics will take place as a peace festival and that this meeting will serve as the first step for improving South-North ties," Cho said. One of the agendas during the meeting would be the size and membership of the North Korean delegation for the winter games, including accommodation details. Reports said North Korean athletes may stay on a cruise ship near the games venue. Cho had earlier participated in talks with North Korea in the 90s, his counterpart Ri Son-Gwon, the chief delegate from the North has also been in a similar role as the head of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification of Korea. The much-awaited talks are a result of Kim Jong-Un New Year's speech in which he held out an olive branch to his neighbours signalling his intention to send his country's athletes to the Winter Games, South Korea was quick to respond to the peace overtures by quickly asking for dialogue between the two countries at a venue acceptable to both.

North and South Korea begin talks in truce village

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-willing-to-talk-with-north-korean-leader-28741">Even as South and North Korea </a>talk peace, US military on Sunday sent the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp to join the 7th Fleet operations, close to Japan.

US <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-one-inside-white-house-questions-trumps-mental-stability-haley-28826">warships have been conducting joint drills</a> with the South Korean and Japanese Navy for the past several months even as Kim&#39;s regime fired rockets and ballistic missiles over the Korean peninsula.

The USS Wasp was supposed to join the 7th Fleet in August last year but was diverted to assist in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Hurricane Irma which hit the US Virgin Islands and Dominica. It was then sent around to Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria.

The 40,00-ton, 844-foot-long Wasp is an aircraft carrier built in the 80s. It hosts Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jets.

The warship has taken part in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ship can house over 1,000 soldiers and hosts jets to provide air support during&nbsp;attacks.

The warship has taken part in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even as South and North Korea talk peace, US military on Sunday sent the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp to join the 7th Fleet operations, close to Japan. US warships have been conducting joint drills with the South Korean and Japanese Navy for the past several months even as Kim's regime fired rockets and ballistic missiles over the Korean peninsula. The USS Wasp was supposed to join the 7th Fleet in August last year but was diverted to assist in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Hurricane Irma which hit the US Virgin Islands and Dominica. It was then sent around to Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria. The 40,00-ton, 844-foot-long Wasp is an aircraft carrier built in the 80s. It hosts Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jets. The warship has taken part in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ship can house over 1,000 soldiers and hosts jets to provide air support during attacks.

USS Wasp joins 7th fleet in Pacific

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach will host talks over North Korea&#39;s possible participation in the Winter Olympics, which are being staged in South Korea, in &quot;the middle of the week&quot;, a source told AFP on Sunday.

Discussions will be held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne between IOC President Thomas Bach and Chang Ung, a member of the North Korean Olympic body, the source added.

On Saturday, Chang said the hermit state was &quot;likely to participate&quot; in the Games in Pyeongchang from February 9-25, Kyodo news agency reported.

South Korea said Saturday that they already proposed sending a five-member delegation led by a government minister to rare talks with North Korea next week, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Saturday.

The offer came a day after the two Koreas agreed to hold their first official dialogue in more than two years to discuss the North&#39;s participation in the Winter Olympics.

The tentative rapprochement comes after the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un warned in his New Year speech that he had a nuclear button on his desk, but also said Pyongyang could send a team to the Olympics.

The two Koreas have been separated by the world&#39;s most heavily militarised border since the Korean War ended in a stalemate in 1953.

In recent months, the North has held multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb -- in violation of UN resolutions banning such activity by the isolated nation.

Discussions will be held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach will host talks over North Korea's possible participation in the Winter Olympics, which are being staged in South Korea, in "the middle of the week", a source told AFP on Sunday. Discussions will be held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne between IOC President Thomas Bach and Chang Ung, a member of the North Korean Olympic body, the source added. On Saturday, Chang said the hermit state was "likely to participate" in the Games in Pyeongchang from February 9-25, Kyodo news agency reported. South Korea said Saturday that they already proposed sending a five-member delegation led by a government minister to rare talks with North Korea next week, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Saturday. The offer came a day after the two Koreas agreed to hold their first official dialogue in more than two years to discuss the North's participation in the Winter Olympics. The tentative rapprochement comes after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un warned in his New Year speech that he had a nuclear button on his desk, but also said Pyongyang could send a team to the Olympics. The two Koreas have been separated by the world's most heavily militarised border since the Korean War ended in a stalemate in 1953. In recent months, the North has held multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb -- in violation of UN resolutions banning such activity by the isolated nation.

IOC to host North Korea 2018 Games talks 'midweek': Sources

US President Donald Trump today said that he would like to see North Korea get involved in the upcoming Winter Olympics in neighbouring South Korea and hoped that the two Koreas take it to the next level.

Trump was responding to a question on the move in this regard between the two Koreans, who are scheduled to hold their first talks on Tuesday. The president said he had some role in it as he took a strong stand against the North Koreans.

&quot;I&#39;d like to see them getting involved in the Olympics and maybe things go from there. So I&#39;m behind that 100 percent,&quot; Trump told reporters at a news conference in Camp David, the picturesque presidential resort in Maryland.

&quot;I spoke to the president, as you know, with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. He thanked me very much for my tough stance and, you know, for 25 years they haven&#39;t been using a tough stance,&quot; Trump said.

Trump hoped that the two Koreans moved their relationship beyond just Olympics participation.

&quot;I hope they do. I would love to see them take it beyond the Olympics. We have a very good relationship with South Korea,&quot; he said.

&quot;I would love to see it go far beyond the Olympics, absolutely. And at the appropriate time, we&#39;ll get involved. I like the idea of their dealing with the Olympics. That should be between those two countries,&quot; Trump said.

Trump has adopted a tough approach against North Korea and has very often slammed its leader Kim Jong-un over tweeter. In a tweet this year he told the North Korean leader that he has a bigger nuclear button than his works and that his nuclear button works.

Responding to a question, Trump said he is open to the idea of talking with Kim Jong-un. &quot;Are you, willing to engage and phone talks with Kim Jong right now,&quot; he was asked.

&quot;Sure. I always believe in talking. Right now they&#39;re talking Olympics. It&#39;s a start. It&#39;s a big start. If we are not involved they wouldn&#39;t be talking about Olympics right now. They would be doing no talking.

He (Kim Jong Un) knows I&#39;m not messing around. I&#39;m not messing around. Not even a little bit. Not even one per cent. He understands that&quot; he said.

&quot;At the same time, if we can come up with a very peaceful and very good solution we&#39;re working on it with (Secretary of State) Rex (Tillerson). We&#39;re working on it with a lot of people. If something can happen and something can come out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all of humanity,&quot; he said.

&quot;That would be a great thing for the world. Very important,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Donald Trump also said that he hopes that the two Koreas take it to the next level

US President Donald Trump today said that he would like to see North Korea get involved in the upcoming Winter Olympics in neighbouring South Korea and hoped that the two Koreas take it to the next level. Trump was responding to a question on the move in this regard between the two Koreans, who are scheduled to hold their first talks on Tuesday. The president said he had some role in it as he took a strong stand against the North Koreans. "I'd like to see them getting involved in the Olympics and maybe things go from there. So I'm behind that 100 percent," Trump told reporters at a news conference in Camp David, the picturesque presidential resort in Maryland. "I spoke to the president, as you know, with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. He thanked me very much for my tough stance and, you know, for 25 years they haven't been using a tough stance," Trump said. Trump hoped that the two Koreans moved their relationship beyond just Olympics participation. "I hope they do. I would love to see them take it beyond the Olympics. We have a very good relationship with South Korea," he said. "I would love to see it go far beyond the Olympics, absolutely. And at the appropriate time, we'll get involved. I like the idea of their dealing with the Olympics. That should be between those two countries," Trump said. Trump has adopted a tough approach against North Korea and has very often slammed its leader Kim Jong-un over tweeter. In a tweet this year he told the North Korean leader that he has a bigger nuclear button than his works and that his nuclear button works. Responding to a question, Trump said he is open to the idea of talking with Kim Jong-un. "Are you, willing to engage and phone talks with Kim Jong right now," he was asked. "Sure. I always believe in talking. Right now they're talking Olympics. It's a start. It's a big start. If we are not involved they wouldn't be talking about Olympics right now. They would be doing no talking. He (Kim Jong Un) knows I'm not messing around. I'm not messing around. Not even a little bit. Not even one per cent. He understands that" he said. "At the same time, if we can come up with a very peaceful and very good solution we're working on it with (Secretary of State) Rex (Tillerson). We're working on it with a lot of people. If something can happen and something can come out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all of humanity," he said. "That would be a great thing for the world. Very important," Trump said.

Would like to see North Korea get involved in Winter Olympics: Trump

An Iranian oil tanker collided with a bulk freighter and caught fire off China&rsquo;s eastern coast, leaving&nbsp;32 crew members missing on Saturday night.

Of those missing were 30&nbsp;Iranian nationals and two&nbsp;from Bangladesh, according to the Chinese government. The 21 rescued were all Chinese nationals.

Thick clouds of dark smoke could be seen billowing out of the Sanchi tanker, engulfing the vessel as rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather and fire on and around the ship, Mohammad Rastad, head of Iran&#39;s Ports and Maritime Organisation, told Iranian television.

The Sanchi collided with the CF Crystal about 160 nautical miles off the coast near Shanghai on Saturday evening, the Chinese Ministry of Transportation said in a statement.

The Panama-registered tanker was sailing from Iran to South Korea, carrying 136,000 tonnes of condensate, an ultra-light crude. That is equivalent to just under 1 million barrels, worth about $60 million, based on global crude oil prices.

A search operation is being carried out by the Chinese and South Korean authorities.&nbsp;

&quot;There is a wide perimeter of flames around the vessel because of the spillage and search and rescue efforts are being carried out with difficulty,&quot; Rastad said.

&quot;Unfortunately, up to this moment, there is no news of the crew,&quot; he said.

Eight vessels have dispatched by the Chinese maritime authorities for search and rescue operation.

South Korea has dispatched a coast guard ship and a fixed-wing aircraft to assist in the search and rescue operation.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Of those missing, 30 are Iranian nationals and two are from Bangladesh, according to the Chinese government. The 21 rescued are all Chinese nationals

An Iranian oil tanker collided with a bulk freighter and caught fire off China’s eastern coast, leaving 32 crew members missing on Saturday night. Of those missing were 30 Iranian nationals and two from Bangladesh, according to the Chinese government. The 21 rescued were all Chinese nationals. Thick clouds of dark smoke could be seen billowing out of the Sanchi tanker, engulfing the vessel as rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather and fire on and around the ship, Mohammad Rastad, head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation, told Iranian television. The Sanchi collided with the CF Crystal about 160 nautical miles off the coast near Shanghai on Saturday evening, the Chinese Ministry of Transportation said in a statement. The Panama-registered tanker was sailing from Iran to South Korea, carrying 136,000 tonnes of condensate, an ultra-light crude. That is equivalent to just under 1 million barrels, worth about $60 million, based on global crude oil prices. A search operation is being carried out by the Chinese and South Korean authorities. "There is a wide perimeter of flames around the vessel because of the spillage and search and rescue efforts are being carried out with difficulty," Rastad said. "Unfortunately, up to this moment, there is no news of the crew," he said. Eight vessels have dispatched by the Chinese maritime authorities for search and rescue operation. South Korea has dispatched a coast guard ship and a fixed-wing aircraft to assist in the search and rescue operation.

32 sailors missing after Iranian ship collides with bulk freighter off China's east coast

North Korea&#39;s Olympic representative said Saturday the reclusive nation was &quot;likely to participate&quot; in next month&#39;s Winter Games in South Korea, Kyodo news agency reported, in the latest sign of a thaw in tensions on the peninsula.

The comments by Chang Ung, Pyongyang&#39;s representative to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), come a day after the North and South agreed to hold rare talks next week and follow Seoul and Washington&#39;s announcement that they would postpone joint military exercises that rile North Korea.

The Japanese news agency said Chang made the brief comment to reporters during a stopover at Beijing&#39;s international airport.

Kyodo said Chang was believed to be travelling to Switzerland, where the IOC is based, quoting unnamed sources as saying the trip may be aimed at meeting the committee to discuss the North&#39;s potential participation in the Games at Pyeongchang.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said in a new year speech that his country wished success for the Olympics, to be held from February 9-25, and would consider sending a delegation.

The two Koreas have been separated by the world&#39;s most heavily militarised border since the Korean War ended in a stalemate in 1953.

Seoul and organisers are keen for the North to take part in the Games to help ease worsening tensions on the Korean peninsula stemming from Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile programmes.

In recent months, North Korea has held multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb -- in violation of UN resolutions banning such activity by the isolated nation.

The region has been further rattled by tit-for-tat threats and insults between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

&nbsp;Winter thaw&nbsp;

But the new year has witnessed a marked softening of tone.

Seoul has reacted warmly to Kim&#39;s Olympic overture and the two Koreas this past week restored a cross-border hotline that had been shut down since 2016 and agreed to hold high-level talks next week -- the first since December 2015.

Those talks are expected to focus on matters including Olympic participation.

Also in recent days, the United States and South Korea agreed to delay their joint military exercises until after the Games, apparently to help ease nerves.

The regular joint drills have been criticised by some as adding to regional tensions. Beijing and Moscow have both called for them to be suspended.

North Korea&#39;s young leader has shrugged off multiple sets of new UN Security Council sanctions as his regime drives forward with its weapons programmes, which it says are needed to defend against US aggression.

The latest round of sanctions passed in December bans the supply of nearly 75 percent of refined oil products to North Korea, puts a cap on crude deliveries and orders all North Korean nationals working abroad to be sent back by the end of 2019.

Sales of all industrial machinery, trucks, iron, steel and other metals to North Korea have been banned, as well as a range of Northern exports.

China, North Korea&#39;s longtime ally and most important economic lifeline, said it had begun enforcing the new restrictions on Saturday.

South Korean opposition parties have struck a cautious tone over the latest developments, warning against making concessions to the North to secure its Olympic participation.

Kim Jong-Un in his new year speech said his country wished success for the Olympics and would consider sending a delegation

North Korea's Olympic representative said Saturday the reclusive nation was "likely to participate" in next month's Winter Games in South Korea, Kyodo news agency reported, in the latest sign of a thaw in tensions on the peninsula. The comments by Chang Ung, Pyongyang's representative to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), come a day after the North and South agreed to hold rare talks next week and follow Seoul and Washington's announcement that they would postpone joint military exercises that rile North Korea. The Japanese news agency said Chang made the brief comment to reporters during a stopover at Beijing's international airport. Kyodo said Chang was believed to be travelling to Switzerland, where the IOC is based, quoting unnamed sources as saying the trip may be aimed at meeting the committee to discuss the North's potential participation in the Games at Pyeongchang. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said in a new year speech that his country wished success for the Olympics, to be held from February 9-25, and would consider sending a delegation. The two Koreas have been separated by the world's most heavily militarised border since the Korean War ended in a stalemate in 1953. Seoul and organisers are keen for the North to take part in the Games to help ease worsening tensions on the Korean peninsula stemming from Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes. In recent months, North Korea has held multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb -- in violation of UN resolutions banning such activity by the isolated nation. The region has been further rattled by tit-for-tat threats and insults between Kim and US President Donald Trump. Winter thaw But the new year has witnessed a marked softening of tone. Seoul has reacted warmly to Kim's Olympic overture and the two Koreas this past week restored a cross-border hotline that had been shut down since 2016 and agreed to hold high-level talks next week -- the first since December 2015. Those talks are expected to focus on matters including Olympic participation. Also in recent days, the United States and South Korea agreed to delay their joint military exercises until after the Games, apparently to help ease nerves. The regular joint drills have been criticised by some as adding to regional tensions. Beijing and Moscow have both called for them to be suspended. North Korea's young leader has shrugged off multiple sets of new UN Security Council sanctions as his regime drives forward with its weapons programmes, which it says are needed to defend against US aggression. The latest round of sanctions passed in December bans the supply of nearly 75 percent of refined oil products to North Korea, puts a cap on crude deliveries and orders all North Korean nationals working abroad to be sent back by the end of 2019. Sales of all industrial machinery, trucks, iron, steel and other metals to North Korea have been banned, as well as a range of Northern exports. China, North Korea's longtime ally and most important economic lifeline, said it had begun enforcing the new restrictions on Saturday. South Korean opposition parties have struck a cautious tone over the latest developments, warning against making concessions to the North to secure its Olympic participation.

North Korea 'likely' to join Winter Games, says IOC official

Fewer than 100 North Koreans a month defected to the South last year, Seoul said Friday, the lowest for 15 years as Pyongyang and Beijing both tighten controls on movement.

A total of 1,127 North Koreans came to the South last year, down 21 percent from 2016, according to data from the unification ministry. It was the lowest figure since 2001.

The vast majority of defectors from the impoverished North, which suffers chronic food shortages and is subject to UN Security Council sanctions over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, go first to China.

They sometimes stay there for several years before making their way to the South, often via a third country.

Defections across the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the Korean peninsula are very rare, but this year there have been four, including a dramatic dash under a hail of bullets by a Northern soldier in November.

Another soldier escaped to the South across the DMZ in December but observers said there was no evidence of a trend.

Pyongyang has been bolstering border controls since the second half of 2015, putting up more guards and setting up high-tension wires to prevent its citizens from fleeing to its giant neighbour.

&quot;On top of that, China has drastically strengthened crackdowns on North Korean escapees, repatriating them recklessly whenever they find them,&quot; Seo Jae-Pyong, an official of the Association of North Korean Defectors, said.

Many professional brokers who help arrange defectors` trips through China and Southeast Asian countries to the South have consequently gone underground, he said.

As of the end of December, more than 31,000 North Korean defectors had entered the South since 1948, when the two Koreas were officially separated into different states.

Numbers peaked at 2,914 in 2009 and have mostly declined in recent years.

Female defectors continue to account for a lion`s share, with women making up 83 per cent of last year`s defectors.

It is easier for women to leave the North, as men all have assigned jobs, making any absence easier to spot for the authorities.

Defections across the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone that divides the Korean peninsula are very rare, but this year there have been four.

Fewer than 100 North Koreans a month defected to the South last year, Seoul said Friday, the lowest for 15 years as Pyongyang and Beijing both tighten controls on movement. A total of 1,127 North Koreans came to the South last year, down 21 percent from 2016, according to data from the unification ministry. It was the lowest figure since 2001. The vast majority of defectors from the impoverished North, which suffers chronic food shortages and is subject to UN Security Council sanctions over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, go first to China. They sometimes stay there for several years before making their way to the South, often via a third country. Defections across the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the Korean peninsula are very rare, but this year there have been four, including a dramatic dash under a hail of bullets by a Northern soldier in November. Another soldier escaped to the South across the DMZ in December but observers said there was no evidence of a trend. Pyongyang has been bolstering border controls since the second half of 2015, putting up more guards and setting up high-tension wires to prevent its citizens from fleeing to its giant neighbour. "On top of that, China has drastically strengthened crackdowns on North Korean escapees, repatriating them recklessly whenever they find them," Seo Jae-Pyong, an official of the Association of North Korean Defectors, said. Many professional brokers who help arrange defectors` trips through China and Southeast Asian countries to the South have consequently gone underground, he said. As of the end of December, more than 31,000 North Korean defectors had entered the South since 1948, when the two Koreas were officially separated into different states. Numbers peaked at 2,914 in 2009 and have mostly declined in recent years. Female defectors continue to account for a lion`s share, with women making up 83 per cent of last year`s defectors. It is easier for women to leave the North, as men all have assigned jobs, making any absence easier to spot for the authorities.

North Korean defector numbers slump as controls tighten

Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-Hye is to be charged with accepting millions of dollars worth of bribes from the state spy agency, news reports said Thursday.

Park allegedly received between 50 and 200 million won (now $47,000 to $188,000) from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) every month from soon after her swearing-in in early 2013 until mid-2016, prosecutors told South Korean media.

The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park&#39;s aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House.

The money came from the spy agency&#39;s &quot;blind budget&quot; -- millions of dollars of special funds that can be spent without receipts for anti-espionage activities -- Yonhap news agency said.&nbsp;

It remains unclear how Park spent the funds but news reports said she used them for personal purposes or to bankroll supporter groups.

Park is already on trial on 18 charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power for offering governmental favours to tycoons, and prosecutors will add a 19th count to the indictment regarding the payments, reports said.

South Korea&#39;s first female president was impeached by parliament after months of mass protests over a sprawling graft scandal, and the constitutional court upheld the decision in March last year, dismissing her from office.&nbsp;

She has been in custody since March 31.

Her trial began in May but she has refused to attend since October, infuriated by a court decision to extend her detention by six months, when her legal team also quit, accusing the judges of bias.&nbsp;

Park has since refused to cooperate with a team of state-sponsored defence lawyers appointed by the court.

Prosecutors sought to question Park in prison twice over the fresh allegations, but she has refused to cooperate.

Two former NIS chiefs have been indicted over the bribery charges.

The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park's aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House.

Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-Hye is to be charged with accepting millions of dollars worth of bribes from the state spy agency, news reports said Thursday. Park allegedly received between 50 and 200 million won (now $47,000 to $188,000) from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) every month from soon after her swearing-in in early 2013 until mid-2016, prosecutors told South Korean media. The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park's aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House. The money came from the spy agency's "blind budget" -- millions of dollars of special funds that can be spent without receipts for anti-espionage activities -- Yonhap news agency said. It remains unclear how Park spent the funds but news reports said she used them for personal purposes or to bankroll supporter groups. Park is already on trial on 18 charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power for offering governmental favours to tycoons, and prosecutors will add a 19th count to the indictment regarding the payments, reports said. South Korea's first female president was impeached by parliament after months of mass protests over a sprawling graft scandal, and the constitutional court upheld the decision in March last year, dismissing her from office. She has been in custody since March 31. Her trial began in May but she has refused to attend since October, infuriated by a court decision to extend her detention by six months, when her legal team also quit, accusing the judges of bias. Park has since refused to cooperate with a team of state-sponsored defence lawyers appointed by the court. Prosecutors sought to question Park in prison twice over the fresh allegations, but she has refused to cooperate. Two former NIS chiefs have been indicted over the bribery charges.

Ousted South Korean president Park 'took money from spy agency': Reports

As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warmed up to South Korea proposing to send his national team for the Winter Olympics in Seoul, President Trump said today it was possible because he was firm and strong in dealing with Kim.

South Korea on Tuesday announced it was open for dialogue at a border village raising hopes of peace in the Korean peninsula.

President Trump in an early morning tweet said with all of the &quot;failed &ldquo;experts weighing in, talks and dialogue between North and South Korea wouldn&#39;t have been possible if he wasn&#39;t firm and willing to commit total &quot;might&quot; against North Korea.

&quot;Fools, but talks are a good thing!,&quot; the president tweeted.

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With all of the failed &ldquo;experts&rdquo; weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn&rsquo;t firm, strong and willing to commit our total &ldquo;might&rdquo; against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948879774277128197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The US military meanwhile which has been conducting joint drills with Japan and South Korea for the past several months moved with cautioned over the olive branch handed by Kim.

Chief of United States Forces Korea (USFK), Vincent Brooks told the Yonhap news agency: &quot;We must keep our expectations at the appropriate level.&quot;

&quot;We can&#39;t ignore that reality,&quot; he said, adding it was important for the United States and South Korea to maintain an &quot;ironclad and razor sharp&quot; alliance.

Brooks said the peace overture could be a strategy by North Korea&nbsp;to divide the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia to reach its goal of being accepted as a &quot;nuclear capable&quot; nation.

&nbsp;US officials feel Kim might be trying to &quot;to drive a wedge&quot; between the US and South Korea, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In have decided to delay military exercises until after the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month, Moon&#39;s office said on &nbsp;Thursday.

&quot;The two leaders agreed that the US-South Korea joint military exercises will not be carried out during the Olympics period, and the armed forces of the two countries should do their best to guarantee the safety of the Olympics,&quot; a statement said.

&nbsp;

South Korea on Tuesday announced it was open for dialogue at a border village raising hopes of peace in the Korean peninsula.

As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warmed up to South Korea proposing to send his national team for the Winter Olympics in Seoul, President Trump said today it was possible because he was firm and strong in dealing with Kim. South Korea on Tuesday announced it was open for dialogue at a border village raising hopes of peace in the Korean peninsula. President Trump in an early morning tweet said with all of the "failed “experts weighing in, talks and dialogue between North and South Korea wouldn't have been possible if he wasn't firm and willing to commit total "might" against North Korea. "Fools, but talks are a good thing!," the president tweeted. With all of the failed “experts” weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn’t firm, strong and willing to commit our total “might” against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 × The US military meanwhile which has been conducting joint drills with Japan and South Korea for the past several months moved with cautioned over the olive branch handed by Kim. Chief of United States Forces Korea (USFK), Vincent Brooks told the Yonhap news agency: "We must keep our expectations at the appropriate level." "We can't ignore that reality," he said, adding it was important for the United States and South Korea to maintain an "ironclad and razor sharp" alliance. Brooks said the peace overture could be a strategy by North Korea to divide the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia to reach its goal of being accepted as a "nuclear capable" nation. US officials feel Kim might be trying to "to drive a wedge" between the US and South Korea, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In have decided to delay military exercises until after the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month, Moon's office said on Thursday. "The two leaders agreed that the US-South Korea joint military exercises will not be carried out during the Olympics period, and the armed forces of the two countries should do their best to guarantee the safety of the Olympics," a statement said.

Dialogue between North and South Korea wasn't possible if I was not firm: Trump

South Korea Tuesday proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics.

Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyang&#39;s claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a &quot;nuclear button&quot; on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the South&#39;s Games.

South Korea&#39;s unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon said Seoul was &quot;reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form&quot;.

&quot;We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties,&quot; he said at a press conference.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="http://?http://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-says-open-to-dialogue-with-south-korea-will-only-use-nukes-if-threatened-28277">North Korea&#39;s Kim says &#39;open to dialogue&#39; with South Korea, will use nukes only if threatened</a>

The two Koreas, which have been separated by a tense demilitarised zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean war, last held high-level talks in 2015.

Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to defuse tension with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim&#39;s suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue. &nbsp;&nbsp;

However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation.

Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but his requests were not answered by Pyongyang.

The North has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

Pyongyang has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from the United States as it continued to drive forwards with a weapons programme that it says is defensive and aimed at developing a warhead capable of targeting the US mainland. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&#39;Positive response&#39; 
&nbsp; 
Kim&#39;s comments were the first indication of North Korea&#39;s willingness to participate in the Winter Games, which run from February 9 to 25.

Moon called them a &quot;positive response&quot; to Seoul&#39;s hope that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a &quot;groundbreaking opportunity for peace&quot;.

The main Winter Olympic venues are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by surging tensions over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile tests.

In his speech Monday, Kim said the Olympics could provide a reason for officials from the neighbours &quot;to meet in the near future&quot;.

Seoul and the Games organisers are keen for the North to take part.

Two North Korean athletes -- pairs figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik -- qualified for the Games but Pyongyang&#39;s Olympic Committee missed an October 30 deadline to confirm to the International Skating Union that they would participate.

The pair could still be invited to compete by the International Olympic Committee.

North Korea&#39;s past participation in sporting events in the South has largely depended on the political and military situation, though they did send a full team to the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, near Seoul.

 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

South Korea Tuesday has proposed holding high-level talks on January 9

South Korea Tuesday proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics. Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyang's claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a "nuclear button" on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the South's Games. South Korea's unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon said Seoul was "reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form". "We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties," he said at a press conference. Also Read: North Korea's Kim says 'open to dialogue' with South Korea, will use nukes only if threatened The two Koreas, which have been separated by a tense demilitarised zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean war, last held high-level talks in 2015. Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to defuse tension with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim's suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue. However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation. Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but his requests were not answered by Pyongyang. The North has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb. Pyongyang has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from the United States as it continued to drive forwards with a weapons programme that it says is defensive and aimed at developing a warhead capable of targeting the US mainland. 'Positive response' Kim's comments were the first indication of North Korea's willingness to participate in the Winter Games, which run from February 9 to 25. Moon called them a "positive response" to Seoul's hope that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a "groundbreaking opportunity for peace". The main Winter Olympic venues are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by surging tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. In his speech Monday, Kim said the Olympics could provide a reason for officials from the neighbours "to meet in the near future". Seoul and the Games organisers are keen for the North to take part. Two North Korean athletes -- pairs figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik -- qualified for the Games but Pyongyang's Olympic Committee missed an October 30 deadline to confirm to the International Skating Union that they would participate. The pair could still be invited to compete by the International Olympic Committee. North Korea's past participation in sporting events in the South has largely depended on the political and military situation, though they did send a full team to the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, near Seoul.

After North Korea says open to dialogue, South Korea proposes talks

South Korea Tuesday proposed high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un called for better relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics in the South.

Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a &quot;nuclear button&quot; on his table, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and taking part in the Pyeongchang Games next month.

South Korea&#39;s unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon told a press conference that Seoul was &quot;reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form&quot;.

&quot;The government proposes to hold high-level government talks with North Korea on January 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom,&quot; Cho said, referring to a truce village on the border between the two Koreas.

&quot;We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties.&quot;

The news comes after North Korea has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

It has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from Washington as it drives forward with its weapons programme, which it says is for defence against US aggression.&nbsp; 
But US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that sanctions and other pressure were beginning to have a &quot;big impact&quot; on the North, citing leader Kim Jong-Un&#39;s offer of talks with the South.

&quot;Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not -- we will see!&quot; he said on his Twitter account.

The Koreas, divided by a Demilitarised Zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, last held high-level talks in 2015 to try to ease tensions.

Those talks failed to reach an agreement.

&quot;Just the fact that they are meeting will be meaningful because it signals an attempt on both sides to improve relations,&quot; said Koh Yu-Hwan, a political science professor at Dongguk University.

But once they sit down, the North could put Seoul in a difficult position by making unacceptable demands such as an end to its annual joint military drills with the United States, Koh added.

&quot;What North Korea is trying to do is re-establish its relations as a nuclear state (with Seoul). The South&#39;s dilemma is whether we can accept that.&quot;

South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to ease tensions with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim&#39;s suggestion of an opportunity for dialogue.

However, he indicated that improvements in ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation of the North.

&#39;Positive response&#39;&nbsp;

Kim&#39;s comments on Monday were the first indication of North Korea&#39;s willingness to take part in the Winter Games from February 9-25.

Moon called them a &quot;positive response&quot; to Seoul&#39;s hopes that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a &quot;groundbreaking opportunity for peace&quot; and urged officials to come up with measures to realise the North&#39;s participation.

Beijing, Pyongyang&#39;s main ally, welcomed developments.

&quot;We support the two sides in taking advantage of this opportunity to make concrete efforts to improve bilateral ties... and realise the denuclearisation of the peninsula,&quot; said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

Washington considers China key to a resolution of the crisis and has asked Beijing to do more to rein in Pyongyang.

While China has supported UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, it has proposed a freeze-for-freeze approach under which the US would stop military drills in South Korea and the North would halt its weapons programmes.

But the idea has been rejected by Washington and Seoul, and Pyongyang insists it will continue its nuclear and missile projects.

&#39;Same blood&#39;

In his speech Monday the North&#39;s leader said the Olympics could provide a reason for officials from the neighbours &quot;to meet in the near future&quot;.

&quot;Since we are compatriots of the same blood as South Koreans, it is natural for us to share their pleasure over the auspicious event and help them,&quot; Kim said in his address.

The main venues for the Games are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with North Korea and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by the nuclear weapons standoff.

But Seoul and the Games&#39; organisers are keen for the North to take part, and analysts say its participation at Pyeongchang is likely given Kim&#39;s remarks about sending a delegation there.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

South Korea Tuesday proposed high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for better relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics in the South

South Korea Tuesday proposed high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for better relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics in the South. Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a "nuclear button" on his table, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and taking part in the Pyeongchang Games next month. South Korea's unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon told a press conference that Seoul was "reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form". "The government proposes to hold high-level government talks with North Korea on January 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom," Cho said, referring to a truce village on the border between the two Koreas. "We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties." The news comes after North Korea has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- purportedly of a hydrogen bomb. It has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from Washington as it drives forward with its weapons programme, which it says is for defence against US aggression. But US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that sanctions and other pressure were beginning to have a "big impact" on the North, citing leader Kim Jong-Un's offer of talks with the South. "Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not -- we will see!" he said on his Twitter account. The Koreas, divided by a Demilitarised Zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, last held high-level talks in 2015 to try to ease tensions. Those talks failed to reach an agreement. "Just the fact that they are meeting will be meaningful because it signals an attempt on both sides to improve relations," said Koh Yu-Hwan, a political science professor at Dongguk University. But once they sit down, the North could put Seoul in a difficult position by making unacceptable demands such as an end to its annual joint military drills with the United States, Koh added. "What North Korea is trying to do is re-establish its relations as a nuclear state (with Seoul). The South's dilemma is whether we can accept that." South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to ease tensions with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim's suggestion of an opportunity for dialogue. However, he indicated that improvements in ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation of the North. 'Positive response' Kim's comments on Monday were the first indication of North Korea's willingness to take part in the Winter Games from February 9-25. Moon called them a "positive response" to Seoul's hopes that the Pyeongchang Olympics would be a "groundbreaking opportunity for peace" and urged officials to come up with measures to realise the North's participation. Beijing, Pyongyang's main ally, welcomed developments. "We support the two sides in taking advantage of this opportunity to make concrete efforts to improve bilateral ties... and realise the denuclearisation of the peninsula," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Washington considers China key to a resolution of the crisis and has asked Beijing to do more to rein in Pyongyang. While China has supported UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, it has proposed a freeze-for-freeze approach under which the US would stop military drills in South Korea and the North would halt its weapons programmes. But the idea has been rejected by Washington and Seoul, and Pyongyang insists it will continue its nuclear and missile projects. 'Same blood' In his speech Monday the North's leader said the Olympics could provide a reason for officials from the neighbours "to meet in the near future". "Since we are compatriots of the same blood as South Koreans, it is natural for us to share their pleasure over the auspicious event and help them," Kim said in his address. The main venues for the Games are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with North Korea and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by the nuclear weapons standoff. But Seoul and the Games' organisers are keen for the North to take part, and analysts say its participation at Pyeongchang is likely given Kim's remarks about sending a delegation there.

South Korea proposes high-level talks with North Korea on January 9

US President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-says-open-to-dialogue-with-south-korea-will-only-use-nukes-if-threatened-28277">Donald Trump said today that </a>sanctions and &quot;other pressures&quot; are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea as Kim Jong Un offered an olive branch to South Korea.

Trump&#39;s latest observation on North Korea comes even as Kim Jong Un said he was &quot;open to dialogue&quot; with South Korea.&nbsp;

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Sanctions and &ldquo;other&rdquo; pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948194400114487296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In a televised address to the nation on New Years Day, North Korean leader&nbsp;Kim Jong Un said his country was &quot;a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power&quot; while calling for improved ties with South Korea.

&quot;When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment,&quot; Kim said, adding that &quot;both North and South should make efforts.&quot;

Kim also said he may consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in South Korea next month.

&quot;North Korea&#39;s participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to showcase the national pride and we wish the Games will be a success. Officials from the two Koreas may urgently meet to discuss the possibility,&quot; Kim said.

Lee Hee- beom, president of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee, said the organisation welcomed North Korean participation.

In a televised address to the nation, North Korean leader?Kim Jong Un said his country was "a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power"

US President Donald Trump said today that sanctions and "other pressures" are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea as Kim Jong Un offered an olive branch to South Korea. Trump's latest observation on North Korea comes even as Kim Jong Un said he was "open to dialogue" with South Korea. Sanctions and “other” pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 × In a televised address to the nation on New Years Day, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country was "a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power" while calling for improved ties with South Korea. "When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment," Kim said, adding that "both North and South should make efforts." Kim also said he may consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in South Korea next month. "North Korea's participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to showcase the national pride and we wish the Games will be a success. Officials from the two Koreas may urgently meet to discuss the possibility," Kim said. Lee Hee- beom, president of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee, said the organisation welcomed North Korean participation.

Sanctions beginning to have big impact on North Korea: Trump

Kim Jong Un on Monday warned the United States he has a &quot;nuclear button&quot; on his desk ready for use if North Korea is threatened, but offered an olive branch to South Korea, saying he was &quot;open to dialogue&quot; with Seoul.

After a year dominated by fiery rhetoric and escalating tensions over North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons programme, Kim used his televised New Year&#39;s Day speech to declare North Korea &quot;a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power&quot; and call for lower military tensions and improved ties with the South.

&quot;When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment,&quot; Kim said. &quot;Both the North and the South should make efforts.&quot;

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<h5>Kim said he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February</h5>
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Kim said he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February.

&quot;North Korea&#39;s participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to showcase the national pride and we wish the Games will be a success. Officials from the two Koreas may urgently meet to discuss the possibility,&quot; Kim said.

South Korea said it welcomed Kim&#39;s offer to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Games and hold talks with the South to discuss possible participation.

&quot;We have always stated our willingness to talk with North Korea anytime and anywhere if that would help restore inter-Korean relations and lead to peace on the Korean peninsula,&quot; a spokesman for the presidential Blue House said.

&quot;We hope the two Koreas will sit down and find a solution to lower tensions and establish peace on the Korean peninsula.&quot;

Lee Hee-beom, president of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee, said the organisation welcomed North Korean participation.

&quot;The (organising committee) will discuss relevant matters with the South Korean government as well as the International Olympic Committee,&quot; he said in a statement.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said North Korea&#39;s participation will ensure the safety of the Pyeongchang Olympics and proposed last month that Seoul and Washington postpone large military drills that the North denounces as a rehearsal for war until after the Games.

US-based experts saw Kim&#39;s speech as a clear attempt to divide South Korea from its main ally, the United States, which has led an international campaign to pressure North Korea to give up weapons programs aimed at developing nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

Asked by reporters to comment on Kim&#39;s speech, US President Donald Trump simply said, &quot;we&#39;ll see, we&#39;ll see&quot;, as he walked into New Year&rsquo;s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago, his elite resort in Florida.

The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kim&rsquo;s New Year&rsquo;s address.

&quot;This speech pokes at the fissure that has lain below the surface in US-South Korean relations, and seems designed to drive a wedge there,&quot; said Douglas Paal, a former senior U.S. diplomat who heads the Asia program at Washington&rsquo;s Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

&quot;Seoul&#39;s President Moon needs a successful Olympics and the US drive to increase pressure fits poorly with the Southern agenda.&quot;

Evans Revere, another former senior US diplomat who has taken part in unofficial talks with North Korean officials this year, said North Korea was likely to try to extract concessions as a &ldquo;price&rdquo; for Olympics participation.

&quot;It&rsquo;s hard to imagine Seoul falling for this,&quot; he said, adding that Seoul and Washington had so far stayed in synch in the pressure and isolation campaign.

Revere said Kim Jong UN&rsquo;s speech contained the strongest defense of North Korea&#39;s status as a permanently nuclear-armed country he had seen.

&quot;Implicit in Kim Jong UN&rsquo;s speech is a willingness to engage with others, including the United States, on the basis of their acceptance of the &#39;reality&#39; of North Korea&rsquo;s permanent nuclear status. That&rsquo;s not a basis on which the United States is prepared to engage,&quot; he said.

Moon took office in May last year pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue and restore ties strained after nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South.

But North Korea has so far snubbed his overtures, including an offer to hold inter-Korean military talks about ceasing hostile activities along the border, as it tested missiles at an unprecedented pace.

Rather than encouraging US measures that &quot;threaten the security and peace of the Korean peninsula,&quot; Seoul should instead respond to overtures from the North, and &quot;stop nuclear war exercises with foreign forces,&quot; Kim said.

North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September in defiance of international warnings and sanctions, raising fears of a new conflict on the Korean peninsula.

After North Korea tested its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November, which it said was capable of delivering a warhead to anywhere in the United States, Kim declared his nuclear force complete.

He continued that theme in his New Year&#39;s address, announcing that North Korea would focus in the coming year on &quot;mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment&quot;.

This, Kim said, was &quot;irreversible with any force&quot;, making it impossible for the United States to start a war against North Korea.

&quot;The whole territory of the US is within the range of our nuclear strike and a nuclear button is always on the desk of my office and this is just a reality, not a threat,&quot; he said, while emphasising that the weapons would only be used if North Korea is threatened.

Kim&#39;s customary New Year&rsquo;s speech is closely watched for indications of the policy direction the unpredictable and reclusive leader is likely to pursue in the coming year.

Beyond listing military accomplishments, Kim also outlined economic gains as part of his two-pronged policy of developing his country&#39;s economy and military.

Despite increased international sanctions imposed over the weapons programme, North Korea made progress in areas like fabrics, shoes and tractors, Kim said.

While Kim is keen to declare his weapons programme a success, he is unlikely to completely end his contentious testing regime, said Scott LaFoy, a ballistic missile analyst at the website NK Pro, which monitors North Korea.

&quot;I&#39;m still very skeptical of the &#39;complete&#39; thing they&#39;ve been talking about, if only because we&#39;ve seen so much activity in regards to the submarine launched ballistic missile programme,&quot; he said. &quot;I think a slowdown (in testing) is very realistic, though.&quot;

Kim seems likely to tone down his weapons testing at least ahead of the Olympics, said Nam Sung-wook, a North Korea expert at Korea University in Seoul.

&quot;What North Korea is most afraid of is being forgotten in the international arena,&quot; he said. &quot;Without launching missiles and conducting a nuclear test, North Korea will be in the spotlight just by attending the Winter Olympics.&quot;

Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at Washington&#39;s conservative Center for the National Interest, said that if North Korea did participate in the Olympics, there could be a lull in tensions, but only a brief one.

&quot;As we move into the spring, Pyongyang will once again test all different types of missiles and weapons,&quot; he said.

Kim used his televised New Year's Day speech to declare North Korea 'a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power' and call for lower military tensions and improved ties with the South

Kim Jong Un on Monday warned the United States he has a "nuclear button" on his desk ready for use if North Korea is threatened, but offered an olive branch to South Korea, saying he was "open to dialogue" with Seoul. After a year dominated by fiery rhetoric and escalating tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, Kim used his televised New Year's Day speech to declare North Korea "a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power" and call for lower military tensions and improved ties with the South. "When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment," Kim said. "Both the North and the South should make efforts." Kim said he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February × Kim said he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February. "North Korea's participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to showcase the national pride and we wish the Games will be a success. Officials from the two Koreas may urgently meet to discuss the possibility," Kim said. South Korea said it welcomed Kim's offer to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Games and hold talks with the South to discuss possible participation. "We have always stated our willingness to talk with North Korea anytime and anywhere if that would help restore inter-Korean relations and lead to peace on the Korean peninsula," a spokesman for the presidential Blue House said. "We hope the two Koreas will sit down and find a solution to lower tensions and establish peace on the Korean peninsula." Lee Hee-beom, president of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee, said the organisation welcomed North Korean participation. "The (organising committee) will discuss relevant matters with the South Korean government as well as the International Olympic Committee," he said in a statement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said North Korea's participation will ensure the safety of the Pyeongchang Olympics and proposed last month that Seoul and Washington postpone large military drills that the North denounces as a rehearsal for war until after the Games. US-based experts saw Kim's speech as a clear attempt to divide South Korea from its main ally, the United States, which has led an international campaign to pressure North Korea to give up weapons programs aimed at developing nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Asked by reporters to comment on Kim's speech, US President Donald Trump simply said, "we'll see, we'll see", as he walked into New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago, his elite resort in Florida. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kim’s New Year’s address. "This speech pokes at the fissure that has lain below the surface in US-South Korean relations, and seems designed to drive a wedge there," said Douglas Paal, a former senior U.S. diplomat who heads the Asia program at Washington’s Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Seoul's President Moon needs a successful Olympics and the US drive to increase pressure fits poorly with the Southern agenda." Evans Revere, another former senior US diplomat who has taken part in unofficial talks with North Korean officials this year, said North Korea was likely to try to extract concessions as a “price” for Olympics participation. "It’s hard to imagine Seoul falling for this," he said, adding that Seoul and Washington had so far stayed in synch in the pressure and isolation campaign. Revere said Kim Jong UN’s speech contained the strongest defense of North Korea's status as a permanently nuclear-armed country he had seen. "Implicit in Kim Jong UN’s speech is a willingness to engage with others, including the United States, on the basis of their acceptance of the 'reality' of North Korea’s permanent nuclear status. That’s not a basis on which the United States is prepared to engage," he said. Moon took office in May last year pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue and restore ties strained after nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South. But North Korea has so far snubbed his overtures, including an offer to hold inter-Korean military talks about ceasing hostile activities along the border, as it tested missiles at an unprecedented pace. Rather than encouraging US measures that "threaten the security and peace of the Korean peninsula," Seoul should instead respond to overtures from the North, and "stop nuclear war exercises with foreign forces," Kim said. North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September in defiance of international warnings and sanctions, raising fears of a new conflict on the Korean peninsula. After North Korea tested its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November, which it said was capable of delivering a warhead to anywhere in the United States, Kim declared his nuclear force complete. He continued that theme in his New Year's address, announcing that North Korea would focus in the coming year on "mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment". This, Kim said, was "irreversible with any force", making it impossible for the United States to start a war against North Korea. "The whole territory of the US is within the range of our nuclear strike and a nuclear button is always on the desk of my office and this is just a reality, not a threat," he said, while emphasising that the weapons would only be used if North Korea is threatened. Kim's customary New Year’s speech is closely watched for indications of the policy direction the unpredictable and reclusive leader is likely to pursue in the coming year. Beyond listing military accomplishments, Kim also outlined economic gains as part of his two-pronged policy of developing his country's economy and military. Despite increased international sanctions imposed over the weapons programme, North Korea made progress in areas like fabrics, shoes and tractors, Kim said. While Kim is keen to declare his weapons programme a success, he is unlikely to completely end his contentious testing regime, said Scott LaFoy, a ballistic missile analyst at the website NK Pro, which monitors North Korea. "I'm still very skeptical of the 'complete' thing they've been talking about, if only because we've seen so much activity in regards to the submarine launched ballistic missile programme," he said. "I think a slowdown (in testing) is very realistic, though." Kim seems likely to tone down his weapons testing at least ahead of the Olympics, said Nam Sung-wook, a North Korea expert at Korea University in Seoul. "What North Korea is most afraid of is being forgotten in the international arena," he said. "Without launching missiles and conducting a nuclear test, North Korea will be in the spotlight just by attending the Winter Olympics." Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at Washington's conservative Center for the National Interest, said that if North Korea did participate in the Olympics, there could be a lull in tensions, but only a brief one. "As we move into the spring, Pyongyang will once again test all different types of missiles and weapons," he said.

North Korea's Kim says 'open to dialogue' with South Korea, will use nukes only if threatened

South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday.

The seizure was the second to be revealed by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

The ship, KOTI, was seized at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port, the official told Reuters, without elaborating, due to the sensitivity of the issue. The port is on the west coast, south of Incheon.

A marine official also confirmed the seizure, which he said was done &quot;recently&quot;.

The KOTI&#39;s estimated time of arrival at the port was December 19, according to VesselFinder Ltd., a tracking service provider,

The ship can carry 5,100 tonnes of oil and has a crew mostly from China and Myanmar, Yonhap News Agency reported, adding that South Korea&#39;s intelligence and customs officials are conducting a joint probe into the vessel.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the probe, declining to provide details.

&quot;The government has been in close consultations with related countries and ministries to thoroughly implement the sanctions by the U.N. Security Council,&quot; the spokesman said.

PROPOSED BLACKLISTING

On Friday, South Korea said that in late November it seized the Hong Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore, which is suspected of transferring as much as 600 tons of oil to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2.

The U.N. Security Council last month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil.

The United States has also proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships for transporting banned items from North Korea, according to documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The Lighthouse Winmore is one of the 10 ships proposed to be blacklisted. The KOTI does not seem to be included on the list.

On Thursday, China blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six foreign-flagged ships, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry, responding to a question from Reuters on the blocking, said Beijing always fully and strictly implemented Security Council resolutions.

&quot;At the same time, any measures taken by the Security Council must have a basis in conclusive and actual proof. China will continue to participate in the work of the relevant Security Council sanctions committee on this principle,&quot; it said in a short statement, without elaborating.

China also denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in defiance of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation.

Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, breaching U.N. sanctions, sources told Reuters.

South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday

South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday. The seizure was the second to be revealed by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests. The ship, KOTI, was seized at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port, the official told Reuters, without elaborating, due to the sensitivity of the issue. The port is on the west coast, south of Incheon. A marine official also confirmed the seizure, which he said was done "recently". The KOTI's estimated time of arrival at the port was December 19, according to VesselFinder Ltd., a tracking service provider, The ship can carry 5,100 tonnes of oil and has a crew mostly from China and Myanmar, Yonhap News Agency reported, adding that South Korea's intelligence and customs officials are conducting a joint probe into the vessel. A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the probe, declining to provide details. "The government has been in close consultations with related countries and ministries to thoroughly implement the sanctions by the U.N. Security Council," the spokesman said. PROPOSED BLACKLISTING On Friday, South Korea said that in late November it seized the Hong Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore, which is suspected of transferring as much as 600 tons of oil to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2. The U.N. Security Council last month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil. The United States has also proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships for transporting banned items from North Korea, according to documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The Lighthouse Winmore is one of the 10 ships proposed to be blacklisted. The KOTI does not seem to be included on the list. On Thursday, China blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six foreign-flagged ships, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said. China's Foreign Ministry, responding to a question from Reuters on the blocking, said Beijing always fully and strictly implemented Security Council resolutions. "At the same time, any measures taken by the Security Council must have a basis in conclusive and actual proof. China will continue to participate in the work of the relevant Security Council sanctions committee on this principle," it said in a short statement, without elaborating. China also denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in defiance of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation. Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, breaching U.N. sanctions, sources told Reuters.

South Korea seizes second ship suspected of providing oil to North Korea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-seizes-second-ship-suspected-of-providing-oil-to-north-korea-28181">South Korea seizes&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-seizes-second-ship-suspected-of-providing-oil-to-north-korea-28181">second</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-seizes-second-ship-suspected-of-providing-oil-to-north-korea-28181"> ship suspected of providing oil to North Korea</a>

South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/muslim-women-can-travel-for-haj-without-male-guardian-prime-minister-modi-28167">Muslim women can travel </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/muslim-women-can-travel-for-haj-without-male-guardian-prime-minister-modi-28167">for</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/muslim-women-can-travel-for-haj-without-male-guardian-prime-minister-modi-28167"> Haj without male guardian: Prime Minister Modi</a>

Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as &quot;injustice&quot;, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/have-been-assured-that-i-will-be-given-suitable-departments-nitin-patel-28155">Have been assured that I will be given suitable departments: Nitin Patel as he takes charge</a>

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel today said he had been assured by BJP chief Amit Shah that he would be given &quot;suitable departments&quot; in the newly-appointed government in the state.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amitabh-bachchan-congratulates-rajinikanth-on-his-political-debut-28172">Amitabh Bachchan congratulates Rajinikanth on his political debut</a>

As Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth announced his much-anticipated entry into politics, wishes poured in from fans and eminent personalities from all across.

Bollywood&#39;s megastar Amitabh Bachchan also congratulated his long-time friend Rajinikanth and conveyed his wishes on the start of his political journey.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-interior-minister-warns-government-will-confront-disorder-28162">Iran interior minister warns government &#39;will confront&#39; disorder</a>

Iran&#39;s interior minister warned Sunday that &quot;violence, fear and terror&quot; will be confronted after a third night of protests against the regime.

&quot;Those who damage public property, disrupt the order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price,&quot; Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television.

South Korea seizes second ship suspected of providing oil to North Korea South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday. Muslim women can travel for Haj without male guardian: Prime Minister Modi Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as "injustice", Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage. Have been assured that I will be given suitable departments: Nitin Patel as he takes charge Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel today said he had been assured by BJP chief Amit Shah that he would be given "suitable departments" in the newly-appointed government in the state. Amitabh Bachchan congratulates Rajinikanth on his political debut As Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth announced his much-anticipated entry into politics, wishes poured in from fans and eminent personalities from all across. Bollywood's megastar Amitabh Bachchan also congratulated his long-time friend Rajinikanth and conveyed his wishes on the start of his political journey. Iran interior minister warns government 'will confront' disorder Iran's interior minister warned Sunday that "violence, fear and terror" will be confronted after a third night of protests against the regime. "Those who damage public property, disrupt the order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price," Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television.

WION Evening News Brief, December 31, 2017

South Korea&#39;s 2015 deal with Japan over Tokyo&#39;s wartime sex slavery was &quot;seriously flawed&quot;, President Moon Jae-In said on Thursday, telling officials to re-examine the controversial agreement.

The issue of women forced into sexual slavery for Tokyo troops during the World War II is a hugely emotional subject that has marred ties between the South and its former colonial ruler, Japan.

Moon&#39;s comments came a day after Seoul&#39;s foreign ministry said the deal -- which was pushed and endorsed by his predecessor, Park Geun-Hye -- was faulty and had &quot;failed to reflect the victims&#39; views&quot;.

The unpopular agreement was meant to end the decades-long dispute with a Japanese apology and a total of 1 billion yen ($8.8 million) payment of money to survivors.

But it sparked anger among some survivors seeking an explicit apology from the Japanese government for the wartime abuses.&nbsp;

Following Moon&#39;s decision to order a review of the deal after being elected to office this year, a task force published a report Wednesday saying the agreement was rushed and did not do enough to seek out the opinions of the victims, often known by the euphemism &quot;comfort women&quot;.

&quot;It has been confirmed that the 2015 deal...was seriously flawed,&quot; Moon said in a statement released on Thursday.&nbsp;

&quot;Although the 2015 deal was an official agreement endorsed by the leaders of both countries, I&#39;d like to make it clear that the deal cannot solve this issue of &#39;comfort women,&#39;&quot; he said.

The latest revelation by the task force is &quot;regrettable but unavoidable,&quot; Moon said, telling officials to &quot;come up with follow-up measures at the earliest date&quot; without elaborating further.&nbsp;

It is unclear whether Seoul will call for renegotiations or walk away from the deal.&nbsp;

Tokyo has urged Seoul to stick with the 2015 agreement.&nbsp;

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to become sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the war.&nbsp;

The Japanese government denies it is directly responsible for the abuses, insisting that &quot;comfort women&quot; were recruited by civilians and that the army brothels were commercially operated.&nbsp;

Despite the 2015 agreement, ties between the two neighbours remain tense over statues which South Korean activists positioned outside Japanese diplomatic missions in memory of victims.&nbsp;

The issue of women forced into sexual slavery for Tokyo troops during the World War II is a hugely emotional subject that has marred ties between the South and its former colonial ruler, Japan

South Korea's 2015 deal with Japan over Tokyo's wartime sex slavery was "seriously flawed", President Moon Jae-In said on Thursday, telling officials to re-examine the controversial agreement. The issue of women forced into sexual slavery for Tokyo troops during the World War II is a hugely emotional subject that has marred ties between the South and its former colonial ruler, Japan. Moon's comments came a day after Seoul's foreign ministry said the deal -- which was pushed and endorsed by his predecessor, Park Geun-Hye -- was faulty and had "failed to reflect the victims' views". The unpopular agreement was meant to end the decades-long dispute with a Japanese apology and a total of 1 billion yen ($8.8 million) payment of money to survivors. But it sparked anger among some survivors seeking an explicit apology from the Japanese government for the wartime abuses. Following Moon's decision to order a review of the deal after being elected to office this year, a task force published a report Wednesday saying the agreement was rushed and did not do enough to seek out the opinions of the victims, often known by the euphemism "comfort women". "It has been confirmed that the 2015 deal...was seriously flawed," Moon said in a statement released on Thursday. "Although the 2015 deal was an official agreement endorsed by the leaders of both countries, I'd like to make it clear that the deal cannot solve this issue of 'comfort women,'" he said. The latest revelation by the task force is "regrettable but unavoidable," Moon said, telling officials to "come up with follow-up measures at the earliest date" without elaborating further. It is unclear whether Seoul will call for renegotiations or walk away from the deal. Tokyo has urged Seoul to stick with the 2015 agreement. Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to become sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the war. The Japanese government denies it is directly responsible for the abuses, insisting that "comfort women" were recruited by civilians and that the army brothels were commercially operated. Despite the 2015 agreement, ties between the two neighbours remain tense over statues which South Korean activists positioned outside Japanese diplomatic missions in memory of victims.

South Korea's Moon says 'comfort women' deal seriously flawed

At least 29 people were killed and 26 injured Thursday in a major blaze at a fitness centre building in the South Korean city of Jecheon, officials said, in one of the country&#39;s deadliest fire disasters.

The fire broke out around 4:00pm local time (0700 GMT) and quickly engulfed the entire eight-storey building, leaving many trapped inside. &nbsp;

Twenty victims were found at a public sauna and others elsewhere in the building that houses a fitness centre, public bath and restaurants, the National Fire Agency said.&nbsp;

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&quot;The fire produced so much toxic smoke so quickly, leaving many people unable to evacuate,&quot; an agency spokesman said.

Many victims appeared to been unaware of the fire raging outside the bathhouse until it became impossible to flee, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The death toll may rise further as firefighters continue to search the building, the spokesman said.&nbsp;

Television footage showed the building consumed by orange flames and issuing dark plumes of smoke, as several people stood waiting to be rescued from an outdoor terrace.

Some were seen jumping from the building onto air mattresses laid out on the ground as dozens of fire trucks and more than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene.&nbsp;

The blaze -- believed to have started in a parking lot on the first floor -- has been mostly put out, the fire agency said.

Jecheon is in central South Korea, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) southeast of the capital Seoul.&nbsp;

The disaster forced organisers of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to cancel a planned torch relay event at the city on Friday, Yonhap news agency said, citing the organisers.&nbsp;

&quot;We decided to cancel the event to mourn the victims,&quot; an unnamed official at the organising committee was quoted as saying. &nbsp;

The fire is South Korea&#39;s worst since 2008 when a blaze at a warehouse in the city of Icheon killed 40 workers. &nbsp;

President Moon Jae-In expressed regret over the accident and urged officials to make &quot;utmost efforts&quot; for rescue and search operations, his office said.&nbsp;

The worst fire ever to hit modern South Korea was an arson attack on a subway station in the southeastern city of Daegu that left 192 people dead and nearly 150 injured in 2003. &nbsp;

The fire broke out around 4 pm local time and quickly engulfed the entire eight-storey building

At least 29 people were killed and 26 injured Thursday in a major blaze at a fitness centre building in the South Korean city of Jecheon, officials said, in one of the country's deadliest fire disasters. The fire broke out around 4:00pm local time (0700 GMT) and quickly engulfed the entire eight-storey building, leaving many trapped inside. Twenty victims were found at a public sauna and others elsewhere in the building that houses a fitness centre, public bath and restaurants, the National Fire Agency said. Some were seen jumping from the building onto air mattresses laid out on the ground as dozens of fire trucks and more than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene × "The fire produced so much toxic smoke so quickly, leaving many people unable to evacuate," an agency spokesman said. Many victims appeared to been unaware of the fire raging outside the bathhouse until it became impossible to flee, he added. The death toll may rise further as firefighters continue to search the building, the spokesman said. Television footage showed the building consumed by orange flames and issuing dark plumes of smoke, as several people stood waiting to be rescued from an outdoor terrace. Some were seen jumping from the building onto air mattresses laid out on the ground as dozens of fire trucks and more than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene. The blaze -- believed to have started in a parking lot on the first floor -- has been mostly put out, the fire agency said. Jecheon is in central South Korea, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) southeast of the capital Seoul. The disaster forced organisers of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to cancel a planned torch relay event at the city on Friday, Yonhap news agency said, citing the organisers. "We decided to cancel the event to mourn the victims," an unnamed official at the organising committee was quoted as saying. The fire is South Korea's worst since 2008 when a blaze at a warehouse in the city of Icheon killed 40 workers. President Moon Jae-In expressed regret over the accident and urged officials to make "utmost efforts" for rescue and search operations, his office said. The worst fire ever to hit modern South Korea was an arson attack on a subway station in the southeastern city of Daegu that left 192 people dead and nearly 150 injured in 2003.

29 dead in fitness centre blaze in South Korea: Fire service

As a North Korean soldier crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) today, South Korean soldiers fired around 20 warning shots as troops approached the border, the South Korean defence ministry said.

The Northern border guards appeared to be searching for the man, who had earlier crossed the DMZ under thick fog, a ministry spokesman told AFP.

Just a month<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-defector-was-shot-six-times-by-border-troops-unc-24148">&nbsp;after&nbsp;a North Korean soldier defected</a> to South Korea, another soldier from Kim&#39;s regime crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) today.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-defector-in-serious-condition-from-gunshot-wounds-24312"> South Korean defence ministry</a> said a &quot;low ranking&quot; soldier had crossed over to the central part of DMZ.

Last month, a North Korean soldier also reported to be a &quot;low ranking soldier&quot; had crossed the border and had entered South Korean territory with multiple gunshot wounds as he dashed across the border at Panmunjom even as the North Korean border guards fired at him.

The soldier was found collapsed and bleeding by South Korean troops and was rushed to the hospital.

The doctors later said he had received at least six gunshot wounds. He is since reported to be out of danger but is still recovering at a hospital in Seoul.

Last month, a North Korean soldier also reported to be a "low ranking soldier" had crossed the border and had entered South Korean territory

As a North Korean soldier crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) today, South Korean soldiers fired around 20 warning shots as troops approached the border, the South Korean defence ministry said. The Northern border guards appeared to be searching for the man, who had earlier crossed the DMZ under thick fog, a ministry spokesman told AFP. Just a month after a North Korean soldier defected to South Korea, another soldier from Kim's regime crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) today. The South Korean defence ministry said a "low ranking" soldier had crossed over to the central part of DMZ. Last month, a North Korean soldier also reported to be a "low ranking soldier" had crossed the border and had entered South Korean territory with multiple gunshot wounds as he dashed across the border at Panmunjom even as the North Korean border guards fired at him. The soldier was found collapsed and bleeding by South Korean troops and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors later said he had received at least six gunshot wounds. He is since reported to be out of danger but is still recovering at a hospital in Seoul.

South Korean army fires warning shots after North Korean soldier defects across DMZ

South Korea&#39;s coast guard said it fired 249 warning shots over a group of Chinese fishing boats &quot;swarming around&quot; one of its patrol ships in South Korean waters, prompting a call for restraint from Beijing.&nbsp;

South Korean coast guard vessels regularly chase Chinese boats suspected of fishing illegally in South Korean waters, at times sparking violent confrontations, complicating a relationship which is key to efforts to try to rein in North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile programmes.

A fleet of 44 Chinese fishing boats fortified with iron bars and steel mesh on Tuesday began to rush the patrol boat which broadcast warnings to steer clear, the coast guard said.&nbsp;The coast guard vessel fired 249 shots over the boats until they retreated.

&quot;The Chinese fishing boats sought to swarm around and collide with our patrol ship, ignoring the broadcast warnings&quot;, the coast guard said in a statement.&nbsp;China, which has in the past lodged diplomatic protests with South Korea over the use of force by its coast guard, expressed &quot;serious concern&quot; about the reports.

&quot;We hope that South Korea appropriately handles the relevant issue and in the course of law enforcement takes no extreme actions that endanger people&#39;s safety&quot;, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.&nbsp;

Seoul&#39;s foreign ministry said the coast guard followed the domestic law in its use of weapons in a &quot;legitimate step&quot; against the boats which made a &quot;mass violation of the country&#39;s waters for illegal fishing&quot;.&nbsp;

In September last year, three Chinese fishermen were killed in a fire on their boat when a South Korean coast guard crew trying to apprehend them for illegal fishing threw flash grenades into a room where they were hiding, according to the South Korean coast guard.

A month later, two Chinese fishing boats illegally fishing in South Korean waters crashed into and sank a coast guard vessel, the coast guard officials said.

South Korean coast guard vessels regularly chase Chinese boats suspected of fishing illegally in South Korean waters, at times sparking violent confrontations

South Korea's coast guard said it fired 249 warning shots over a group of Chinese fishing boats "swarming around" one of its patrol ships in South Korean waters, prompting a call for restraint from Beijing. South Korean coast guard vessels regularly chase Chinese boats suspected of fishing illegally in South Korean waters, at times sparking violent confrontations, complicating a relationship which is key to efforts to try to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. A fleet of 44 Chinese fishing boats fortified with iron bars and steel mesh on Tuesday began to rush the patrol boat which broadcast warnings to steer clear, the coast guard said. The coast guard vessel fired 249 shots over the boats until they retreated. "The Chinese fishing boats sought to swarm around and collide with our patrol ship, ignoring the broadcast warnings", the coast guard said in a statement. China, which has in the past lodged diplomatic protests with South Korea over the use of force by its coast guard, expressed "serious concern" about the reports. "We hope that South Korea appropriately handles the relevant issue and in the course of law enforcement takes no extreme actions that endanger people's safety", foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing. Seoul's foreign ministry said the coast guard followed the domestic law in its use of weapons in a "legitimate step" against the boats which made a "mass violation of the country's waters for illegal fishing". In September last year, three Chinese fishermen were killed in a fire on their boat when a South Korean coast guard crew trying to apprehend them for illegal fishing threw flash grenades into a room where they were hiding, according to the South Korean coast guard. A month later, two Chinese fishing boats illegally fishing in South Korean waters crashed into and sank a coast guard vessel, the coast guard officials said.

South Korea 'fired 249 warning shots' to fend off Chinese fishing boats

Japan and South Korea urged China to do more to &quot;pressure&quot; North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programmes, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Tuesday, as tension builds amid a standoff between North Korea and the United States.

North Korea has boasted of developing a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching the mainland United States in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and international condemnation, including from its lone major ally, China.

&quot;China is currently implementing the United Nations Security Council resolutions (on North Korea), but China can probably do more&quot;, Kono said after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.&nbsp;&quot;We agreed on the need to put pressure firmly on North Korea&quot;.

The US Navy&#39;s top officer said on Tuesday said that vessels from eastern Pacific could be brought forward to reinforce US naval power in Asia as Washington contends with increased threats in the region.

North Korea has defended its weapons programmes as necessary to counter US aggression and sees the military drills the United States holds with South Korea and Japan as preludes to invasion.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged bellicose rhetoric in recent weeks, with Trump threatening to destroy North Korea if provoked, while US diplomats have stressed the importance of diplomacy.

Trump on Monday unveiled a new national security strategy, again saying Washington had to deal with the challenge posed by North Korea&#39;s weapons programmes.&nbsp;

Japan and South Korea are seeking to boost cooperation over North Korea, despite lingering tension between them over the issue of &quot;comfort women&quot;, a Japanese euphemism for women - many of them Korean - forced to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War Two.

The United States has also pressured China and other nations to cut trade and diplomatic ties with North Korea as part of international efforts to dry up Pyongyang&#39;s illegal cash flows that could fund its weapons programmes.

North Korea has defended its weapons programmes as necessary to counter US aggression

Japan and South Korea urged China to do more to "pressure" North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programmes, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Tuesday, as tension builds amid a standoff between North Korea and the United States. North Korea has boasted of developing a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching the mainland United States in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and international condemnation, including from its lone major ally, China. "China is currently implementing the United Nations Security Council resolutions (on North Korea), but China can probably do more", Kono said after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. "We agreed on the need to put pressure firmly on North Korea". The US Navy's top officer said on Tuesday said that vessels from eastern Pacific could be brought forward to reinforce US naval power in Asia as Washington contends with increased threats in the region. North Korea has defended its weapons programmes as necessary to counter US aggression and sees the military drills the United States holds with South Korea and Japan as preludes to invasion. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged bellicose rhetoric in recent weeks, with Trump threatening to destroy North Korea if provoked, while US diplomats have stressed the importance of diplomacy. Trump on Monday unveiled a new national security strategy, again saying Washington had to deal with the challenge posed by North Korea's weapons programmes. Japan and South Korea are seeking to boost cooperation over North Korea, despite lingering tension between them over the issue of "comfort women", a Japanese euphemism for women - many of them Korean - forced to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War Two. The United States has also pressured China and other nations to cut trade and diplomatic ties with North Korea as part of international efforts to dry up Pyongyang's illegal cash flows that could fund its weapons programmes.

Japan and South Korea urge China to do more to 'pressure' North Korea

Hwang Pyong-so, a key member of Kim Jong-un&#39;s inner circle and touted as a powerful military figure, has mysteriously vanished from public life.

The vice marshal, who held the most senior position in North Korea&#39;s military, hasn&#39;t been seen in public since October 13.

This has subsequently sparked rumours that he was executed by a North Korean death squad after allegations of bribery, the local media reported.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea&#39;s spy agency reported Hwang and his deputy, Kim Won-hong, were expelled from the military&#39;s General Politico Bureau and &quot;punished.&quot;

The agency added it was looking into details about their punishment.

The news agency reported that Kim Won-hong was sentenced to one of North Korea&#39;s prison camps.

As for Hwang, reports said that Jong-un has indeed killed him.

Kim has previously killed his enemies via a variety of gruesome methods, including shooting them with anti-aircraft weaponry at a close distance and feeding them to a pack of ravenous dogs.

Hwang Pyong-so, a key member of Kim Jong-un's inner circle has mysteriously vanished from public life

Hwang Pyong-so, a key member of Kim Jong-un's inner circle and touted as a powerful military figure, has mysteriously vanished from public life. The vice marshal, who held the most senior position in North Korea's military, hasn't been seen in public since October 13. This has subsequently sparked rumours that he was executed by a North Korean death squad after allegations of bribery, the local media reported. According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's spy agency reported Hwang and his deputy, Kim Won-hong, were expelled from the military's General Politico Bureau and "punished." The agency added it was looking into details about their punishment. The news agency reported that Kim Won-hong was sentenced to one of North Korea's prison camps. As for Hwang, reports said that Jong-un has indeed killed him. Kim has previously killed his enemies via a variety of gruesome methods, including shooting them with anti-aircraft weaponry at a close distance and feeding them to a pack of ravenous dogs.

Kim Jong-un's top aide executed by North Korean death squad: Reports

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