In big shift, Pres. Trump assesses Kim Jong Un as 'very open, very honorable'
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Kim Jong Un wants a historic, high-stakes meeting as soon as possible and suggested the North Korean dictator has been "very open" and "very honorable," a sharply different assessment of a leader he once denounced as "Little Rocket Man."The United States and North Korea have been negotiating a summit between President Trump and Kim to be held in May or June to broker a deal on Pyongyang's nuclear program.
President Trump says North Korea agreed to denuclearize: It hasn't
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea has agreed to "denuclearization" before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un.
North Korea tells US that Kim Jong Un ready to discuss nukes
WASHINGTON — North Korea's government has communicated with the United States to say that leader Kim Jong Un is ready to discuss his nuclear weapons program with President Donald Trump, officials said Sunday, increasing the likelihood that the unprecedented summit will actually occur.The confirmation from Pyongyang directly, rather than from third countries like South Korea, has created more confidence within President Trump's administration about the wisdom of holding such a meeting, as U.S. officials make secretive preparations.
Rival Korean leaders to meet April 27 in historic summit
PAJU, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced Thursday, for a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve the decades-long standoff over the North's nuclear program.The announcement was made after officials of the two countries met at the border village of Panmunjom.
Calm before the storm? North Korea still mum on Pres. Trump summit
TOKYO — News of the planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent shockwaves around the globe.
US officials: No more conditions imposed on North Korea for talks
NORTH KOREA -- Trump administration officials said Sunday there will be no more conditions imposed on North Korea before a first-ever meeting of the two nation's leaders beyond the North's promise not to resume nuclear testing and missile flights or publicly criticize U.S.-South Korean military exercises.The officials' comments followed the surprise announcement last week that President Donald Trump has agreed to meet the North's Kim Jong Un by May."This potential meeting has been agreed to, there are no additional conditions being stipulated, but, again they — they cannot engage in missile testing, they cannot engage in nuclear testing and they can't publicly object to the U.S.-South Korea planned military exercises," deputy White House spokesman Raj Shah said.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the summit would give President Trump a chance "to sit down and see if he can cut a deal" with Kim over the North's nuclear program. "The president has been very clear in what the objective is here.
President Trump believes North Korea will keep word on missile tests
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes North Korea will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests while he prepares for a summit by May with the North's leader, Kim Jong Un.President Trump noted in a tweet that North Korea has refrained from such tests since November and said Kim "has promised not to do so through our meetings.""I believe they will honor that commitment," the president wrote.The president continued the optimistic tone Saturday night when he led a rally for the Republican candidate in a special House race in western Pennsylvania.
Ivanka Trump to push for 'maximum pressure' on North Korea
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter toured the 2018 Winter Olympics on Saturday, the morning after telling South Korea's president that she will use her visit to the Pyeongchang Games to advocate maximum pressure on North Korea to halt its nuclear program.Ivanka Trump, who is one of her father's close advisers, is leading the U.S. delegation at this weekend's closing ceremony for the Pyeongchang Games.
After South Korea visit, VP Mike Pence insists 'no daylight' on North
ABOARD AIR FORCE TWO — Vice President Mike Pence's efforts to keep North Korea from stealing the show at the Winter Olympics proved short-lived, drowned out by images of the two Koreas marching and competing as one -- and as the South appeared to look favorably on warming ties on the Korean Peninsula, Pence insisted Saturday, Feb. 10 "there is no daylight" among the United States and allies South Korea and Japan in intensifying pressure on the North over its nuclear and missile programs.Pence spent the days leading up to the Pyeongchang Olympics warning that the North was trying to "hijack the message and imagery" of the event with its "propaganda." But the North was welcomed with open arms to what South Korean President Moon Jae-in called "Olympic games of peace."It was the U.S. that appeared to be the one left in the cold, especially after the sister of the North Korean dictator extended an invitation from her brother for Moon to visit the North.
Come visit: South Korea's leader invited to North Korea
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — A rare invitation to Pyongyang for South Korea's president marked Day Two of the North Korean Kim dynasty's southern road tour Saturday, part of an accelerating diplomatic thaw that included some Korean liquor over lunch and the shared joy of watching a "unified" Korea team play hockey at the Olympics.Nothing has been settled on any trip north by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
IOC says North Korea to have 22 athletes in 5 Olympic sports
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The IOC says 22 North Korean athletes will compete in the Pyeongchang Olympics next month and both Korean teams will march together in the opening ceremony.IOC President Thomas Bach says the North Koreans will compete in five sports disciplines, including a unified women's hockey team.The others are figure skating, short track speed skating, Alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.The North Korean delegation will include 24 coaches and officials at the Feb. 9-25 Winter Games.Bach offers "sincere thanks to the governments of North and South Korea."The agreement became possible after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said three weeks ago that a team could cross the border to compete.Bach did not take questions and was flanked by Olympic and government officials from both countries at a brief news conference.
Rival Koreas agree to form 1st unified Olympic team
SEOUL, South Korea — The rival Koreas agreed Wednesday to form their first unified Olympic team and have their athletes parade together for the first time in 11 years during the opening ceremony of next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea, officials said.The agreements still require approval from the International Olympic Committee.
Tillerson warns military action on North Korea unless diplomacy works: 'We are at a very tenuous stage'
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned Tuesday that if North Korea does not choose to negotiate on giving up its nuclear weapons that pose a growing threat to the United States it could trigger a military response.After a meeting of U.S. allies on how to beef up the sanctions pressure, Tillerson stressed that the Trump administration seeks a diplomatic resolution in the nuclear standoff, but he said the North has yet to show itself to be a "credible negotiating partner." He said U.S.-North Korea talks would require a "sustained cessation" of threatening behavior.Tillerson declined to comment on whether the White House is considering limited military action against Pyongyang, in response to reports that some in the Trump administration advocate military action to give the North a "bloody nose.""We all need to be very sober and clear-eyed about the current situation," Tillerson said when he was asked whether Americans should be concerned about the possibility of a war.
North Korea taking part in South Korean Olympics after talks
SEOUL, South Korea — The rival Koreas moved toward reducing their bitter animosity Tuesday during rare talks, with North Korea agreeing to take part in next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Seoul says both Koreas have agreed to hold talks on Tuesday
SEOUL, South Korea — The rival Koreas agreed Friday to revive their first formal dialogue in more than two years next week to find ways to cooperate on the upcoming Winter Olympics in the South, a sign of easing animosities that followed a period of rising nuclear tension that saw fears of war on the Korean Peninsula.The announcement by Seoul's Unification Ministry came hours after the United States said it has agreed to delay annual joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Winter Olympics.
North Korea reopens cross-border communications with South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reopened a key cross-border communication channel with South Korea for the first time in nearly two years Wednesday as the rivals explored the possibility of sitting down and talking after months of acrimony and fears of war.The sudden signs of easing hostilities, however, came as President Donald Trump threatened Kim with nuclear war in response to his threat earlier this week.In his New Year's address Monday, Kim said he was willing to send a delegation to next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Pres. Trump to Kim Jong Un: My nuclear button is 'much bigger' and 'more powerful'
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Tuesday taunted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warning Kim about the US' nuclear capabilities as tensions worsen between the two nations."North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" President Trump tweeted.
"Button is on my table:" Kim Jong Un says US should know North Korean nuclear force a reality
TOKYO — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat.
North Korea says it's a 'pipe dream' that it will give up nukes, calls latest UN sanctions "an act of war"
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said it is a "pipe dream" for the United States to think it will give up its nuclear weapons, and called the latest U.N. sanctions to target the country "an act of war" that violates its sovereignty.The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea on Friday in response to its latest launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang says can reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland.