CHENGDU (AFP) -- China hosted the leaders of squabbling neighbours South Korea and Japan for their first official meeting in over a year on Tuesday, flexing its diplomatic muscle with America's two key Asian allies and seeking unity on how to deal with a belligerent North Korea.The gathering in the southwestern city of Chengdu was held with the clock ticking on a threatened "Christmas gift" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that could reignite global tensions over its nuclear progra

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will "deal with it very successfully" regardless of what North Korea sends as its threatened "Christmas gift."Concerns are mounting that North Korea could test a long-range missile in the coming days in protest of stalled denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang.Asked about the North's warning of an unwanted "Christmas gift," Trump said, "That's okay. We'll find out what

North Korea's state media slammed Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono on Tuesday for his criticism of the North's weapons tests, which it said were aimed at enhancing the country's "self-defense" capability. Kono criticized North Korea last week over a series of weapons tests since May, saying the presumed launches of ballistic missiles represent an "imminent threat" to the security of Japan. North Korea has said that those tests were intended to improve its self-de

SEOUL (AP) -- A new satellite image of a factory where North Korea makes military equipment used to launch long-range missiles shows the construction of a new structure.The release of several images from Planet Labs comes amid concern that North Korea could launch a rocket or missile as it seeks concessions in stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.North Korea has warned that what "Christmas gift" it gives the US depends on what action Washington takes. One of the sat

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump's policy on North Korea is "failing" and the communist nation poses an imminent threat to American troops and allies, one of his former national security advisers said Monday.John Bolton, who worked for Trump until September, made the remark in a tweet as tensions have risen over North Korea's threat to send an unwelcome "Christmas gift" to the United States in protest of their stalled denuclearization talks. "We say that it's unac

South Korea will provide some 2 billion won ($1.72 million) to the Korean Red Cross to help North Korean villages still reeling from the aftermath of typhoons that lashed the impoverished nation last summer, the unification ministry said Monday.The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council approved the expenditure plan to provide the money to help North Korea repair typhoon-hit facilities in Pyongan and Hamgyong provinces and conduct drills to beef up North Koreans' disaster prepar

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a meeting of the top military decision-making body to accelerate the development of self-defense capabilities ahead of key events that will decide its national strategy, its state media reported Sunday. Discussions on ways to bolster its military capabilities through organizational restructuring and personnel reshuffle were highlighted during the third expanded meeting of the seventh central military commission of the ruling Workers’ Party. Det

BEIJING (Reuters) -- The spectre of new confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington hangs over meetings between China, Japan and South Korea this week, with growing risks North Korean actions could end an uneasy detente and upend recent diplomatic efforts.South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping separately on Monday. They will then travel to the south western city of Chengdu for a trilateral meeting with C

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party and discussed "important organizational and political measures and military steps to bolster up" the armed fores, state media said Sunday.The meeting was held amid heightened tensions with the United States with Pyongyang threatening to seek a "new way" unless Washington comes up with a acceptable proposal in their nuclear negotiations by end of th

The North Korean foreign ministry on Saturday denounced a US official's remarks on its human rights conditions, which it claimed came at a time when Pyongyang-Washington relations "are reaching a highly delicate point.""Such malicious words which came at this time when the DPRK-US relations are reaching a highly delicate point will only produce a result of further aggravating the already tense situation on the Korean peninsula, like pouring oil over burning fire," the ministr

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun returned to Washington on Friday after a dayslong trip to South Korea, Japan and China, suggesting he remains open to meeting with North Korean officials to discuss the country's denuclearization.Biegun arrived at Dulles International Airport on a flight from Beijing after what would have been an impromptu meeting with the North Koreans apparently did not materialize.The special representative traveled to the region as tensions have risen

US President Donald Trump said Friday he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the two countries' trade deal and North Korea.In a tweet, he said they had a "very good talk ... concerning our giant Trade Deal," referring to the interim agreement the two countries reached last week to halt additional tariffs on Chinese goods and require more Chinese purchases of US farm and other products.It was unclear, however, what they discussed regarding North Korea."China has already s

North Korea ranked No. 3 in the rate of deaths related to air pollution, according to a new report Friday.Radio Free Asia said North Korea recorded 202 pollution-related deaths per 100,000 population, in a report “Pollution and Health Metrics” released on Wednesday by Global Alliance on Health and Pollution. The communist country was ranked behind Chad and Central African Republic, which stood at 287 and 251 deaths per 100,000, respectively. In North Korea, 51,391 died due to polluti

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may announce the suspension of nuclear talks with the United States when he delivers his New Year's Day address or holds a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party later this month, an expert said Friday.Sung Ki-young, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy made the remarks during a North Korea forum organized for foreign diplomats amid heightened concerns Kim could put his threat to take a "new way" into action.The North's l

The unification ministry on Friday rejected as "fake news" allegations that the two North Korean fishermen deported from South Korea last month were brokers helping North Koreans fleeing the communist nation.The two fishermen in their 20s were sent back to the North last month, five days after they were captured near the eastern inter-Korean sea border. After an inter-agency investigation, the South Korean government concluded that they killed the captain of their boat and 15 fellow cr