In Focus: Six Nations, Donald Trump, and Gaza. Subscribe to the Feelgood Season, Explanations, and Video Puzzles. Weather Homepage – World North Korea’s Kim criticizes the US-South Korea-Japan partnership. North Korea’s Kim criticizes the US-South Korea-Japan partnership. FILE – On October 6, 2024, the North Korean government provided an undated photo of its leader, Kim Jong Un, visiting an artillery exercise at an undisclosed site in North Korea. Sunday, 9 February 2025 – 03:49 Hyung-jin Kim (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned that the United States’ enhanced security cooperation with South Korea and Japan poses a grave threat to his country and has committed to strengthen nuclear weapons development, according to state media. Mr. Kim has already given similar warnings.

“Referring to a series of new plans for rapidly bolstering all deterrence including nuclear forces, he clarified once again the unshakable policy of more highly developing the nuclear forces,” according to KCNA. Mr Kim has focused on expanding and modernizing his nuclear arsenal in recent years, as negotiation with the US and South Korea has faltered.

During a Fox News interview on January 23, Mr Trump described Mr Kim as “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot”. When asked if he would contact Mr Kim again, Mr Trump responded, “I will, yeah.” Mr Trump met with Mr Kim three times in 2018-19 to discuss how to put a stop to North Korea’s nuclear program, in what was the first summit between US and North Korean leaders. The high-stakes diplomacy ultimately failed when Mr Trump rejected Mr Kim’s offer to demolish his main nuclear complex, a partial denuclearisation step, in exchange for broad sanctions relief. North Korea has not replied directly to Mr Trump’s recent approach, as it continues to conduct missile tests and use hostile language against the United States.

During a Fox News interview on January 23, Mr Trump described Mr Kim as “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot”. When asked if he would contact Mr Kim again, Mr Trump responded, “I will, yeah.” Mr Trump met with Mr Kim three times in 2018-19 to discuss how to put a stop to North Korea’s nuclear program, in what was the first summit between US and North Korean leaders. The high-stakes diplomacy ultimately failed when Mr Trump rejected Mr Kim’s offer to demolish his main nuclear complex, a partial denuclearisation step, in exchange for broad sanctions relief. North Korea has not replied directly to Mr Trump’s recent approach, as it continues to conduct missile tests and use hostile language against the United States.

Mr Kim repeated in his Saturday speech that North Korea “will invariably support and encourage the just cause of the Russian army and people to defend their sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity”. Mr Kim accused the US of being behind “the war machine that is escalating the tragic situation in Ukraine.” Some in South Korea are concerned that Mr Trump may forgo the international community’s long-standing aim of complete nuclear disarmament of North Korea in order to score a diplomatic victory. However, a joint statement published by Mr Trump and Mr Ishiba following their summit declared that the two leaders reiterated “their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of the DPRK,” an acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

FILE – In this undated photo provided Oct. 6, 2024, by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un, center, visits an artillery exercise at an undisclosed place in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)