US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on North Korea accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida February 11, 2017. — Reuters picWASHINGTON, Sept 3 — US President Donald Trump yesterday spoke by telephone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the escalating threats from North Korea, the White House said.

The conversation between the American and Japanese leaders came as North Korea said it had developed a more advanced thermonuclear weapon that possesses “great destructive power.”

Pyongyang said the weapon would be loaded on a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that experts believe has the range to hit much of the US.

“The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of close cooperation between the United States, Japan and South Korea in the face of the growing threat from North Korea,” the White House said in a statement. “President Trump noted that he looks forward to continued trilateral coordination on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.”

Trump spoke to Abe while flying back to Washington after visiting storm-ravaged Houston. — Reuters</s>As tensions rise over North Korea’s nuclear intentions, the United States and South Korea have agreed to strengthen Seoul's defenses. Washington will reportedly also sell billions in arms sales to the country....
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South Korea’s development of its ballistic missiles is limited to range of 800 kilometers (500 miles) and payload weight of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) under a bilateral treaty revised in 2012.

The two leaders discussed the issue as a way to boost the South’s defense against growing threat from North in a telephone call, South Korea’s Blue House said.</s>On Tuesday, N Korea fired a missile, prompting Trump to insist that 'all options were on the table' in a threat of pre-emptive action.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (left) on April 15, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea and US President Donald Trump in Washington on April 29. (Photo: AP)

Washington: The US and South Korea on Saturday vowed to strengthen their alliance through defence cooperation to fight the threats posed by North Korea with President Donald Trump giving a "conceptual approval" to sell Seoul American military equipment worth billions of dollars.

On Tuesday, North Korea fired a missile over Japan, prompting Trump to insist that "all options were on the table" in an implied threat of pre-emptive military action.

Trump in a phone call with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in discussed a coordinated response to deal with the "destabilising and escalatory behaviour" of North Korea, the White House said.

"Trump and Moon pledged to continue to apply strong diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea and to make all necessary preparations to deter and defend against the growing threat posed by North Korea," it said.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen the alliance through defence cooperation and to strengthen South Korea's defence capabilities.

"Trump provided his conceptual approval of planned purchases by South Korea of billions of dollars in American military equipment," the White House said.

In a separate call, Trump spoke with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to discuss the two countries' 25-year relationship and his recently announced South Asia strategy.

"Trump expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan's regional and global leadership, including its upcoming tenure as Chair of the United Nations Security Council in January, and congratulated President Nazarbayev on hosting the Astana Expo 2017," the White House said.

Trump also spoke with President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia.

"President Trump stressed the importance of Colombia doing its utmost to eliminate the production and trafficking of illegal drugs," it said.</s>SEOUL — U.S. President Donald Trump agreed with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to revise a joint treaty capping the development of the South's ballistic missiles, Moon's office said on Saturday, amid a standoff over North Korea's missile and nuclear tests.

Trump also gave "conceptual" approval to the purchase by the South of billions of dollars of U.S. military hardware, the White House said.

The South wants to raise the missile cap to boost its defenses against the reclusive North, which is pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of international warnings and UN sanctions.

"The two leaders agreed to the principle of revising the missile guideline to a level desired by South Korea, sharing the view that it was necessary to strengthen South Korea's defense capabilities in response to North Korea's provocations and threats," South Korea's presidential Blue House said.

Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the South and its main ally, the United States.

North Korea sharply raised regional tension this week with the launch of its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

That followed the test launch of two long-range ballistic missiles in July in a sharply lofted trajectory that demonstrated a potential range of 6,000 miles or more that would put many parts of the U.S. mainland within striking distance.

North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and has recently threatened to land missiles near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

South Korea's development of its ballistic missiles is limited to range of 500 miles and payload weight of 1,100 pounds under a bilateral treaty revised in 2012.

South Korea has said it wants to revise the agreement to increase the cap on the payload.

The two countries agreed to the cap as part of a commitment to a voluntary international arms-control pact known as the Missile Technology Control Regime, aimed at limiting the proliferation missiles and nuclear weapons.

The two leaders pledged to continue to apply strong diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea and to make all necessary preparations to defend against the growing threat by the North, the White House said.

The White House did not mention the voluntary bilateral agreement but said the two leaders agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation and South Korea's defense capabilities.

Trump "provided his conceptual approval of planned purchases by South Korea of billions of dollars in American military equipment", the White House said.

Trump, who has warned that the U.S. military is "locked and loaded" in case of further North Korean provocation, reacted angrily to the latest missile test, declaring on Twitter that "talking is not the answer" to resolving the crisis.

North Korea defends its weapons programs as necessary to counter perceived U.S. aggression, such as recent air maneuvers with South Korean and Japanese jets.</s>The US and South Korea have agreed to increase Seoul’s missile capabilities just days after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and threatened further launches, Seoul’s Yonhap news agency reported.

The reclusive state fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 over Japan early on Tuesday, which it said was a mere “curtain-raiser” for the North’s “resolute countermeasures” against ongoing US-South Korean military drills.

It came as the US and South Korean forces were nearing the end of the 10-day annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises, which the North regards as a rehearsal for invasion.

US President Donald Trump later insisted that “all options” were on the table in an implied threat of pre-emptive military action, while on Thursday US heavy bombers and stealth jet fighters took part in a joint live fire drill in South Korea intended as a show of force.

In phone call on Friday, Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in agreed to enhance Seoul’s deterrence against North Korea by boosting its missile capabilities, Yonhap reported, citing Seoul’s presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.

“The two leaders noted the need to strengthen the Republic of Korea’s defence capabilities to counter provocations and threats from North Korea, and reached an agreement in principle to revise the ‘missile guideline’ to the extent hoped by the South Korean side,” Yonhap quoted Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun as saying.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years after a series of missile tests by Pyongyang.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In has previously urged limits on Seoul’s missiles to be loosened in a conversation with Trump.

Seoul is currently allowed to possess ballistic missiles with a range of 800 km and payload of 500 kg, but it wants the weight limit raised to 1,000 kg.

The Pentagon had said it was “actively” considering the revision.

Calls are also mounting in the South for Seoul to build nuclear weapons of its own to defend itself as nuclear-armed North Korea’s missile stand-off with the US escalates.

The South, which hosts 28,500 US troops to defend it, is banned from building its own nuclear weapons under a 1974 atomic energy deal it signed with Washington, which instead offers a “nuclear umbrella” against potential attacks.

Yonhap added that the two leaders reaffirmed the need to bring Pyonyang back to the dialogue table by applying maximum sanctions and pressure.

However, Trump said after the latest missile test that negotiations with Pyongyang were “not the answer”.</s>(CNN) South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump have agreed "in principle" to revise a bilateral treaty that limits the weight and range of the South's ballistic missiles.

"President Moon and President Trump reaffirmed their view that it is important to apply maximum sanctions and pressure on North Korea so that it refrains from making provocations and comes out to the dialogue table to peacefully resolve its nuclear issue," Blue House spokesman Park Soo-hyun said in a written statement.

According to the statement, the two leaders also agreed "in principle on the revision of the missile guidelines."

"Sharing the view that South Korea needs to bolster its defense capabilities to counter North Korea's provocations and threats, the two leaders agreed in principle to revise the missile guidelines to a level that the South Korean side desires," the spokesman's statement said, but did not provide further details about what the revision would entail.

Under the bilateral pact last revised in 2012, South Korea is allowed to develop ballistic missiles with a range of up to 800 kilometers (500 miles) and a payload weight of up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds).

The White House said Trump gave Moon his "conceptual approval" for the planned purchase by the South of billions of dollars of US military equipment.

"President Trump provided his conceptual approval of planned purchases by South Korea of billions of dollars in American military equipment," the White House said in a statement after the phone call.

Carl Schuster, a former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center, told CNN that revising the bilateral treaty would give the South Koreans a more independent deterrent capability, which they have wanted for the past several years.

"The reason they want it, I think, is they want to be able to either respond to North Korean provocation or they want North Korea to be aware that they have the capability to respond if North Korea goes too far," said Schuster, now a Hawaii Pacific University professor.

"To an extent it's as much a political as an operational development that's important to South Korean self-confidence."

While Moon has sought to be "more accommodating" to North Korea than his predecessor and looked for nonmilitary ways to resolve the situation, Schuster said, North Korea's recent actions have undermined his confidence and public confidence in his policies.

They have also alarmed South Korea's allies in the region and around the world.

From South Korea's perspective, Schuster said, allowing it more powerful weaponry signals to North Korea that Seoul will not necessarily be constrained by the United States and that it has an independent ability to react -- something that North Korea would have to factor into its own calculations.

The shift in tack could reflect US President Donald Trump's belief that it's time to try something new and his desire for China to do more to rein in North Korea, Schuster said.

In the 1990s, US policymakers were keen to constrain the offensive capabilities of countries in northern Asia because it was believed this would dissuade North Korea from increasing its own defensive capabilities, Schuster said. However, this approach clearly hasn't worked.

Allowing South Korea to have longer range missiles could put pressure on China to exert influence over North Korea, Schuster said, because the Chinese will see that as creating a potential threat to them too.

Meanwhile, new commentary published Friday in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the official mouthpiece of North Korea's ruling Workers Party of Korea, called on the United States to recognize North Korea as a nuclear power if it wants future diplomatic efforts to make headway.

"The situation is turning unfavorable for the U.S. day by day. There is no proper way out. The U.S. should make a switchover in its policy on the basis of recognizing the fundamentally changed DPRK strategic position and geographical influence," it said.

"As the U.S. escalates the confrontation with the DPRK and wastes time to find out a solution, the striking capabilities of the DPRK's strategic forces which put the whole U.S. mainland in their strike range will rapidly increase."</s>The United States and South Korea agreed Friday to strengthen Seoul's defenses and Washington gave a nod to billions in arms sales to the country, the White House said, days after North Korea fired a missile over Japan and threatened further launches.

In Seoul, the presidential Blue House spokesman confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in agreed to enhance the country's deterrence against North Korea by boosting its missile capabilities.

Pyongyang fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 over Japan early on Tuesday, which it said was a mere "curtain-raiser" for the North's "resolute countermeasures" against ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills.

It came as U.S. and South Korean forces were nearing the end of the 10-day annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises, which the North regards as a rehearsal for invasion.

Trump has insisted that "all options" are on the table in an implied threat of pre-emptive military action, while on Thursday U.S. heavy bombers and stealth jet fighters took part in a joint live fire drill in South Korea intended as a show of force.

Trump and Moon spoke on the phone Friday about North Korea's "continued destabilizing and escalating behavior," the White House said in a statement.

"The two leaders agreed to strengthen our alliance through defense cooperation and to strengthen South Korea's defense capabilities.

"President Trump provided his conceptual approval of planned purchases by South Korea of billions of dollars in American military equipment."

Park Soo-hyun, the spokesman for Seoul's presidential office, said the leaders had reached an agreement in principle to loosen -- "to the extent hoped by the South Korean side" -- limits on the South's ballistic missile capability.

Under a bilateral agreement with the United States, Seoul is currently restricted to ballistic missiles with a maximum range of 500 miles and payload of 1,100 pounds.

The South wants the maximum warhead weight doubled to one ton, and the Pentagon has said it was "actively" considering the revision.

Signed with the U.S. in 2001 -- the year South Korea joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) -- the agreement initially limited Seoul to rockets with a range of about 200 miles, due to U.S. concerns about triggering a regional arms race in Northeast Asia.

However, after a long-range rocket test by North Korea in 2012, Seoul managed to negotiate the near three-fold increase in the range limit to 500 miles, putting North Korean military facilities that were previously out of range within reach, as well as parts of China and Japan.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years after a series of missile tests by Pyongyang.

Calls are also mounting in South Korea for Seoul to build nuclear weapons of its own to defend itself, as nuclear-armed North Korea's missile stand-off with the U.S. escalates.

The South, which hosts 28,500 U.S. troops to defend it, is banned from building its own nuclear weapons under a 1974 atomic energy deal it signed with Washington, which instead offers a "nuclear umbrella" against potential attacks.

Park said the two leaders reaffirmed the need to bring Pyongyang back to dialogue by applying maximum sanctions and pressure.

However, Trump said after the latest missile test that negotiations with Pyongyang were "not the answer."</s>The announcement comes after the brutal regime of young despot Kim Jong-un fired yet another missile on Tuesday which crossed Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido in the boldest show of force from the DPRK in recent years. President Trump agreed with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to revise a joint treaty capping the development of the South's ballistic missiles, Seoul has confirmed. According to the White House, during the conversation Trump also gave "conceptual" approval to the purchase by the South of billions of dollars of US military hardware. A spokesperson from Prime Minister Moon’s office said: "The two leaders agreed to the principle of revising the missile guideline to a level desired by South Korea, sharing the view that it was necessary to strengthen South Korea's defence capabilities in response to North Korea's provocations and threats.”

US Pacific Command (PACOM) chief Admiral Harry Harris had made a similar promise during a meeting with South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo, as part of Mr Song’s five-day visit to the US. The Ministry of National Defence said: "The US commander reaffirmed Washington's ironclad commitment to defending South Korea in the face of North Korea's threats. "He said PACOM will closely consult with the South Korean government and the Joint Chiefs of Staff over all military options that can be considered." PACOM is in charge of commanding US forces' military operations in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes the Korean Peninsula.

Kim has sparked fury throughout the world this year by ramping up his missile programme and continuing to threaten the United States. Donald Trump brought tensions with North Korea to a new height as he outright threatened "fire and fury" against Pyongyang. The US President also has grown frustrated with China, Kim's closest ally, for its failure to rein in the despot's missile tests. The White House has said that North Korea “poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world”.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also earlier this week insisted Washington will continue to seek a peaceful resolution to the North Korea crisis. He told Fox News: "We do view [the missile tests] as a provocative act against the United States and our allies. "We're going to continue our peaceful pressure campaign, working with allies, working with China as well to see if we can bring the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table." The United States is technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North says it will never give up its weapons programmes, saying they are necessary to counter hostility from the United States and its allies.</s>WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US President Donald Trump spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae In on Friday (Sept 1) and the two leaders pledged to continue to apply strong diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea, the White House said in a statement.

It also said Trump "provided his conceptual approval of planned purchases by South Korea of billions of dollars in American military equipment."
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump agree to revise the South Korea Ballistic Missile Range Guidelines which caps South Korea's missile development.