JOINT MILITARY EXERCISESChung and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon flew to Washington earlier on Thursday to explain North Korea's stance on possible future talks with Washington and the prospect of Pyongyang suspending nuclear tests if the security of the North's government is assured.In what would be a key North Korean concession, Chung said Kim "understands that the routine joint military exercises between the Republic of Korea and the United States must continue." Pyongyang had previously demanded that such joint drills be suspended in order for any US talks to go forward.Trump in the past has derided the North Korean leader as a “maniac,” referred to him as “little rocket man” and threatened in a speech to the United Nations last year to "totally destroy" his country of 26 million people if it attacked the United States or one of its allies.Kim had responded by calling the U.S. president a “mentally deranged US dotard.”Trump has also been scathing in his criticism of Kim and of previous US administrations for not doing more to rein in the North Korean government.Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said on Friday North Korea must commit to abandoning nuclear development completely in order for meaningful talks to take place with Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the change in North Korea's attitude is the result of pressure from allies Japan, the United States and South Korea and others.Daniel Russel, until last April the assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, the most senior US diplomatic position for Asia, noted there had still been no public comment from North Korea about the content of Monday’s meeting."Let’s hear from the North Koreans themselves what they are proposing and what they are willing to do. There is plenty of reason to be cautious, given their track record. Second, let’s read the fine print. The North has made peace overtures in the past that did not hold up under scrutiny," Russell said.Tensions over North Korea rose to their highest in years in 2017, and the Trump administration has warned that all options are on the table, including military ones, in dealing with Pyongyang, which has pursued its weapons programs in defiance of ever tougher UN sanctions.Signs of a thaw emerged this year, with North and South Korea resuming talks and North Korea attending the Winter Olympics. During the Pyongyang talks this week, the two Koreas agreed to hold their first summit since 2007 in late April.South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said sanctions should not be eased for the sake of talks and that nothing less than denuclearization of North Korea should be the final goal for talks.China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, called on the United States and North Korea to hold talks as soon as possible, warning at a news briefing in Beijing on Thursday that things "will not be smooth sailing."Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2018