North Korean officials are reportedly reaching out to Republican-linked experts in an effort to understand Donald Trump’s behaviour.

A nuclear-powered standoff has led to intensifying threats and shows of force from both North Korea and the United States. As North Korea has tested increasingly sophisticated missiles, launching multiple projectiles over Japan, Mr Trump has warned the country it could face annihilation.

He threatened to “totally destroy” the country in a speech to the United Nations and followed up by proclaiming on Twitter that North Korea's ruling regime - lead by Kim Jong-un - “won’t be around much longer,” a threat North Korea framed as an act of war.

Seeking to parse the president’s intentions, members of North Korea’s government have tried to arrange contacts with Washington analysts who can illuminate the president’s mindset and explain why he publicly contradicts top administration officials, according to the Washington Post.

Among those whom North Korea contacted was former CIA analyst Bruce Klingner, who told the Post he declined an invitation to visit the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

“They’re on a new binge of reaching out to American scholars and ex-officials”, Mr Klingner told the Post.

Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters

North Koreans who attended unofficial talks in Switzerland had heavily scrutinised the president’s tweets to the extent they could quote them according to the report. Mr Trump frequently makes surprise policy announcements or undercuts statements from his administration on Twitter. He also used the medium to introduce his his newly coined nickname of “Rocket Man” for Mr Kim.

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