Kim Jong-un likes testing missiles: Trump downplays weapon tests by N Korea

Downplaying the ongoing weapon tests by North Korea, US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated that he does not think Pyongyang has violated any pact by launching another round of projectiles.

“[North korea] Kim Jong un has been, you know, pretty straight with me I think. And we’re going to see what’s going on…He likes testing missiles,” The Hill quoted Trump as saying.

This comes hours after North Korea fired two more unidentified projectiles into the East Sea, according to South Korean news agencies.

So far, North Korea has undertaken six projectile tests since July 25, likely in a show of protest against the ongoing joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.

The negotiations between the US and North Korea have been stalled since the second summit between Trump and Kim ended without reaching an agreement in February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

Kim Jong-un likes testing missiles: Trump downplays weapon tests by N Korea | Global| Politics| DKODING

Trump’s remarks are in contrast to the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement that the weapon test by Pyongyang is “disappointing”. In the wake of the tests, Pompeo also talked to his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha.

“I actually spoke with my South Korean counterpart this morning. We’re disappointed to see the decision that the South Koreans made about that information-sharing agreement,” said Pompeo.

Angry by South Korea and US joint military exercise, North Korea had said that it has “no interest” in dialogue unless Washington and Seoul stop “military threats” against it. It also expressed its disapproval over the arrival of two F-35 A fighter jets in South Korea, saying it is a “grave provocation”.

On Wednesday, two additional F-35 jets arrived in South Korea, bringing the total number of stealth in the country’s Air Force to six.(ANI)