North Korea

Prospects of a fourth meeting have dimmed as denuclearisation talks have stalled

Defections across closely guarded inter-Korean frontier are rare

Part of Kim’s initiative to shift from reliance on a nearly 1.3 million-strong army to high-tech weapons

Threatens to sour the diplomatic atmosphere as negotiations between his country and the US appear to have stalled

As the sanctions by the North's traditional trading partners China and Russia ease

But says won’t repeat past mistakes of allowing promises to be broken

Progress stalls on US President Donald Trump's signature foreign policy initiative

About 500 United States and South Korean marines begin the drills

Some analysts believe Republicans' loss in midterm elections will impact Trump’s foreign policy

Pompeo emphasised in television appearances that there have been no missile or nuclear tests since summit in Singapore

Pyongyang maintains that it protects and promotes 'genuine human rights'

Aims to stigmatize nuclear weapons as previous treaties marginalised landmines and cluster munitions

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed vaguely-worded pledge on denuclearisation in June

The three sides held their second round of talks at Panmunjom to discuss ways to demilitarise the border

More than 1.5 million people in attendance

Trump and Kim held a historic first summit in Singapore on June 12, where Kim pledged to work towards denuclearisation

Religious freedom is enshrined in North Korea's constitution, but all religious activity is subject to restrictions

The US secretary of state also says both sides are close to agreement on the details of a second summit

US Secretary of State arrived in South Korea on Sunday after visiting North Korea

Also says Japan and the US were in a position to finalise a trade agreement

Many people see the flag as a symbol of Japan’s past military aggression and its occupation of the Korean peninsula

He will also travel to Japan, South Korea and China from Oct 6-8

The Trump administration prepares for a second summit with Kim to talk about denuclearisation

Security Council has unanimously boosted sanctions on North Korea since 2006

President Donald Trump touted his summit with North Korea, alleging Pyongyang was no longer a threat to the US

North Korea counts on China as its main economic and political backer

Abe has been a longtime hard-liner regarding North Korea

Pompeo says efforts to persuade Pyongyang to denuclearize are progressing

Struggling with tighter budgets from US cuts, UN remains defensive as its efforts in Syria, Libya and Yemen fall short

Kim agrees for international inspection but does not provide a list of its nuclear weapons or a concrete timeline

After the two leaders pledge new steps aimed at salvaging nuclear talks on Wednesday

Some US officials were deeply skeptical fearing Kim was trying to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul

Washington wants to see concrete action toward denuclearisation by North Korea before agreeing to Pyongyang's key goal

Pyongyang eyes reunification with Seoul, reconciliation with Washington

However the concept has become increasingly convoluted and viewed as unrealistic in the South

The visit comes after the North put on its 'Mass Games' propaganda display for the first time in five years

Russia seeks push for changes to an independent report on sanctions violations, says US ambassador to UN

'A new chapter in history is open here today', says South Korean unification minister

Commemorating 70th anniversary of North Korea’s foundation

US President Donald Trump received letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asking for second meeting

DPRK would have read it as a sign of an imminent US attack, says Bob Woodward

The theme for the celebrations this year was unifying the Korean peninsula

This year’s games come as leader Kim Jong Un seeks to rebrand North Korea as a responsible nuclear-armed state

Gives a timeline for the first time and agrees to a third summit with his South Korean counterpart

Seoul would also continue to push for a joint declaration with the United States of an end to the Korean war this year

Amid sensitive negotiations over the future of the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal

It will be the seventh straight annual increase as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reinforces country’s military

Trump doubled down on his suggestion that China was not helping to rein in its Cold War-era ally

Jeong Kyeong-doo will be South Korea’s first defense minister with an air force background in 24 years

Trump's statement came a day after his defense secretary hinted that the drills could resume