North Korea on Saturday lambasted a recent trilateral meeting between South Korea, the US and Japan that discussed peace in the Indo-Pacific region, deriding the talks as an "insult" to peace.
A Ukrainian media outlet has reported that about 500 North Korean soldiers were killed in a missile strike by Kyiv in Russia's western Kursk region.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on Sunday that South Korea will have to pay a "dear price" for sending propaganda leaflets across the border the previous day.
NATO and Europe are crying hoarse about North Korean troops being deployed in Russia. According to the Pentagon, about 10,000 North Korean troops are ready to be deployed in the war zone, most of whom are undergoing training in Russia. This would imply strength of about one division.
Guided by Kim, North Korea carried out a "crucial" missile test that set milestones in "perpetuating the absolute superiority" of the country's armed forces, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Xi is the first Chinese president to visit North Korea in 14 years after relations between the Cold War era allies deteriorated over Pyongyang's nuclear provocations and Beijing's subsequent backing of UN sanctions.
The visit comes as nuclear negotiations between Kim and US President Donald Trump have soured after the second summit in February broke up without a deal, failing to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief.
A possible summit between Abe and Kim would attempt to comprehensively address the denuclearisation issue, including the abduction of Japanese nationals, and would be in line with meetings between South Korea and North Korea, and that between the United States and North Korea. However, there has been no clarity in Japan on the breakthrough it could expect from a summit if it materialises. Fearing diplomatic isolation and to stay relevant in an age of fast-moving diplomacy with Pyongyang, one notices a potential shift in Japan's diplomacy by neither confirming nor denying its seriousness of seeking a summit with Kim.
During a press conference with the Polish president, Trump said, "I think we're going to do very well with North Korea over a period of time. I'm in no rush. The sanctions are on,"
Last July, Russia and China blocked a similar request from the U.S. to get the U.N. sanctions committee to publicly accuse North Korea of violating the annual quota.
