10 Jan

US President Donald Trump has met with top Japanese and South Korean national security officials amid stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea.

The White House says Trump met briefly with Japanese Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat Shigeru Kitamura and South Korean Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong on Wednesday.

The White House said in a readout that Trump noted Japan and South Korea "are two of the United States strongest allies in the Indo-Pacific Region."

US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien also held three-way talks with Kitamura and Chung to discuss the situations in Iran and North Korea.

In his address to a key year-end meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un suggested that his country may bolster its nuclear deterrent and develop a new strategic weapon.

Earlier this month, Trump expressed concern that Kim may break his promise about denuclearization, but added he doesn't expect him to do so.

NHK