US President Donald Trump Still Has 'Confidence' In North Korean Leader

Tokyo: US President Donald Trump on Sunday reiterated his "confidence" in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un despite Pyongyang launching missile tests earlier this month. "North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump tweeted from Japan where he is on an official visit. "I have confidence that Chairman Kim (Jong-un) will keep his promise to me," he added, apparently referring to what he has reported as a pledge by Kim to freeze the testing of missiles and nuclear weapons, Efe news reported.

The Pyongyang regime launched several short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9 in tests overseen by the North Korean dictator. Some countries, including Japan, say the moves violate UN Security Council resolutions. On Saturday in Tokyo, US National Security Adviser John Bolton also said there is "no doubt" the ballistic missile launches violate UN resolutions, in contrast to Trump's stance. Both the US and one of its regional allies, South Korea, downplayed the importance of the tests earlier this month, which came amid the stalemate in negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. (IANS)

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