Trump says North Korea talks ‘going well’

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that talks with North Korea were “going well” as US officials seek to reach an agreement with Pyongyang over a denuclearisation plan.

Trump did not respond to recent news reports of US intelligence assessments saying Kim Jong-un‘s regime has been expanding its weapons capabilities after the two leaders held a landmark summit in Singapore.

“Many good conversations with North Korea-it is going well!” he tweeted. “In the meantime, no Rocket Launches or Nuclear Testing in 8 months.”

“All of Asia is thrilled. Only the opposition party, which includes the fake news, is complaining. If not for me, we would now be at war with North Korea!”

Trump’s comments came as his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was to head back to North Korea to flesh out the nuclear agreement signed by the two leaders during their summit meeting last month.

Trump has boasted that the statement resolved the old foes’ nuclear standoff, but Pompeo has been tasked with nailing down details.

There have been reports Kim’s regime has failed to honor its denuclearization pledge after the meeting.

US intelligence officials told NBC News that Pyongyang is increasing its nuclear fuel production.

On Monday, the White House said Pompeo would travel to North Korea on Thursday to continue talks on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

A US delegation met over the weekend with North Korean counterparts at the border between North and South Korea to discuss the next steps to implementing the June 12 summit’s declaration, according to the US State Department.

Trump had during the Singapore sumit said economic sanctions will remain in effect until North Korea reverses its nuclear programme, and added there are no short-term plans to reduce the number of US troops – some 28,500 – stationed in South Korea.