UN chief in push to restart North Korea nuclear talks

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon said he hoped North Korea’s release of two American journalists would lead to fresh talks on eliminating its nuclear weapons programme.

Mr Ban said he welcomed the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were detained at the Chinese-North Korean border in March and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labour for illegal entry into the reclusive North and engaging in “hostile acts”.