Kim Jong-un will not give up nuclear weapons, says ex-diplomat

Kim Jong-un has no intention of giving up his nuclear weapons and sees the upcoming second summit with US President Donald Trump as a chance to cement his country's status as a nuclear weapons state, according to a former North Korean diplomat.

Thae Yong Ho, who defected to South Korea in 2016, said next week's meeting in Vietnam will be a failure if Mr Trump cannot get Mr Kim to declare he will abandon all of his nuclear facilities and weapons and return North Korea to the nuclear non-proliferation agreement.

Mr Thae worked as a minister at the North Korean embassy in London before fleeing to South Korea.

He is the highest-level North Korean diplomat to defect to the South.

PA