korea has accepted the north rare offer of talks proposing the two sides meet next tuesday the unification ministry said the talks with mainly focus on north korea's participation in the upcoming winter olympics in the south it follows kim jong un's new year dress which struck a more friendly tone towards solving south korea's president says resolving the standoff over pyongyang's nuclear program is still a top priority. on yourself but can the improvement of relations between north and south korea chemical separately with the resolving north korea's nuclear program so the foreign ministry should coordinate closely with allies and the international community regarding this florence louis has more from seoul south korean officials have made it clear that the talks that they're proposing to be held on january ninth focus on north korea sending their athletes to take part in the upcoming winter olympics and paralympics as well as on improving into career relations the last time these two countries held high level talks was in december two thousand and fifteen those talks broke down after south korea r

has accepted the north's rare offer of talks proposing the two sides meet next tuesday the unification ministries of the talks will mainly focus on north korea's taking part in the forthcoming winter olympics in the south it follows kim jong un's new year's address which struck a more friendly tone towards seoul south korea's president when jean said resolving the standoff with the only ends nuclear program was a priority. and the improvement of relations between north and south korea cannot go separately with the resolving north korea's nuclear program so the foreign ministry should coordinate closely with allies and the international community regarding this nigeria's military says more than seven hundred people held hostage by the group because now managed to escape they were found close to the northeastern border with chad the military says many of the captives were farmers and fishermen who are being kept in forced labor camps. palestinians are condemning a new israeli law which makes it harder to hand over parts of jerusalem under a future peace deal israeli m.p.'s passed the bill which mea

accepted the north's rare all full of talks proposing the two sides meet next tuesday the unification ministry said the talks with mainly focus on north korea's participation in the upcoming winter olympics in the south that follows kim jong un's new year address which struck a more friendly tone from seoul and joins us now live from seoul so any plans at this point by officials to talk about anything other than him pick issues . well for more we've heard from south korean officials is that the talks are going to focus on apart from the olympics on improving into career relations and we have really haven't had any more details apart from that but i can tell you that the last time such high level talks were held with in december two thousand and fifteen so more than two years ago now those talks broke down because north korea wanted south korea to resume sending tours to north korea those turds had stopped since two thousand and eight when a south korean tourist was accidently shot but south korea refused to resume those tours and those talks broke down so those could be one of the things that

korea has accepted the north's rare offer of talks proposing the two sides meet on tuesday the unification ministry said they mainly focus on north korea's taking part in the winter games they're due to happen in less than six weeks it follows kim jong un's new year's address which struck a more predator toward seoul has been smith. in the freezing environment of the winter olympics there might be a chance for a foreign relations between south and north korea hopes are being raised following the new year address by came on north korea's leader suggested sending a team to the winter games starting in south korea next month government leaders in seoul were quick to seize the opportunity. the government proposes to hold high level talks with north korea on january ninth at the peace house in panmunjom true spillages to discuss north korea's participation in the pyongyang winter olympics. south korea's president favors talks with the north as a way of managing pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats. and the improvement of relations between north and south korea cannot go separately with the resolving

. >> translator: the unification ministry and the ministry of culture, sports, and tourism should swiftly create measures to resume talks about help the north korean squad to they can participate in the pyeongchang olympics. >> leaving president trump potentially on the outside looking in. >> kim would love to drive a wedge between the united states and korea, south korea, or japan. it is very important for him to in essence, take south korea out of the mix of alliances that it currently has. >> nikki haley, not yet embracing progress. >> north korea can talk with anyone they want, but the u.s. is not going to recognize it or acknowledge it until they agree to ban the nuclear weapons that they have. >> the president putting his own take on developments tweeting, sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on north korea. soldiers are dangerously flee ing to south korea. rocket man now wants to talk to south korea for first time. perhaps that is good new us. perhaps not. we will see. the risk for president trump? defending south korea could be much tougher if north and

korean participation in the games but south korea is hoping that it can go beyond that the unification ministrysoule says the military families u.s. president trump says he supports the talks 100%. >> right now they're talking olympics it's a start it's a big start if i weren't involved they wouldn't be talking. they would be doing no talking or it would be much more serious. he knows i'm not messing around. not even a little bit. not even 1%. he understand it at the same time, if we can come up with a very peaceful and very good solution, we're working on it with rex, we're working on it with a lot of people if something can happen and something can come out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all of humanity. >> the crucial question; what comes after the talks tomorrow will this be about peace making or money making. >> also today we spoke to the former head of the united nations bankki-moon. here's what he had to say. >> this dialogue and the meetings should be a denuclearization it should be a denuclearization of the korean peninsula. >> the movie outside of missouri, that was t

for the south's unification ministry.lks will focus on next month's winter olympics in pea i don't think chang. yesterday morning president trump tweeted with all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between north and south korea right now. if i was not firm, strong, and willing to commit our total might against the north. received the sense last night. unclear if trump knew about the intentions beforehand. has agreed to the proposal to postpone military drills until after the winter olympics in peon chayeongchang. >>> still ahead. no know days in the nfl. may be cracks in the dynasty. blockbuster new report on the power struggle within. next in sports. it. i'm on the move all day long... and sometimes, i don't eat the way i should. so, i drink boost to get the nutrition i'm missing. boost high protein nutritional drink has 15 grams of protein to help maintain muscle and 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d. all with a great

delegation from the north to the upcoming winter olympic games in pyeongchang >> translator: the unification ministry and cultural ministry have to prepare a follow-up plan so north and south korea dialogue can be restored improving interkorean relations cannot be done separately from the north korean nuclear issue so they need to work closely with allied nations and the international community to improve relations and resolve the north korean nuclear issue simultaneously >> this comes after kim jong-un hinted at his country's participation in the event offering an olive branch to the south. speaking in his new year's address, kim made new claims about his ability to reach the u.s. with nuclear weapons. >> reporter: tonight kim jong-un in a rare appearance unleashing an ominous warning the whole of the u.s. mainland is within our firing range and the nuclear button is on my bessing. it's not a threat, he said, but a reality. the president reacting at a new year's eve party >> we'll see we'll see. >> after a ballistic missile launch in november, kim jong-un claims his nuclear weapons program is comple

. >> joins us live, bill neely, the south korean unification ministry reporting the daily phone calls years after the north severed those communications. how much of a break through is this for the possibility of a resolution to this crisis? >> yeah, good morning, ayman, we've now had five exchanges across the border, no question, it's a brake through, whether it will resolve a nuclear crisis is a different issue. picking up on joe biden's words matter, he's right the dialogue matters. so really on the principle that jaw, jaw, is better than war, war, it will make dialogue easier and may well prevent misunderstandings. i use that world war ii phrase overnight. prime minister shinzo abe says the security situation facing japan is the most dangerous since world war ii. he says it's because of north korea's provocations. he is promising to bolster japan's defenses and to work with the u.s. and south korea and so on. the fact of the open hotline, the two slides talk to each other at 9:00 and 4:00 every day. it's nothing of substance. it's not long ago, south korean officials were using a

south korea's unification ministry has confirmed to nbc news that north korea has reopened a cross border has made contact one day after self-proposed high-level talks between the two. meanwhile, president trump has ramped up his war of words with kim jong-un responding to the north korean statement on his nuclear button. with trump calling his button much bigger and more powerful. >>> and the u.s. has suffered its first war death of 2018. the soldier identified as 34-year-old golin of new jersey. he was killed in afghanistan. four soldiers are in stable condition. >>> and the leader of a baptist church has passed away, thomas munson served as leader of the church. his supervise include ed a controversial vote over gay marriage. he was 100 years old. >>> and the founders of the trump dossier are sharing what they told congress and demanding that republicans set the record straight. fusion gps co-founders glenn simpson and peter fritsch, saying they're being smeared. republicans have refused to release full transcripts of our firm's testimony, even as they leak details to it's right. >> ch

so essentially, the officials, the delegates from the respective unification ministries in north andth korea will be sitting down at the table and kind of on first glance laying out their agenda which, at least from all indications we're hearing is going to be pretty focused on the logistics for getting a north korean delegation to the winter olympics in pyeongchang just over a month from now. and it is interesting that you heard north korea's only ioc representative saying that it is very likely that the pairs figure skating duo will be potentially going here to south korea to -- i meaner it, it's g to be all eyes on these figure skaters who actually qualified last year but missed the deadline in order to be on the olympic roster. so the international olympic committee is working on granting extension for them. it seems as if these talks are really goi ing to be focusing o the olympics. and the big issues will come if north korea and south korea agree for more talks down the road. really, we're not going to know if that agreement is going to be reached if that's going to happen if t

this is the spokesperson for south korea's unification ministry. >> north korea accepted our offer for talks at the peace house on january 9. the two sides decided to discuss working level issues for the talks by exchanging documents. regarding the agenda, both will discuss the w winter olympics ad ways to improve ties between south and north korea. amy: the united states and south korea have also agreed to delay planned mililitary drills on the korean peninsula until after the winter olympics, which are being held in pyeongchang, south korea, about 6 60 miles south of the demilitarized zone. the united states has suspended at least $900 million in military aid to pakistan, after president trump accused pakistan of not doing enough to combat terrorism. this is state department spokesperson heather nauert. >> today we can confirm that we're suspending national security -- excuse me, we're suspending security assistance only to pakistan at this time. until the pakistani government takes decisive action against groups, including the afghan taliban and the haqqani network. the united state

you've got a top official from what south korea calls its unification ministry and his equivalent counterpartn the north korean side are accompanied by officials from each other's sporting agencies as well as their olympic committees and that highlights what the main thrust of the talks are. they're supposed to be talking about trying to pave the way for a north korean delegation to attend the winter olympics which will kick off here in south korea in about a month's time, but the south koreans have also made clear that they'd like to kind of lay the groundwork for other discussions, as well, including allowing reunions for some of the tens of thousands of people here in south korea who haven't been able to see their relatives on the northern side of the dmz since the korean war, and also for a general de-escalation of the basically the military situation here on the korean peninsula which has been so tense. i mean, keep in mind it was just late november, that's the last time that north korea fired a missile to the alarm of south korea and all of the other countries here in the region, brooke

at 3pm pyongyang time, we heard from the unification ministry that that telephone line had been opened years between north and south korea had taken place. the culkin from the north to the south, the only details we have the content of that call is the officer from the unification ministry in the south said hello and gave his name, the northside did the same. we are told that that telephone line was connected for some 20 minutes. they checked the lines on the signal, but it seems more words will have been exchanged, but we have not heard what they are yet. it is hoped this is day three, on the 1st of january kimjong un in is day three, on the 1st of january kim jong un in suggested is day three, on the 1st of january kimjong un in suggested he is day three, on the 1st of january kim jong un in suggested he would is day three, on the 1st of january kimjong un in suggested he would be interested in dialogue with the south. and the south government proposed high—level talks on tuesday of next week. we are now waiting for the response from pyongyang, and that came today in the form of this

now the unification ministry heres a suggested next tuesday, so january 9th, at the dmz at the border village, which is in north korea and in south korea, right on the border. as you say they haven't had a response yet from north korea, but they have also said if north korea disagrees with those details, we can change the date, we can change the time, we can change the format. really trying to bend over backwards to make sure that they can have these talks. now they say it's important to have high-level talks at such an early date because the olympics are so close. kim jong-un said he's willing to send a delegation to the olympics. south korea wants north korea there. but they have to hurry, they say if they want to iron out the details. it is potentially a significant development, but we will have to wait and see what north korea makes of that offer. poppy? >> whether they will come to the dmz and actually have these talks next week, paula hancocks, thank you. >>> joining me now, military analyst and retired air force colonel cedric leighton and security analyst gail [ inaudible ]. c

both sides will be sending officials from their respective unification ministries, ministries that bothides have set up to talk about the eventual reunification of the korean peninsula divided at the end of the korean war, north and south still technically in a state of war. number one on the agenda the olympics in pyeongchang. getting a delegation to participate. a lot of hurdles that need to overcome to make that happen. it could be considered a win for both sides. kim jong-un has athletes participating in the games, can point to the fact that he got the u.s. and south koreas to postpone military exercises until after the olympics and the south korean government that came into power on a promise of engaging with north korea can say he kept that promise after a difficult 2017 with 16 north korean ba list ig missile tests, 23 launched into the sky and north korea's most powerful nuclear test ever. there are some words from russia's deputy foreign minister basically warning the united states not to do or say anything that could undermine these talks. that, of course, a specific jab at pr

has accepted the north's rear offer of talks proposing the two science meet next tuesday the unification ministry said the mainly focus on north korea's taking part in the forthcoming winter olympic games in the south follows kim jong il and new year's address which struck a more friendly tone toward so has been dismissed. in the freezing environment of the winter olympics there might be a chance for a full in relations between south and north korea hopes being raised following the new year address by came north korea's leader suggested sending a team to the winter games starting in south korea next month. government leaders in seoul were quick to seize the opportunity. the government proposes to hold high level talks with north korea on january ninth at the peace house in panmunjom true spillages to discuss north korea's participation in the plonk chang winter olympics . south korea's president favors talks with the north as a way of managing pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats. and the improvement of relations between north and south korea cannot go separately with the resolving north korea

just after 3:30pm seoul time this afternoon we heard from the south korean unification ministry thathone call from north korea. that is the first direct telephone call to ta ke that is the first direct telephone call to take place between the countries for nearly two years. it is being seen as another step towards the opening of dialogue between north korea and south korea. south korea offered what it called high—level talks to the north yesterday, we still do not know whether the north will accept the offer but it has been proposed for the 9th of january, next tuesday, exactly a month ahead of the winter 0lympics getting under way here in south korea. if those talks take place it is expected that is what they will discuss, whether pyongyang will send a delegation to the winter olympics. the south korean president has previously said he really feels that those games could mark a turning point in relations and help the escalate tensions on the korean peninsula. one of president trump's many targets this new year is the palestinians. he says they show "no appreciation or respect" for "

has accepted the north's rare offer of talks proposing the two sides meet next tuesday the unification ministries that the talks would mainly focus on north korea's taking part in the forthcoming winter olympics in the south if kim jong un's new year's address was struck a more friendly tone toward seoul of you know years from. the government proposes to hold high level government to government talks between the north and south at the peace house and john on january ninth to discuss relevant issues including the north might a patient in the winter olympics considering that they are a month away while i stay with our story for a second florence living now from so. south korean officials have made it clear that the talks that they're proposing to be held on january ninth focus on north korea sending their athletes to take part in the upcoming winter olympics and paralympics as well as on improving into career relations the last time these two countries held high level talks was in december two thousand and fifteen those talks broke down after south korea refused to resume sending leasure ter groups

the past ninety minutes there's been a big development on the korean peninsula south korea's unification ministry has announced that north and south korea will march together at the opening ceremony of the olympic winter games in chiang next month this is a pretty big step forward and not just symbolically there's also going to be a joint women's ice hockey team it's going to be a ski resort in the north which will be used for training north korean supporters will travel to pyongyang to cheer on the athletes all of this announced after a third round of talks between the two sides it's late in seoul but we've got kathy novak with us to talk us through all of this and kathy i mean it's not the first time that we have had this sort of unification but certainly not under these sorts of circumstances and this amount of tension on the peninsula. absolutely it has been quite some time since we've seen something like this and significant agreement if you consider the fact that before last week the two koreas hadn't had any official communication for more than two years and now you have them coming to thi

south korea's unification ministry confirms to nbc news, that north korea has reopened the cross-border communication channel and has made contact. look at some of these pictures. they show south korea testing the phone lines for talks at the most volatile border in the world. savannah and hoda? >> peter, thank you. >>> let's turn to jeremy bash. good morning. >> good morning, savannah. >> let's set aside for a moment just how remarkable and uned to be saying, essentially, my nuclear button is bigger than yours. what does kim jong-un hear? that's what matters the most? does it make it more likely that we'll get into some kind of conflict? >> if kim jong-un thinks he's about to be annihilated, and make no mistake, these joouf na juvenile and immature tweets suggest that, kim jong-un is likely to lash out, to maybe use chemical weapons at our military base in guam. this is very destabilizing. this is a tweet that could lead to confrontation and maybe even war. >> last year the president talked about unleashing fire and fury, the likes of which the world has never seen. now this about the

the unification ministry says the agenda will include wider relations between the two sides.es after the south korea and u.s. agreed to suspend plans for joint military drills next month. argentina is rushing to sell $9 billion in bonds to meet its financing needs for the year as it seeks to get ahead of other regional economies. government selling three tranches with 5-10-30 years and range between 4% to 7%. the sale is led by citigroup, deutsche bank, and hsbc. global news 24 hours a day powered by more than 2700 journalists and analysts in more than 120 countries. this is bloomberg. i am paul allen. haidi: thank you for that. a data-like day in asia. data-lite they in asia. all this is continuing into resilience when it comes to the equities session, looking like we will end the best week in asian equities and half a year. rishaad: there has been weakness creeping in, but not that much right now, looking at the tailwinds, better than expected adp report helping to propel the three major markets to record highs. on top of that, the jobs report in the u.s. as well. have wti

we had confirmation from the south korean unification ministry that north korea sent a fax ona line ministrysent a fax on a line closed two years ago and on a line closed two years ago and on the ninth ofjanuary on a line closed two years ago and on the ninth of january they will meet in the demilitarised zone between the two countries. at that meeting we know they will discuss the possibility of pyongyang sending a delegation to the winter the possibility of pyongyang sending a delegation to the winter olympics due to get under way here in south korea next month. now, this comes just hours after the united states and south korea agreed to stop their joint military exercises. now, these ta ke joint military exercises. now, these take place on a regular. the us and south korea say they are defensive, but north korea says they are excuses for provocations. now, that happened. we have confirmation the talks will take place. so, it is a step in the right direction. thank you very much. so, that was sophie long in seoul. the number of people applying for teacher training has fallen by a third com

proposed high-level talks next tuesday to discuss that topic and this morning south korea's unification ministryc news that north korea has reopened the cross-communication channel and has made contact. yesterday before his button-sized tweet, president trump seemed to respond to these diplomatic overtures, "sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on north korea. rocket man now wants to talk to south korea for the first time. perhaps that is good news. perhaps not. we will see." and u.s. ambassador nikki haley addressed the possible discussions yesterday at the u.n. >> we won't take any of the talks seriously if they don't do something to ban all nuclear weapons in north korea. we consider this to be a very reckless regime. we don't think we need a band-aid or smile and take a picture. we need to have them stop with nuclear weapons and they need to stop it now. north korea can talk with anyone they want. the u.s. is not going to recognize or acknowledge it until they agree to ban the nuclear weapons that they have. >> joining us now from london is bill neely. you have sp

so you have the south korean unification minister and his north korean counterpart accompanied by their deputies and also representatives of the sports and culture ministries and in charge of the olympics and as you mentioned one of the news lines that we're hearing coming out of this meeting that is ongoing is that north korea has agreed to send a high level delegation to the winter olympics that will be taking place here in south korea next month we understand that will include a take quando demonstration squad as well as a cheer squad and further details are still to be discussed south korea a once the two countries to march together in the opening ceremony and as you mentioned it is also proposed the holding of talks to arrange family reunions for members of families that were separated by the korean war these are rare reunions that only take place once every few years or so and the people who are on the list to take part are increasingly aging and passing away without having the chance to be reunited one last time with their family members on the other side of the closed borders so these sorts of reunions are always extremely emotional occasions and s