Mideast live: Trump claims Iran is ‘completely collapsing’ as US readies new sanctions

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, expressed her "complete unawareness" regarding any communication between her brother and US President Donald Trump. Despite Trump's claim of a recent conversation, Kim, a top North Korean official, did not confirm the report, stating that it may be the only aspect of the US regime's foreign policy she is unaware of.

While acknowledging her brother's "great relationship" with Trump and personal fondness for him, Kim emphasized that the reduction in joint military drills between the US and South Korea does not alter the provocative nature of these exercises. She insisted that these drills should not be regarded as a gesture of goodwill. Kim, a key figure in North Korea's regime, has frequently appeared alongside her brother and often delivers significant statements on behalf of the secretive nation.

The annual joint military drills, usually lasting 10 days, were reduced to five days this year at the request of the US, with the aim of adapting to North Korea's capabilities and training to counter various threats. Analysts have cautioned that scaling down these drills could undermine efforts to increase South Korea's level of responsibility in its own defense.